Save your Authenticator serial number before upgrading your iPhone
by Eliah Hecht 
Jun 16th 2009 at 4:00PM
Many people, myself included, are excited about the iPhone OS 3.0 update, which is released tomorrow for all iPhone and iPod Touch owners, though Touch users have to pay for it. If you use the Blizzard Mobile Authenticator app, though (and there's little reason not to; it is free, and extra security never hurts), you should take one precaution first.
Every so often, even the best-planned upgrades go awry. In case your iPhone 3.0 upgrade breaks and you have to restore the iPhone, you should make sure to write down the serial number of your Mobile Authenticator ahead of time (or take a screenshot of it and transfer it to your computer).
The serial number is found on the Setup screen of the Authenticator, and Blizzard will need this number from you if you need to detach the Authenticator from your account (because your iPhone needed to be restored the Authenticator got a new serial number).
For the majority of users, the upgrade process will probably go seamlessly and you won't need this. However, if you do, you'll be happy you have it.
[thanks, Tobbi]
Filed under: Account Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tinwhisker Jun 16th 2009 4:05PM
If you think Blizzard and WoW have had trouble rolling out patches and products, you've not seen Apple and iPhone in action.
Save your numbers kids, it will be one less problem to deal with when the inevitable happens.
Retropally Jun 16th 2009 4:08PM
Hehe, i'll just eco the advice here as i'll do the same now.
With Wow, nothing goes right for everyone :P
Urza Jun 16th 2009 4:13PM
2 firmwares and 2 restores on my iPhone now
Backup everything :P or lose it with 3.0
vern Jun 17th 2009 3:56AM
The Serial number is not restored via an Itunes backup restore !
The best is to remove the authenticator from your account just the time to do the IPHONE patching and then re-add the authenticator again afterwards !
anakin4sdf1 Jun 16th 2009 4:16PM
I'm running the 3.0 GM and have been running all the Beta's with my Authenticator app, no problems.
I've even replaced the physical device, and have been able to login.
Sarsella Jun 16th 2009 4:46PM
Same here. Running the 3.0 GM and all my apps work fine, including the authenticator.
Manatank Jun 16th 2009 4:16PM
It might just be a good time to upgrade to a hardware authenticator. As I mentioned in earlier posts about this subject, an iPhone is just a handheld PC, and is susceptible to being compromised. Today this article popped up about a remote security vulnerability with the iPhone: http://it.slashdot.org/story/09/06/16/0017221/Hackers-Find-Remote-iPhone-Crack
If your phone and the PC you play WoW with are compromised, so is the security your iPhone authenticator provides.
There is no sure thing in computer security, and the iPhone authenticator is vastly more secure than running without an authenticator, but a hardware authenticator is another vast improvement over the iPhone one. The key advantage of a hardware authenticator is that it is not networked or connected in any way to the Internet.
Robert H Jun 16th 2009 4:39PM
I don't disagree that a hardware authenticator is more secure than a software one. If the iphone crack allows any sort of trojan insertion: launch authenticator, wait, grab screenshot, send screenshot to cracker.
But I think that if both your iPhone and computer are compromised, you have bigger problems than someone selling off all your pixel cobalt :)
Mark Jun 16th 2009 4:21PM
If you write down the serial number, and the upgrade goes awry, you'll have to call Blizzard's Billing department to get back into your account. Another option would be:
1. Log into Battle.net and remove the Mobile Authenticator from your account.
2. Upgrade your iPhone software.
3. Log into Battle.net and re-attach the Mobile Authenticator.
This means you won't have to call Billing if the software upgrade goofs things up. It also means that your account will be unprotected for a short time. So individual users need to decide what's right for them.
Barlin Jun 16th 2009 5:00PM
I've been trying to get someone's attention on this for a few days to post it up but couldn't seem to do so (wow.com doesn't seem to have any way to send a tip/newstory info to them). A Euro Blue posted this same advice a few days ago. Safest way to make sure you can play! http://tinyurl.com/detatch
vern Jun 17th 2009 3:58AM
you are correct, this is the way to do it.
remove the authenticator from your account just for the 10-15mn it takes to patch your IPHONE and then re-add the authenticator to your account and you'll be fine.
Robert H Jun 16th 2009 4:24PM
My upgrade to 3.0 crashed and I had to do a restore from the iphone's "oops, broken" mode. When I restored the backup to it after the upgrade succeeded the second time, the authenticator worked perfectly. Probably still a good idea to do what this post suggests just in case, but the restore from my backup of my 2.x iPhone put everything back in place correctly including my Authenticator app.
Chris Mannes Jun 16th 2009 4:35PM
I wish I read this sooner.
I replaced my iPhone under warranty, and I'm currently locked out of WoW.
jfofla Jun 16th 2009 4:42PM
I am an iPhone nut, but I use the hardware Authenticator. Still, I really appreciate when WOW.com provides us with very good insight like this article.
romaji Jun 16th 2009 4:57PM
To take a screen capture for those not remembering or for those that never knew...
HOME button + HOLD button = Screen Capture.
Just go into the Authenticator setup menu, snap your capture, and email it to yourself.
Tisen Jun 16th 2009 5:08PM
Wouldn't having everything backed up on iTunes be enough if upgrading to 3.0 caused a crash?
vern Jun 17th 2009 3:59AM
The serial IS NOT BACKED UP with the itunes backup, nop.
Drazen Jun 17th 2009 2:29AM
I don't think you would be able to remove the old serial number from your account via the Battle.net website because you would need to have the Authenticator code to actually enter it. And since the device is generating a wrong code you would be unsuccessful.
The only option therefore is to call Billing to switch the serial number. If a new one was generated.
Or.... before you upgrade, you enter the Battle.net Account website and just stay in there until the upgrade is finished. That way you can remove the authenticator and add in the new serial number if one was generated.... right?
StGabe Jun 17th 2009 1:57PM
FYI, I can confirm that the serial *is* backed up with your iPhone when you sync to a computer. If something goes wrong and you restore from a backup (a backup saved after you added the authenticator of coruse!) then you should be fine.
Matt Jul 21st 2009 1:31PM
They are already sold out apparently. Unless it hasn't updated, the quantity at the bottom says sold out