Valve Unveils Hardware-Based Steam Securit

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Article:

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108197-Valve-Unveils-Hardware-Based-Steam-Security

Basically Valve, and everyone else, are sick of people hacking Steam accounts and stealing their games, in effect, and so to combat this they are planning to integrate a hardware based security system to lock an account to one PC.

It uses a special code generator system embedded in the new Intel 2nd generation Core processors that is separate from the operating system and is a lot more secure than a simple password.

While I've never had my account hacked it is something I fear, and a downside to the digital distribution system. I think it's a neat idea for those with the need for extra security.

Now this would be a voluntary extra so if you like to access your games from different computers then this may not be suitable, but there are those who only use one computer for gaming who could benefit from this system.

No roll-out date has been given, but Intel are going to make an announcement about the technology (which can also be used for other online security needs like banking) on March 11th.

What do you think? Would this be a feature you would be interested in?
 
Surely they could just produce a USB stick or Thunderbolt Stick or something that ties an account to it. Therefore to log into the account you need the USB stick plugged in.
 
dante6491 said:
It would mean that hacking Valves servers for information would be pointless. All personal data could be stored client side. All Valve would need to know is that an account has been linked to a USB stick.
Click to expand...

I think the idea is since this is a feature of the new Intel CPUs Valve are just using that technology.

I, personally, would prefer a device like that, or the Blizzard Authenticator, but I suppose if you lose it you'd be up a very unpleasant creek without a paddle if you went to a LAN party or something.
 
Sucks.

They should implement something which ALL users can access.

As said before, dongle based would be MUCH better.
 
The only thing I need to know is that it you can switch processors at upgrade.

If I can do this with relative ease then it sounds like a good idea.
 
Same here PoD, single games with low amounts of activations annoy me as it is so i'd only use this if they make it simple to switch it to a new CPU as probably 80% of my games are on Steam.
 
I'd much prefer a dongle, a la WoW. I use my Steam account on multiple machines.
 
The article mentions

Steam Guard will be available to third-party developers to incorporate into their software via Steamworks.
Click to expand...

I thought it was for the Steam client, is it actually intended as DRM too? If so, this sucks on valves behalf.
 
How many people have had their Steam account "hacked"? Now what percentage of these tools gave their account away to a phishing site? Even Valve can't save idiots from themselves ;)
 
So I presume this will be like iTunes, where you have to authorise/de-authorise computers to use your account - hopefully we'll be able to authorise more than computer at once. Think iTunes lets you do five.
 
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