Thread: NEW Steam Tutorial: Never Get Account Hijacked Again !!

NEVER GET HIJACKED... 1... 2... done!

Since the 10/2 update, Steam now supports the ability to lock your Steam account to a specific computer. If you've happened to use Autodesk's Portable License Utility, or encountered other software authentication systems, then you may already be familiar with how this works.

Once done, even if someone obtains your username and password (Auth Layer 1), if their Machine ID Code is a mismatch, Auth Layer 2 will fail and reject the login attempt. It will also completely prevent hackers from hijacking your account and getting you VAC banned without your knowledge (bans Valve won't lift).

Here's how to do it.

1. Open Steam. You will now notice in the bottom left corner some new text, "Machine ID Code: <your id code>". This is a unique code that is calculated according to your hardware and software configurations every time you start Steam. Now login.



2. In Steam, go to File > Settings then the Account tab. Look toward the bottom to find "Lock account exclusively to this PC".



Check it. You're done. It's that easy.

Take the text advice to heart, though: "Recommended for private computers and for users with only one PC"


CUSTOMIZATION

Once you checkmark "Lock account exclusively to this PC", the "Customize..." button will be clickable.



Here you can find a listing of all the Machine ID Codes tied to your account.



Clicking "Add" allows you to input a new Machine ID Code. I copied down my code from Steam at work, and below I create one for "Work PC".



I set mine to Inactive because I just got off for the weekend and won't be logging in from that location. "Modify" opens a similar settings box, and "Remove" should be obvious. If you remove the Machine ID Code of the current machine, the window will close and "Lock account exclusively to this PC" will automatically uncheck.

IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW

- All successful Auth Layer 1 attempts that fail Auth Layer 2 will be logged, and an e-mail will be dispatched to the account you signed up with stating you are at critical risk if you disable this feature. Until then, only your select Machine ID Codes will have access. But please, for shit sakes, change your password.

- The Machine ID Code is calculated using only hardware and software that, if changed, requires a restart. This includes motherboard, OS, BIOS, etc.

- If you alter your hardware/software, the Machine ID Code may change and reject legitimate login attempts. In this case, login to the e-mail you used to sign up with Steam, and send an e-mail to reauthenticate@valvesoftware.com with no text but your newly calculated Machine ID Code.

Example (without quotes):

"34FB 452D 5DDK YLPD"

This will be processed automatically within minutes and the Machine ID Code will be added to your account.

NOTE: Steam account must have feature enabled for this to work!

- Consequently, if you want to authenticate a new computer that is not already tied to your Steam account, this can be done without signing in using the above method.


!!!! CAUTION !!!!

This tutorial is a complete farce--this is not actually possible to do, and never was. However, this post doubles as a visualization of a suggestion.

The creator of this idea is IMD007, from the thread:

I've been hijacked, how can we prevent this in the future?
Current Anti-Cheat System supports hijackers. - Steam Users' Forums

I think it is truly brilliant and deserves a great amount of credibility and consideration.

If you wish this tutorial WAS real, please /sign this thread or IMD007's. You very well could help make this fake tutorial... legit.

Not a bad idea ..

However, it is a bit complicated and normally when you add something complicated that can create problems, usesr will flood the support team with help requests.

Valve already has a very bad (read slow) support team, I have on more that one accasion just downloaded a pirated copy of a game because Steam didn't allow me to buy it (I was in a country differet from where my credid card was issued) and support didn't answer unti 14 days after my request.