World of Warcraft
Summary
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game. It can be played for free or with a purchased subscription available on Blizzard's website.
Breach History
Has there ever been a breach or data leak?
Date of last breach
August 2012
Blizzard was the target of a data breach in 2012 which resulted in the email addresses, personal security question answers, and dial-in authenticator information being accessed. However, there was no evidence found that financial information such as credit cards, billing addresses, or real names was compromised.
Privacy Checklist
Is any kind of biometric data collected (health, heart, voice, etc.)?
Are you able to delete your data / the data collected about you?
Does it use cookies, telemetry, or third-party tracking scripts?
Is the privacy policy user-friendly (easy to understand)?
Does it have parental controls?
Does it use encryption to protect your data both in-transit and at-rest?
Does it get regular software and / or firmware updates?
Does it require you to create a strong password?
Is there a system in place for managing security vulnerabilities?
Does it have a privacy policy?
How Can It Snoop?
Does it have a camera or request / require access to a camera?
Does it have a microphone or request / require access to a microphone?
Does it track your location or request / require access to location data?
Account Requirements
Does it require an email address to use?
Does it require a phone number to use?
Does it require an address (home or office) to use?
Payment Options
Are you able to use a credit card as a payment option?
Are you able to use a cryptocurrency as a payment option?
Are you able to use PayPal as a payment option?
Are you able to use cash or gift cards as a payment option?
What Could Go Wrong?
Blizzard collects information from its users such as name, email address, phone number, home address, social media handles, legal guardian details, and IP address. However, Blizzard claims it only shares this information with its developers and service providers. The company was the target of a breach back in 2012, but no major information was exposed and there have been no security issues since then. As a result, your data should be safe with Blizzard.
How Does It Share Your Data?
Blizzard may share personal information with developers and service providers and may share de-identified or public data with other third parties.
Good Things
- Great in-game progression.
- Great community of players.
Bad Things
- Requires grinding to make significant progress.
- Crafting could be better.
Final Thoughts
World of Warcraft is a great choice for gamers looking for an immersive online role-playing game. There have been some security concerns at Blizzard in recent years, but it appears they have been rectified and have been doing well protecting user data since the data breach in 2012. This game should be safe in regards to user privacy.