Thu, Mar 03, 2011 | 18:55 GMT

Valve unveils security service Steam Guard

Valve has announced Steam Guard, an Steam account security system.

The new Steam and Steamworks feature “gives users greatly increased account security.”

Steam Guard allows users to link management of their account to a specific PC. Attempts to modify or change account settings by any other PC won’t be possible without the user’s approval.

The system will take advantage of upcoming Intel Identity Protection Technology (Intel IPT), an encrypted, hardware-based feature available with the new 2nd Generation Intel CoreT and Intel CoreT vProT processors.

IPT generates a new numerical password every 30 seconds, integrating into the processor functionality that previously required a separate card or key fob.

Users will also be notified if any PCs other than those authorized by them attempt to log into or modify their account settings.

Steam Guard is available to third parties to incorporate into their own applications through Steamworks.

Steam, Valve’s digital delivery and community platform, boasts 30 million accounts worldwide.

8 comments

Phoenixblight
03/03/11, 5:39 pm

And this why Steam should be the go to for all DRM instead of each company having their own version just use Steam or something very similar.

Hunam
03/03/11, 5:47 pm

I half agree. Steam has the best DRM (best of a bad bunch mind) but competition is always important.

Phoenixblight
03/03/11, 5:56 pm

I am not saying Steam should be the next Microsoft with DRM just saying that if companies want to create DRM they should look at how Steam does it.

DEADEYES
03/03/11, 6:16 pm

I believe with new feature, Steam will success again! Just 1 question: does this (new feature) spy our machine?

OlderGamer
03/03/11, 6:24 pm

Nice. Very nice. If Blizz did this with wow they would have a lot less problems.

Xuchilbara
03/03/11, 6:59 pm

@5 – The key authenticator system is awesome, if people would actually use it, then there wouldn’t be any problems.

Keivz
04/03/11, 2:48 am

So I link my steam account to my PC–it dies or I do a major upgrade. Then what?

Schindet Nemo
04/03/11, 7:48 am

@7 The article states you can edit your account data from any PC. You’ll just be asked for your approval a second time if your not editing from your “linked” machine. Sorta like Window’s UAC. I assume you’ll be sent an e-mail to confirm the changes.