2FA for your Own Minecraft Server
VentureBeat's GamesBeat 2015 conference was held in October. It was an amazing event which I was privileged to attend. VentureBeat is regarded as one of the top blogs on the internet by The New York Times. VentureBeat is a leading source for information on technology innovation events, research, and perspective, and their GamesBeat conference, now in its 7th year, takes those attributes and focuses on the latest trends in technology in the gaming industry.
We were thrilled when Authy was invited by GamesBeat 2015 to participate in the event. It's not often that business and pleasure mix so seamlessly. At Authy we help online businesses secure their data and safeguard their customers by making it easy to incorporate two-factor authentication into their offering. We also enjoy playing games and are more likely to play on a site that has increased their security.
Gamers Losing Trust?
Due to the growth of virtual economies on gaming sites hackers are in high demand for gamers and game developers. Gaming profiles are selling for thousands of dollars on the black market. But it's multiplayer games, and the $11 billion in annual revenues they generate and are the most lucrative targets of cyber criminals. The in-game currencies of multiplayer titles, such as World of Warcraft gold, can be stolen, traded and then easily converted for real money, usually in various countries, without the game developers being aware. Even if a business successfully restores stolen assets, and/or is successful in bringing the culprits accountable, this kind of infraction is difficult to overcome. The player loses faith in the game. And even after the release of a more secure version or a new game, regaining the trust of players isn't simple.
But it isn't necessary to be that way.
As people become increasingly frustrated by numerous data breaches, they're demanding more responsible management from the companies that store their personal data. We all know that passwords aren't enough to protect us however we also know that a second factor can be used to verify the identity of an individual. This will safeguard your service and your players from data loss, fraud, or malicious attacks. Two-factor authentication is a natural fit particularly in online multi-user games where players trade and accumulate value.
Security in just 10 Lines of Code
It's not difficult to integrate two-factor authentication. This is essentially my GamesBeat 2015 presentation. Integrating Authy two-factor authentication is simple, powerful and reliable. With just 10 lines of code, you can use two-factor authentication to:
Verify registration of players and allow access during log-in Secure high-value transactions or game progressions In general, any activity in the game you need to protect
Yes. Authy for Minecraft.
To illustrate the idea, I created two-factor authentication on Minecraft to show you how to use:
Text or SMS to voice when logging in using Authy OneCode One Time Passcode generation to validate the player using the AuthySoftToken. Push notification with Authy One Touch allows players to swipe their smartphone screen to make purchases in game and any other actions that require additional security.
Hackers are no longer just after end-user data. They're after entire player communities and some are looking to destroy entire systems. If gaming developers incorporate two-factor authentication across the board the individual gamers are more secure Developer account data will be better secured and brands will create trust and loyalty in its players.
Integrations between apps can be difficult for developers. With Authy, we worked hard to ensure it's simple to use for any developer. The Authy REST API handles the tedious details like key management as well as secure data structuring. You also get 2 end-points, as well as pre-built libraries that add security to your login flow using the language you choose: PHP, Ruby Python, Java, NodeJS, and more.
If you're a developer:
Head to https://www.authy.com/developers/ to learn more. You can get a no-cost API Key, try it out and then demonstrate to us how you have integrated Authy #2FA.