A few moments ago I logged into my game only to see briefly a box pop up in the middle of my screen with the following words and underneath those words I saw a series of arrows that looked like this > move left to right across the screen:
SECURITY CHECK
This really startled me as I’ve never seen it before. Does anyone have any idea why it would occur?
If it’s popping up simply upon logging into a character, that is indeed unusual behavior.
I only see it when trying to purchase something from the Shop for the first time any given day. I would definitely report it in the Bug Report forum if it happens again just as an aside.
Do you have an Authenticator attached to your account?
e.: Dug around a little and found some more reports, does the following have any relevance?
Instead, the security check is due to changes in access patterns. The solution would be to go through the security check successfully or to add an authenticator to the account which will prompt an approval message on the phone app instead of the security check.
Really that just reinforces the inquiry about an authenticator, however.
Is this what you saw?
That is what I have been seeing lately while my Battle Net launcher is logging me in. I edited the video of me logging in to only include this section so as not to reveal my info. Will have to admit this is the first time that I have seen it stick around and fully show itself, usually it goes by so fast as part of my logging in procedure, and is usually just in the background.
Yes I have an authenticator and SMS set up and have for years.
I have heard reports of a security check popping up while someone was actively playing as well.
It seems to be something new - at least for me.
This is part of the battle.net launcher. I’ve seen it since I returned almost a month ago. It didn’t do it when I had my old authenticator app the first time I logged in, and started when I switched to the battle.net authenticator. It normally flashes so fast you don’t get a chance to see it, but sometimes it stays long enough to see.
If you want my theory - it’s checking to see if the computer is recognized to not need to be authenticator verified before logging in. It seems to have started when migrating from the old authenticator to the one built into the battle.net app.
Yes, I do have one. Its one of the original ones I purchased after they said we had to have one. It still works pretty well for me and I’ve never had any issues with it. I’ll use it until the battery dies, or Bliz decides to brick it.
I’d highly recommend that you consider starting the process of moving to the Blizzard app version.
Those devices haven’t been in production for much longer than their anticipated battery life! Blizz won’t likely “brick” them considering that they’re due to die anyway.
For the record, they’ve never said that we “have to have one” either 
They’re an added level of security that I’d recommend for anyone really.
I am a senior citizen and refuse to add “aps” to my phone. Its stupid that phones seem to be setup like a computer. I have a desktop that I use for gaming and online research, email, etc. I do not need a computer on my phone.
I use my phone for phone calls and text messages only. I’ve disabled everything on it that does not pertain to telephone use or texting. That means my phone is not a small computer. Besides, cell service in my area is really spotty.
Its ridiculous that having that extra step for security is being forced over onto phones when that fob was perfect for that extra step of security. What about those hundreds (I’m sure its probably closer to thousands) of players who do not have any cell service in their areas.
How many have been unable to accommodate that extra security because of this lack of cell service? I do know of one of my guild members in Canada who lives on one of those remote Islands that does NOT have cell service at all. And because of this she cannot use her World of Warcraft security fob…Bliz and she went around and around about this very problem until the rep she finally was able to reach actually told her she had to have a cell phone for the security app. Go figure!!
To get the meat of the matter:
Blizzard isn’t able to make more of the key frob because the folks who does it stop the contract with them years ago. The only way around it is with the phone app. You may not like the fact, but it is what it is and the CS forums isn’t a feedback forum.
Blizzard can’t help everyone in even given event out there, more so when things like Act of God events go on, or living conditions. They have to use something that most folks have and go from there.
So am I and I am fine with the Blizzard app.
That is a decision YOU made. As the saying goes, for every action there is a reaction.
In that case, you choices are:
Remove your authenticator fob and allow your account to be unprotected.
Don’t remove the fob, let the battery die, and lose access to your account.
Botom line is that your key fob gona run out sooner or later And unless u get the easy bnet app you will be locked outa your account its easier to do now while ur key fob is still working then when it dies.
And to add another point to this, BY DESIGN (for security reasons) the batteries in these devices cannot be replaced. Due to security reasons (to make it more difficult for hackers to modify one to impersonate someone else’s). Once the battery dies, you’ll be locked out of your account. It could happen any time, the keyfobs are all past their design life now. I actually still have my old one (kept it for nostalgia), but the battery died long ago.
I’ll put aside the fact that using your phone for calling someone or texting someone also inherently uses built-in apps from a software company…
Most importantly, you mentioned spotty cell service in your area or the are that other people live in. To use the Blizzard app, you don’t need cell service at all. When you’re at home, it’s hard to imagine that people would not connect to the internet using WiFi instead. Even then, one the app is installed, the authenticator can basically be used without any connection to the internet whatsoever!
It generates codes just like the fob does and those codes do not rely on the internet or cell service of any kind to function.
It’s my hope, especially since you already have a cell phone, that you take time to get to understand how some apps actually work and how there are many that can actually benefit you as well in your daily life!
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. But please don’t jump to the assumption that all apps are ‘bad’ or things like that.
This is actually a good point. While people can opt for the push-notice approve/deny, there is still the perfectly valid option of having the app spit out the code for you to type in - just like the fob.