Blizzard Authenticator



The Blizzard Authenticators were small physical devices (fits easily on a keyring) that enables one to secure their Blizzard account by an additional code, consisting of 6 digits. As of 2019, the physical authenticator devices are no longer manufactured and offered by Blizzard Entertainment. See Blizzard Mobile Authenticator, a mobile application available for download on a phone.

As explained in the Authenticator FAQ
 * "How does the Battle.net Authenticator work?"


 * "You must first associate the Battle.net Authenticator to the World of Warcraft account you play. Once the account has been linked, the Authenticator token will be required to log in to Account Management or to the game; when logging in, you will be prompted to supply a digital code generated by the Authenticator."

Technical speculations
Theses devices are custom manufactured VASCO Digipass GO 6 device


 * Weight: 14 grams
 * Dimensions: 9,8 x 25,9 x 62,7 mm
 * Display: high contrast 8-characters LCD
 * Keypad: one-button
 * Real-time clock to provide time value to DIGIPASS algorithm
 * Supported crypto algorithm: DES, 3DES and AES
 * Supported algorithms: DIGIPASS time and event based & OATH event based (on demand)
 * Battery: non-replaceable, lifetime expectancy 7 years

Applications and games
The following applications and games by Blizzard use the Authenticator:
 * World of Warcraft (US/EU/KR)
 * StarCraft II
 * Diablo III
 * Blizzard Battle.net desktop app
 * Hearthstone
 * Heroes of the Storm
 * Overwatch

Technical issues
The Blizzard Authenticator can stop working as intended, showing a "Disabled" message on the display instead of the random 6 digits code, becoming useless. The button becomes unusable and the displayed message will not disappear.

To log back and remove Blizzard Authenticator from your account you need to contact World of Warcraft billing department providing this info:
 * Your full real name.
 * Your full address including postal or zip code.
 * Your full email address (currently registered on the account).
 * Your account name.
 * The authentication key used to create the account.
 * Your Secret question and answer.
 * The last 4 digits of the credit card used on the account plus the expiration date OR the full code of a game card activated on the account.
 * A legible fax, scan or photo of a piece of government-issued photo identification, such as a passport or driving license matching the first and last name of the registered account owner.
 * A legible fax, scan or photo of the Authenticator token, with the code on the back fully visible.

The Blizzard Authenticator has a 2-month warranty. If you need to replace nonworking Blizzard Authenticator you need to post Authenticator in question, along with a print out of the order form from the Blizzard Store account management page as a proof of purchase to the World of Warcraft billing postal address of your region.


 *  European Address Blizzard Entertainment Europe Billing Support TSA 60 001 78143 Vélizy Villacoublay Cedex France

There are reports on the official forums  about other authenticators malfunctions like being stuck on the 6 digit code or generating random letters+numbers codes that don't work. The one on the picture to the right worked for 2 weeks before it malfunctioned.

Security issues
There have been reports of compromised accounts having an authenticator added to prevent the true owner regaining access to their account and preventing the sale of items. . This may be due to a zero-day attack that may not yet be picked up by your anti-virus or Spybot S&D etc. If this happens, you are recommended to follow the advice posted by Blizzard on their technical support forums, Account Security. See also the Wowpedia security guide.

Rewards

 * Adding a Blizzard Authenticator, whether it is a physical device or a mobile version, a Core Hound Pup will be rewarded once finished.
 * Since patch 7.3.5, four extra backpack slots were added default backpack that can be unlocked with a physical or mobile authenticator and Blizzard SMS Protect connected to the account.
 * Load up to $350 as Blizzard Balance instead of being restricted to $110.

Trivia

 * Although they are referred to as Blizzard Authenticator since the name change, the current two physcial authenticators on the Blizzard Gear store are still sold as Battle.net Authenticator.