• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Gameranx

Gameranx

Video Game News, Lists & Guides

  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides
  • News
  • Features
  • Platforms
    • Xbox Series X
    • PS5
    • Nintendo
  • Videos
  • Upcoming Games
  • Guides

Are Hackers Using Origin’s Live Chat Support to Hijack Accounts?

January 30, 2012 by Josh Harmon

A security loophole might make stealing Origin accounts vulnerable to a social engineering exploit.

The live chat support for EA's Origin client has had its share of hilarious ineptitude in the past, but a new report indicates the service may have fallen victim to something far more serious.

Members of the GSN Gaming forums are claiming that hackers have begun to take advantage of chat support to hijack Origin user accounts en masse, locking paying customers out of their accounts with no easy way to reclaim them.

The attack allegedly exploits a loophole in EA's security policy, whereby support representatives are authorized to change the e-mail on any Origin account so long as the customer can provide the current e-mail and birthdate that are linked to the account. Unfortunately, that information is relatively easy to find on social networks and forums, giving hackers the means to redirect any account to an e-mail they own. Once that's done, they can use Origin's account recovery features to change the password on the account, locking out the owner.

So what's to stop the owner from doing the same thing to take it back? Apparently, Origin support only keeps your account's current e-mail address on file. That means the legitimate owner of the account will have no way to change it back unless he knows the address the hacker used to steal it. As a result, those with hijacked accounts are reporting that EA has asked them to open new accounts.

EA has yet to comment on the reports.

Thanks, Ironhammers.

Share this post:

FacebookTwitterLinkedInPinterest

Recent Videos

20 LEGENDARY Games Worth Revisiting in 2025

20 LEGENDARY Games Worth Revisiting in 2025

CHEATER FINED $175000, RED DEAD ONLINE RETURNS? & MORE

CHEATER FINED $175000, RED DEAD ONLINE RETURNS? & MORE

What The HELL is GOING on With Xbox?

What The HELL is GOING on With Xbox?

10 LOCKED Areas Developers Didn't Think WE'D UNLOCK

10 LOCKED Areas Developers Didn't Think WE'D UNLOCK

Top 25 NEW Games of 2025 [Second Half]

Top 25 NEW Games of 2025 [Second Half]

10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of June 2025

10 WEIRD Gaming Stories of June 2025

10 1000 IQ Moments in Video Games That Are GENIUS

10 1000 IQ Moments in Video Games That Are GENIUS

25 Best Isometric RPGs That DEFINED A GENERATION

25 Best Isometric RPGs That DEFINED A GENERATION

10 Best Games of 2025 [First Half]

10 Best Games of 2025 [First Half]

Category: Updates

Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Death Stranding 2: How To Find Mr. Impossible’s Cargo | Secret Locations
  • Splitgate 2: How to Play Ranked
  • Best New Games of June 2025
  • Roblox The Hatch Egg Collecting Guide
  • Are There Roblox Grow A Garden July 2025 Codes?

Copyright © 2025 · Gameranx · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme