Added Layer of Security: Steam Thumbdrive

02-29-2008, 01:37 PM

it seems relying on a password is just not enough to protect our steam investments. i know i have atleast $200 invested in steam. i was thinking valve could sell 2gig thumbdrives for $20 in the store, that would act as a second layer of security. if purchased you would need your thumbdrive and your password to login. this way if someone stole your password, they wouldnt be able to access your account without your thumbdrive as well. of course there would be account recovery if thumbdrive was lost or stolen.

there are many different uses this could have. first, who wouldnt buy a tf2 or portal, or hl branded thumbdrive? a wcc thumbdrive? sold. a crowbar thumbdrive? sold. a headcrab thumbdrive? sold. i would love one even if the extra security wasnt an option. also the steam app itself could live on the drive, so if you are away from your pc you could run steam easily and safely. small games like peggle could be installed on the drive for easy play wherever you are.

another thought i had was a feature of steam that would back up your saved games to the drive. how many times have i reinstalled windows and forget to save my saves? too many. also it could save your favorite servers and history, and even game settings, like your controls, sprays, video settings whatever you custimize in your games.

i have heard valve were thinking about having these features be stored by them and you can easily access them from anywhere, but that sounds costly for them. it would be cheaper to sell the option. why not actually make money for features. 2gig thumbdrives can be had for <$10 retail. i'm sure in bulk they could get them for $3-5. by using branding like mentioned above, and the added security and features the drive would offer, i would buy one @ $20, no problem.

just a thought, but i like the idea. what do you think?

Adradis · 02-29-2008, 05:11 PM

So, basically, an optional hardware piece for improved account security?

I'm all for it. And heck: Go one step further. Allow it to be installed on regular jump drives (perhaps you go to options, then hit something like "Make validation key", select jump drive, your good to go.)

You'd need some decent ways to make it possible to get back in after losing the drive, but, I'd love to see this implemented.

Fuzz Bucket · 02-29-2008, 05:13 PM

I'm sorry, but when it comes down to it, the only thing you can do is to refrain from giving out your personal information.

Also, the offence is always one step ahead of the defense.

02-29-2008, 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adradis

So, basically, an optional hardware piece for improved account security?

I'm all for it. And heck: Go one step further. Allow it to be installed on regular jump drives (perhaps you go to options, then hit something like "Make validation key", select jump drive, your good to go.)

You'd need some decent ways to make it possible to get back in after losing the drive, but, I'd love to see this implemented.

yes, i thought about the use any thumbdrive method, and its a good idea, but i was thinking one of the ways to reclaim a lost account would be through the purchase of the drive from valve. it would make it easier and more secure in that sense. plus, who doesnt want a thumbdrive with some valve game branding on it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fuzz Bucket

I'm sorry, but when it comes down to it, the only thing you can do is to refrain from giving out your personal information.

Also, the offence is always one step ahead of the defense.

not giving out your password is one thing, having your password stolen via keylogger or other nefarious methods is a whole other ballgame. this would, as i said give you a second level of security, that would negate the problem of valuable accounts being stolen with just a password.

Dwarden · 02-29-2008, 06:09 PM

fingerprint scanners are cheap now too, add theirs support

Fuzz Bucket · 02-29-2008, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dwarden

fingerprint scanners are cheap now too, add theirs support

Most of the finger print scanners just turn the print into a string of numbers and inputs them into whatever field you have selected at the time.

5UB · 03-01-2008, 12:50 AM

I quite like this whole thumbdrive thing, maybe your Steam account could be all on a thumbdrive too!

So to play on Steam, or on your games you don't need to download it or anything, you just run it from the thumbdrive.

ZeBool · 03-01-2008, 12:53 AM

Can we opt out of hardware dongles if we choose? I don't plan on getting my account hijacked, and would rather not have to waste a USB port.

5UB · 03-01-2008, 01:12 AM

Yeah it should be an optional thing, but I would love to just have Steam and all my games on a thumbdrive, would be awesome

Naurgul · 03-01-2008, 01:15 AM

A few more security measures would be nice. A private key instead of a password for starters... and all the things people have suggested here... they're good too.

Yarnold · 03-01-2008, 07:22 AM

I think your idea is great, the only problem I see with it is the production of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of different plastic figurines for this.

I would also like to see "install-locking", where you have the option PLEASE READ THAT WORD to lock your steam account to the installation number of one (or more) pcs. The pcs which it would be locked to after the first one would have to be authorised by the first pc. Each locking could take 2 weeks, and each unlocking 1 week.

Naurgul · 03-01-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yarnold

I think your idea is great, the only problem I see with it is the production of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of different plastic figurines for this.

I would also like to see "install-locking", where you have the option PLEASE READ THAT WORD to lock your steam account to the installation number of one (or more) pcs. The pcs which it would be locked to after the first one would have to be authorised by the first pc. Each locking could take 2 weeks, and each unlocking 1 week.

Nice suggestion.

Natima · 03-01-2008, 08:01 AM

Both the thumbdrive and pc-locking ideas are fantastic imo.
I'd more likely use the thumbdrive tbh. This is the most original thread I've seen in suggestions/Ideas for a while!

Are we talking similar to what cubase has?

Still, Both great ideas. I would at least use one of them, if not both.

We should campaign for this :O

Second_Infinity · 03-01-2008, 08:53 AM

I'd pay a few $ monthly to have one of those e-trade style digital keychain deals, especially considering the security it would guarantee.

03-01-2008, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yarnold

I think your idea is great, the only problem I see with it is the production of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of different plastic figurines for this.

i didnt mean literally thumbdrives in those shapes, but that would be a cool option

. simple standard thumbrives with valve game logos would be fine.

Quote:

I would also like to see "install-locking", where you have the option PLEASE READ THAT WORD to lock your steam account to the installation number of one (or more) pcs. The pcs which it would be locked to after the first one would have to be authorised by the first pc. Each locking could take 2 weeks, and each unlocking 1 week.

sounds like a good option

.

02-29-2008, 01:37 PM	#1
HooHoo Guest Posts: n/a	Added Layer of Security: Steam Thumbdrive it seems relying on a password is just not enough to protect our steam investments. i know i have atleast $200 invested in steam. i was thinking valve could sell 2gig thumbdrives for $20 in the store, that would act as a second layer of security. if purchased you would need your thumbdrive and your password to login. this way if someone stole your password, they wouldnt be able to access your account without your thumbdrive as well. of course there would be account recovery if thumbdrive was lost or stolen. there are many different uses this could have. first, who wouldnt buy a tf2 or portal, or hl branded thumbdrive? a wcc thumbdrive? sold. a crowbar thumbdrive? sold. a headcrab thumbdrive? sold. i would love one even if the extra security wasnt an option. also the steam app itself could live on the drive, so if you are away from your pc you could run steam easily and safely. small games like peggle could be installed on the drive for easy play wherever you are. another thought i had was a feature of steam that would back up your saved games to the drive. how many times have i reinstalled windows and forget to save my saves? too many. also it could save your favorite servers and history, and even game settings, like your controls, sprays, video settings whatever you custimize in your games. i have heard valve were thinking about having these features be stored by them and you can easily access them from anywhere, but that sounds costly for them. it would be cheaper to sell the option. why not actually make money for features. 2gig thumbdrives can be had for <$10 retail. i'm sure in bulk they could get them for $3-5. by using branding like mentioned above, and the added security and features the drive would offer, i would buy one @ $20, no problem. just a thought, but i like the idea. what do you think?

02-29-2008, 06:09 PM	#5
Dwarden Bohemia Interactive Join Date: Sep 2003 Reputation: 346 Posts: 3,001	fingerprint scanners are cheap now too, add theirs support __________________ Open Game Protocol : www.open-game-protocol.org Follow me at http://twitter.com/FoltynD

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02-29-2008, 05:11 PM	#2
Adradis Join Date: Feb 2008 Reputation: 160 Posts: 1,767	So, basically, an optional hardware piece for improved account security? I'm all for it. And heck: Go one step further. Allow it to be installed on regular jump drives (perhaps you go to options, then hit something like "Make validation key", select jump drive, your good to go.) You'd need some decent ways to make it possible to get back in after losing the drive, but, I'd love to see this implemented.

02-29-2008, 05:13 PM	#3
Fuzz Bucket Banned Join Date: Jul 2006 Reputation: 2337 Posts: 4,549	I'm sorry, but when it comes down to it, the only thing you can do is to refrain from giving out your personal information. Also, the offence is always one step ahead of the defense.

03-01-2008, 12:50 AM	#7
5UB Join Date: Aug 2005 Reputation: 1605 Posts: 6,897	I quite like this whole thumbdrive thing, maybe your Steam account could be all on a thumbdrive too! So to play on Steam, or on your games you don't need to download it or anything, you just run it from the thumbdrive.

03-01-2008, 12:53 AM	#8
ZeBool Join Date: Jan 2007 Reputation: 45 Posts: 4,082	Can we opt out of hardware dongles if we choose? I don't plan on getting my account hijacked, and would rather not have to waste a USB port.

03-01-2008, 01:12 AM	#9
5UB Join Date: Aug 2005 Reputation: 1605 Posts: 6,897	Yeah it should be an optional thing, but I would love to just have Steam and all my games on a thumbdrive, would be awesome

03-01-2008, 01:15 AM	#10
Naurgul Join Date: Jun 2006 Reputation: 100 Posts: 4,998	A few more security measures would be nice. A private key instead of a password for starters... and all the things people have suggested here... they're good too.

03-01-2008, 07:22 AM	#11
Yarnold Join Date: Apr 2006 Reputation: 17 Posts: 702	I think your idea is great, the only problem I see with it is the production of hundreds of thousands, possibly millions of different plastic figurines for this. I would also like to see "install-locking", where you have the option PLEASE READ THAT WORD to lock your steam account to the installation number of one (or more) pcs. The pcs which it would be locked to after the first one would have to be authorised by the first pc. Each locking could take 2 weeks, and each unlocking 1 week.

03-01-2008, 08:01 AM	#13
Natima Join Date: Nov 2007 Reputation: 20 Posts: 156	Both the thumbdrive and pc-locking ideas are fantastic imo. I'd more likely use the thumbdrive tbh. This is the most original thread I've seen in suggestions/Ideas for a while! Are we talking similar to what cubase has? Still, Both great ideas. I would at least use one of them, if not both. We should campaign for this :O

03-01-2008, 08:53 AM	#14
Second_Infinity Join Date: Jan 2006 Reputation: 5 Posts: 374	I'd pay a few $ monthly to have one of those e-trade style digital keychain deals, especially considering the security it would guarantee.