Account "hacked"? Account banned? Well this could be due to using some third party tool. As I'm seeing a lot of "hacked" accounts being abused as goldseller spambots recently I'll make this short post to prevent you from being another victim.
In account based games like Rift, World of Warcraft and upcoming MMO releases account safety is an important matter. So read on if you're interested!
So how can trouble be avoided? First of all 3rd party begins directly outside the sphere of the game makers own ecosystem. Usually their website, forums and the game itself. So if you want to play it absolutely safe make sure to:
This one may sound stupid but it is the basic problem for most. Leaving the game's website or their forum can get you in trouble. If there is a 3rd party tool or UI customization etc. that interests you and it's respected on the main forum then it's almost safe to use it. However, if it's not then better stay clear of it. If something is not respected on the main forums of a game it is usually because it can bring trouble. Either by being banned or getting your account stolen.
If you found a cool 3rd party tool that you are unsure about then just head over to the main forums of the game and ask. You'll notice pretty quickly if it's allowed or not, safe or not.
Also take care not to be a victim of phishing sites. For example do not "log in" to your game account at examplegames.com instead of examplegame.com.
This includes first and foremost friends and family. Never use a password that any of your friends or family know and don't let them whatch you typing it in.
Also don't use the same password for the e-mail account and if you want to add just another layer of security make an e-mail account just for the game.
Another common cause is that people create phishing or sniffing sites to steal account data, see #1. While a phishing site can be identified a sniffing site works differently. It works by assuming that a lot of people use the same password and emails for many accounts. For example a fan game forum would be able to get access to that information - so always use different passwords, if possible even different e-mail adresses.
If you absolutely must use 3rd party software try to use it on a second computer. If that is not possible try to sandbox it first of all. If the sandboxing doesn't work, either due to strong ties into the game or because of dependencies, make sure to block all access to the internet for this particular software. You can use a number of firewall products available like Jetico, Sygate, Outpost, Kerio and many others. If you feel you can't do this then, sorry, you might be very vulnerable anyways and should stay clear of 3rd pary tools which are not on the official forums.
What's also underestimated is the safety of the the login credentials. This means, like mentioned, a login name or login e-mail that is hard to guess (not familiar to friends etc.) and also a strong password.
I'll extend this post over time, adding more links to useful software like KeePass for password management. So stay tuned and play it safe! ;P