Pixelapproved!

Ok, it didn’t, but this got your attention, right? However, I do want to talk to you about account security, as cyber criminality is on the rise, and not just in RL.

With Second Life making instant payouts an option, SL residents who withdraw money from our world have become more interesting targets for scammers. Why, you say? Because, for one thing, scammers like a fast buck, and instant payouts are just that—fast. Second, and this is a harsh truth, SL residents are not protecting their second life and accounts as well as they could.
Be honest with yourself, when is the last time you changed your password? And is it Gb7%!!Mdvkw(8! or is it Mycutepet’snameandmyyearofjoiningsl? Do you have MFA enabled? Have you ever clicked on a link in a group chat without doing your due diligence on the trustworthiness of that link, and have you ever hesitated to enter your PW on the marketplace to log in, after clicking on a link to the market from within SL? I bet we all are at least “guilty” of one if not more of the above, and this puts our accounts at risk.

When an account is hacked in SL, it can be through clicking a bad link, but more often than not, it is a case of social engineering. Before your account gets hacked, your mind is.

Ever heard of someone tricking you into giving them information? That’s “social engineering.” Think of it as a con artist, but in the digital world. Instead of breaking into your computer, they break into your mind.

Imagine you’re in Second Life, that amazing virtual world where you can be anyone and do anything. You’re chatting with a new friend. They seem nice, maybe they offer you a cool virtual item or invite you to a fun event. Slowly, they start asking questions: “What’s your favorite real-life hobby?” “What’s your pet’s name?” Harmless, right?

Not always. These questions, seemingly innocent, can be clues. Social engineers gather these bits of information to build a picture of you. They might find out your common passwords, or even your real-life identity. Why? To steal your virtual money (Linden Dollars), your valuable virtual items, or even take over your Second Life account.

The scariest part? You often don’t even realize you’re being tricked until it’s too late. A social engineer might pretend to be a Second Life administrator, asking for your password to “fix a problem.” Or they might be a “helpful” stranger offering to “help” you recover a lost item, but they need your login details first.

The implications in Second Life are serious. Your virtual life is tied to your real one. If someone takes over your account, they can damage your reputation, steal your hard-earned virtual wealth, and even make you feel unsafe.

Linden Lab is dedicated to assisting victims of hacked accounts. They are adding resources to their Trust & Safety team to work with them and they are adding extra safeguards for unusual transactions, but they also need us to do our part. Later today Linden Lab will publish a community blog on this topic, but here are some of the best practices for you to implement NOW:

Use a strong, unique password. Make it long, use symbols and special characters and numbers. Avoid existing words.

Use Multi-Factor Authorization. on your SL dashboard you can activate this

Never share your login info. Not with your bestie, not with your partner. You may trust them, but can you also trust all their friends? Your friend may be a victim of social engineering, and thus affect your account security as well

Never ever buy/sell L$ outside of the SL system. There is an increase of scams by compromised accounts with discounted L$ through Venmo or Paypal. Report it when you see someone selling directly.

Don’t trust external (download) links. Educate yourself on phishing links/bad URLs.

That’s it for now, be kind!! <3