EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 7
Welcome to another summer issue of our newsletter (for those in the Northern Hemisphere). Last month, we continued our series on phishing from a psychological perspective. This approach, which began two issues ago with a look at password creation, offers valuable insights into how bad actors operate. If you missed the previous issues, be sure to check them out - they’re definitely worth reading! EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 5 EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 6 This month, we focus on the important topic of reporting vulnerabilities in EA games and products. We recently published the Vulnerability Disclosure Hall of Fame, recognizing researchers who helped patch security issues in EA products or games during the past quarter. What is a security vulnerability, and how does it differ from cheating in a game? How can you report a security vulnerability in an EA game or service, and what information should you provide? You’ll find answers to these questions in the Security Focus section of the newsletter. As always, you can earn a unique forum badge by sharing your experiences in the newsletter comments or by taking the quiz. Stay safe! What is a Security Vulnerability? A security vulnerability is a weakness in a system that an attacker could exploit to cause harm, like stealing information or disrupting services. This is different from cheating in a game, which involves a player unfairly manipulating game rules for personal gain within the game itself, rather than exploiting a flaw in the underlying software. If I've found a Security Vulnerability, how do I report it? To report a security vulnerability in an EA game or service, you should fill out the Security Vulnerability Submission form on the EA Security Website. When submitting a report, include details such as the affected game or product, platform, version, time of discovery, what the vulnerability allows, steps to reproduce it, and any supporting evidence like screenshots or sample code. How does EA classify reported Vulnerabilities? EA classifies the severity of reported vulnerabilities using industry standards like the CVSS scoring system and a four-tier scale (Critical, Important, Moderate, Low), with the most severe issues requiring little or no user interaction to exploit. The impact of each vulnerability is further assessed using the STRIDE Security Model, and each report is carefully triaged and investigated by EA’s security team. Can I report cheating in-game through the Security Vulnerability Submission? Short answer - NO. Reporting cheating or account issues is handled separately from security vulnerabilities; cheating should be reported through in-game tools, and account security concerns should be addressed via EA’s account management resources. EA Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure Hall of Fame What to do if you find a vulnerability in an EA game or product Report cheating, harassment, and illegal content Online Security Newsletter - Volume 7 Quiz
Friday Highlights - August 1st
Sul Sul my favorite Simmers! Happy Friday everyone! Can you believe it’s August already? This year is absolutely flying by, and we’re now just over the halfway point. Here’s a fun fact to start your weekend- we are now officially closer to the year 2050 than we are to the year 2000 🥴 So now that we’re all having an existential crisis, let’s get on with the highlights! Did you catch all the exciting news from this week? On Tuesday, a new update dropped to address a handful of community reported issues and concerns, be sure to read over the full notes here to see everything that was included! Tuesday also brought us a Simlish music video for FKA Twig’s absolute banger, Perfect Stranger. You can watch the video here and add it to all your playlists! On Wednesday, a steamy new TikTok challenge launched - you’ll need to finish the final pages of the new romantasim story, Foraging for Desire, by playing The Sims. Share your story and gameplay on TikTok with #SimYourFantasy for a chance to be on the story’s front cover, win a 3-day fairycore getaway, and your very own physical copy of the book! You can read up on all the details for this challenge here. Malcolm IV performs for Bella the cow, posted here, by Smellincoffee Ready for this week’s udderly wonderful highlights? Neighborhood Stories can sometimes get a little weird, just like this Whoopsie! that Sim_MRM has recently discovered in their game. While checking their family tree, the infamous Geoffrey Landgraab has been caught red handed canoodling around with a not so secret lover. What will poor Nancy do? Maybe this will finally give her the courage to kick Geoffrey to the curb and take the power company for herself ⚡🏢 So what kind of shenanigans have you seen in your game with Neighborhood Stories? Have you found any other ruined relationships, or maybe some unfortunate accidental deaths? Tell us all the crazy things that have happened in your game! If you’re still not getting quite enough whimsy in your gameplay with fairies, don’t worry, ManicPot8to has you covered with an incredible build, Wildflower Glen. This intricate little village is made up of five unique areas for cozy cottage life, fanciful forest lore, and mysterious magical discoveries all nestled around a scenic and lush river. You’ll find a pastel colored cafe, a witchy apothecary shop, and a homey cottage where you can practice your alchemy 🧙♀️🌿🍄 There’s a few other secrets around this village that I won’t spoil, so be sure to check it out yourself to see what you can find! Up next, we have a world save legacy challenge from GLovely1 called Dumpster Dynasty. This challenge takes place in a remodeled version of Evergreen Harbor as you start with your founding Sim, Lark Meadows. You’ll make a living solely on dumpster diving and yard sales with the end goal of purchasing a junkyard lot to clear out and build your dream home. There are a total of 8 main goals to work towards, each with a minor goal and a special reward. So if you’re wanting to try an eco-friendly version of living off the land, this challenge is just for you! 🚯🗑️ Fall and cozy weather is just around the corner, so let’s settle in with a gameplay story from Addy’s Comfy Corner, written by adwilson. This story follows Addy, an avid collector who dreams of opening her own museum to showcase her extensive collections. This week, Addy is looking to finally complete her frog collection by hunting down the ever elusive death frog. While searching around Ravenwood, she makes some new discoveries and meets some very mysterious folks that lead her on a new quest… So what all will she uncover in this spooky world, and what new collectables will she encounter? Will she ever find out what that strange raccoon in a trench coat wants? Make sure you tune in to find out! 🐸💎 And to finish us off this week, we have one of those most unique gameplay challenges I’ve ever come across, Snob Sim trapped in a mansion (but without a toilet), created by penguinNMPR. This challenge is exactly what it sounds like - you’ll be locking a Sim in a house worth at least $100,000 with no toilets on the lot. You’ll start with no money, and your end goal is to earn enough to purchase the most expensive toilet in the game. But there’s a catch! Your Sim isn’t allowed a full-time job, and can’t leave the lot. You’ll also need to be sure all bills are fully paid, and all existing furniture is in pristine and working condition. If anything catches on fire or breaks, you’ll have to replace that exact item before you can finally purchase your coveted toilet. So if you’re looking for some new slightly unhinged challenges to try, be sure to check this one out, but maybe hire a maid to help clean up first... 🚽💸 And that’s going to wrap us up for the last week of July! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend, stay safe, and happy Simming 💚 Till next time! -EA_Solaire
EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 6
Before we begin this issue’s regular sections, we want to thank everyone who participated in the discussion in the previous edition. Your shared experiences and kind words of appreciation mean a lot to us. 🥰 In this issue, we’ll again examine phishing methods from a psychological perspective, exploring why they are so effective and how we can better protect ourselves. Phishing isn't just about dodgy links; it's about exploiting fundamental human tendencies. Scammers are master manipulators, playing on our emotions, our desire for efficiency, and even our inherent trust. When you understand the psychological levers they pull, you gain a powerful advantage in spotting and avoiding their traps. 🤓 If you missed the previous edition, you can find it [here]. As always, joining the discussion or solving the quiz will earn you a token of participation in the form of a unique badge on the forum. 🤠 Stay safe! The Psychology of Phishing The Lure of Urgency and Scarcity, aka Fear of Missing Out Phishers often create a sense of immediate crisis or limited-time opportunity (e.g., "Your account will be suspended in 24 hours!" or "Exclusive limited-time skin unlock!"). This triggers our primal fight-or-flight response, bypassing rational thought and pushing us to act without deliberation. The fear of loss (of access, of a rare item) is a powerful motivator. When you feel a sudden surge of urgency or excitement from an unexpected message, stop and take a deep breath. A legitimate service will rarely demand immediate action without prior warning. Verify independently through official channels, not by clicking links in the suspicious message. Authority Bias Humans are conditioned to respect and obey authority figures. Phishers expertly mimic legitimate sources like game developers, platform support, or even government agencies. The use of familiar logos, official-sounding language, and seemingly authentic sender addresses exploits our tendency to trust perceived authority without question. Never assume legitimacy based solely on appearance. Always cross-reference. If you receive an unexpected email from "EA Support," don't click a link in the email. Instead, open your browser and manually navigate to EA's official support website to log in or check your account. The "Intriguing Mystery" Phishing Our brains are wired to seek out novelty and resolve unknowns. Phishers exploit this by sending messages that pique our curiosity (e.g., "See who's talking about you!" or "Your private photo has been leaked!"). The desire to know, to uncover the "secret," overrides caution, leading us to click. Before clicking on anything that triggers intense curiosity, engage your critical thinking. Is this too good to be true? Does it make sense that I would receive this message? If it sounds sensational or unbelievable, it likely is. Reward Phishing We often feel a subconscious obligation to repay a favor or respond positively to someone who has given us something. Phishers leverage this by offering enticing "rewards," "freebies," or "exclusive access" (e.g., "Claim your free legendary loot box!"). The desire to accept the perceived gift can blind us to the underlying danger. While it's nice to receive gifts, be highly suspicious of unsolicited windfalls, especially those requiring you to click a link or provide personal information. Legitimate giveaways from reputable companies will always direct you to their official website or have a clear, secure claiming process. If you didn't enter a contest, you didn't win. The "Everyone is doing it" Phishing Humans are social creatures, and we often look to the actions of others to determine what is correct or safe. Phishers can create a false sense of social proof by impersonating friends, guildmates, or popular streamers, often sending messages like "Hey, check out this amazing new game!" or "I just got this awesome item using this link, you should too!" This can lead us to believe that if others are clicking, it must be safe. Even if a message appears to come from a trusted friend, consider the context and how they usually communicate. If it seems out of character, or if the link is suspicious, contact your friend through a separate, verified channel (e.g., a direct message on a platform you know is secure, or even a quick call) to confirm. Stay vigilant! Pause, verify, and think critically before clicking on unexpected links or acting on urgent messages—protect yourself from phishing scams! How to avoid phishing Online Security Newsletter - Feedback Form Online Security Newsletter - Challenge Creation Interest Form Online Security Newsletter - Volume 6 Quiz
New Updates Coming with Apex Legends™: Showdown
It’s a whole new showdown this season, Legends. Try your hand at the new Wildcard mode: it’s faster gameplay, streamlined upgrades, and a whole lot of explosive loot. Caustic and Bangalore lead the buffs, with some updates to the Controller class as well. Mix things up with Amps, new game-changing passives available each match. Try your hand at Ballistic’s personal weapon collection with the Elite variant of the RE-45. And say goodbye to loot chasing Hop-Ups as they’re now locked to the weapons in your hand. Add in a fresh take on E-District, Ranked updates, and more, yeah, it's going to be a wild season. NEW PERMANENT MODE: WILDCARD Wildcard is just like it sounds—a wild time. Want a three stack of Mirages? Sure, stack Legends as much as you’d like. Gotta go fast? This remixed variant Kings Canyon has been super loaded with extra gravity cannons, ziplines, and even more toys. Dropped a little too hot to handle? Second chances are at play here with opportunities for revival even in the last ring. We’ve also simplified the loot and inventory, added in auto-looting, made some adjustments to EVO, and even more to make this a fast paced and fun addition to the Apex Games. It’s the experimental playground of every Legend’s dreams. Check out our dedicated blog here for everything you need to know before jumping in. LEGEND UPDATES We’ve got buffs a plenty for two Legends that have been hiding in some fog for a while: Dr. Alexander Nox and Ms Anita Williams. Lets see what you can do with these updates for Caustic, Bangalore, and more in this Showdown of a season. Get all of the details on these Legend changes and more meta updates in Patch Notes on August 4, 2025. ELITE WEAPONS: RE-45 BURST PISTOL Also being introduced this season are Elite Weapons: the firepower you know and love from Ballistic’s personal armory, so expect the unexpected with these variants. In the case of the RE-45, this little number becomes a pocket-sized mini-gun with its spin-up, three round bursts and the type of damage that only energy ammo can satisfy. Good things do come in small packages. LEGEND AMPS Amps are an all new way to switch-up your playstyle—amp it up, if you will. Available in Unranked and Ranked BR matches, you’ll be able to loot game-changing passives like bonus movement, better heals, more shields, and more. Amps will be tough to find until the first Bin reset, but they may just be the thing that helps you survive the next time you get third-partied. There are five different Amps and each comes with its own powerful ability; however, you can only hold one at a time so choose wisely. LOCKED HOP-UPS Hop-Ups are a tried and true way to add a little je ne sais quoi. This season we’re taking the RNG out of this boost and locking them to the weapons themselves. Deliver damage to fuel up your weapon’s Hop-Up ability and unlock it for the remainder of the match. If you pick-up a new weapon, then the fun begins again. All Hop-Ups currently available in-game will be a part of this change and we’ve added a new one to the mix too: Graffiti Mod. More on that one in Patch Notes on Monday, August 4, 2025. DAYTIME IN E-DISTRICT Good morrow, E-District! Reimagined under bright, overcast skies, this switch to daytime brings a fresh feel and dramatically improved gameplay clarity. Sunbeams slice through clouds and a light atmospheric fog helps separate foreground from background for cleaner visual reads. We’ve also run a full declutter pass across the map, removing everything from stray debris to entire buildings to sharpen awareness and open up key sightlines. Shops that once led to dead ends now connect through newly opened doorways, making rotations smoother and fights more dynamic. And for players dropping hot at Lotus, a brand new rotation has been carved straight through a wall of buildings, offering a much needed third option for repositioning under pressure. It’s clarity by design - and every fight feels better because of it. SEE YOU ON THE DROPSHIP The cards have been dealt and are in your hands. What will you drop in on first? The new, fast paced Wildcard mode? Maybe check out the Elite RE-45 or Locked Hop-Ups? Maybe you’ll check out the sights of E-District in the light. But don’t sleep on those Legend Amps. New Updates Coming with Apex Legends™: Showdown Play Apex Legends for free* now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via the EA app, Epic, and Steam. Follow Apex Legends™ on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out our forums. Sign up for our newsletter today to receive the latest Apex Legends news, updates, behind-the-scenes content, exclusive offers, and more (including other EA news, products, events, and promotions) by email. This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible. For more information, please refer to EA’s Online Service Updates at https://www.ea.com/service-updates. *Applicable platform account and platform subscription (sold separately) may be required. A persistent internet connection and EA account required. Age restrictions apply. Includes in-game purchases.
Wildcard Coming with Apex Legends™: Showdown
Wildcard is a brand new way to play that challenges what you’ve come to expect with the typical Apex Legends matches. It’s a twist on the squads you’re used to, with streamlined Legends and the option to stack Legends as you please. It’s fun and fast with pacing built into its core thanks to an updated Kings Canyon with almost unlimited movement toys. And it’s all about the firepower here—more shooting, less looting speaks for itself. This new permanent mode allows you to take risks without worrying about your stats or RP, and you haven’t seen the last of what this mode will bring just yet. PLAY BIG, PLAY LOUD With a mode as fast as this one, there’s just no time to loot—especially if you get that one squadmate who needs to spend the first ten minutes going through every bin. Wildcard’s about getting you into the match, trying things out, and building your Apex confidence all at the pace of Octane: ¡Rápido! MORE SHOOTING With a map built for movement, you won’t want to stand still. Get those guns ready and be prepared for battle around every corner, and after every revive. Weapon Leveling: level up your firepower by earning EVO Orbs by eliminating enemies, performing certain actions, and maybe even finding them in a Loot Bin Kitted Weapons: each piece you pick up also comes with a full batch of attachments that’ll level up with your weapon Respawning: as long as one squadmate’s alive then so are you, all the way through to the final ring. Bonus? Have them earn EVO to speed up your respawn time. Self-Revive Kits: everybody gets one at drop, and if you don’t use you’ll lose it LESS LOOTING Wildcard’s system has been tuned specifically for the rapid-fire match at hand: Auto Looting: bringing the goods straight to your inventory. With each elimination, ammo and EVO Orbs will appear for you to run over and automatically pick-up while keeping your head up. Reduced loot pool: no backpacks, no knockdown shields, no accelerants, no helmets, no Hop-Ups, you get it. Shield Cells are still up for grabs, but your health will auto-regen after you’ve been out of combat for a bit. Simplified Inventory: gone is inventory management with dedicated slots and auto-sorting to keep your focus where it’s needed ULTIMATE PLAYGROUND The ultimate goal of this new permanent mode is exactly what it sounds like: an experimental playground for players to have some fun with, maybe even show off a little. We’ve had consistent feedback that players want a way to try things out and get better without the strings or confines of Unranked and Ranked, and Firing Range just doesn’t feed that hunger in the same way. Enter Wildcard. This 30 player mode has a shortened match length and tightened ring size to keep matches around the 15 minute mark. Each match should give you a taste of what’s possible without the pressure to perform. As we teased above, it also has its own gameplay parameters with different rules with Legends, a unique take on Kings Canyon, and a focus on getting those shots. STACK THOSE LEGENDS The difference in experience begins with Legends. Everyone on the squad can pick who they want, even if the Legend has already been picked. Want three Mirages? Sounds like a lot of chatter and chaos, but go for it. In-match is streamlined too. There are no Legend Upgrades and no Class Perks. Just pure Legend power—and you may spot some unique Legend select animations too. WILDIN’ ON KINGS CANYON Kings Canyon with a little bit of spice. This classic map has been updated to be the ultimate movement machine. Grav canons, zip rails, jump towers and jump pads galore bring the boost you’re looking for whether it’s running from a fight or to it. NOT DONE YET Wildcard was designed to not only be a playground for you, but also for us. Like other aspects of the game, Wildcard has a designated team to ensure that it is updated and may try some new features on for size. Look for future experimentations, seasonal updates, and surprise takeovers to keep the experience fresh and truly embody its namesake. Wildcard Coming with Apex Legends™: Showdown Play Apex Legends for free* now on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via the EA app, Epic, and Steam. Follow Apex Legends™ on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok, subscribe to our YouTube channel, and check out our forums. Sign up for our newsletter today to receive the latest Apex Legends news, updates, behind-the-scenes content, exclusive offers, and more (including other EA news, products, events, and promotions) by email. This announcement may change as we listen to community feedback and continue developing and evolving our Live Service & Content. We will always strive to keep our community as informed as possible. For more information, please refer to EA’s Online Service Updates at https://www.ea.com/service-updates. *Applicable platform account and platform subscription (sold separately) may be required. A persistent internet connection and EA account required. Age restrictions apply. Includes in-game purchases.
Friday Highlights - July 25th
Sul Sul peeps! Those are the last highlights of July, which means that this year is passing scaredly fast, and also that we are halfway through the summer for us North Hemispherians. Have you been up to anything exciting, or still waiting to go on holiday? Or did you enjoy the summer spending time at home? Are you ready for Spooky Season yet? … wait… who said that? 🤨 Let’s just see what you may have missed this week: On Tuesday, we announced the coolest giveaway ever on Discord. Make sure to enter here and you could be among the 10 lucky folks to win a ✨BunBun the Fairy Freezer Bunny Plushie Keychain✨ Also, make sure to check out this cool deep dive into the new music, tracks and artists of Enchanted by Nature. And be sure to enjoy the Sims 25th Birthday Mix playlist 💃 That must have been a shock for this sim, shared here by MeggoSims Let’s check out this week’s highlights! This week, HollownessDevour is bringing you fun new ways to play the game with an investigation regarding funny and interesting traits, item and lifestyle combinations for your sims. If you’re always picking the same traits and would like to change it up a bit, this thread will give you some inspiration! For example you could pick the traits Romantic and Jealous and see how your sim adapts. But my favourite combination is Plant Lover and Loner, because it lets you gain social and entertainment when you speak to your plants! 🤭 This thread is collaborative, so if you ever noticed a funny or interesting combination make sure to share it! 🙌 You can also let us know if you would recommend the pairing or if it made the game a bit too difficult to handle. We can't wait to see what everybody comes up with! Now is the time for the next chapter of one of my favourite Sims 3 story, The Marsden Farm Challenge by texansky 📖 My favourite character, Phoenix the Magician, has aged up since last time we covered the story and has become an adult, and so did a lot of his other siblings, and there has been a new addition to the family with baby August, who is now a toddler 👶 In this new chapter, Bucky and Wanda got a great news to share, gnomes are gathering in the garden, and Phoenix is performing his magic in the Performance Park - it looks like he’s getting a lot of tips as he has mastered the Disappearing Sim trick! All the characters are moving forward and it’s very nice to see that they all have different interests and paths, but they seem all very happy 🤗 Next up, NoahLGP wants to know what are the in-game features that you like but turn off, and why you disabled them 🙅The Sims is one of those games that everyone plays differently because it gives players a lot of options and tools that can be turned on or off, so pretty much all of our gameplays are very unique. Therefore, it's a great question! It’s very interesting to read all the different replies and the justifications as to why some features are disabled. A lot of you turned off Wishes and Fears, extreme seasonal events, or Social Bunny for adults. Personally, I haven’t recovered yet from The Sims’ original and terrifying burglar music so that was one of those features that I turned off immediately when it came out! 😅 How about you, what features are you disabling, or allowing, and why? We’d love to know! This week, Marjia01 is showcasing the perfect fancy summer house, Truly Modern. Truly Modern is a 3-bed family home with a pool, patio, spacious balconies and more 🌴 It feels perfect for summer, I can see sims throwing a great barbecue and pool party and becoming the most popular neighbours around 🎉 My favourite touch is the little pond that surrounds the front window and the side of the house, it’s such a beautiful addition and it fits in flawlessly. And the bushes on the left are perfect to give a bit of privacy. I also love how the house is elevated and how the entrance steps are built. If you think that Truly Modern is a good fit for your household, make sure to check it out on the Gallery! An interesting question is brought to us by Lion-In-A-Teacup , who is asking how do players keep track of their games - and especially if they have different scenarios and timelines going on and have to step away from playing for a little while. After reading the replies, I’m really impressed by the level of organization and dedication you folks have 😳 It seems that pretty much all of you are writing down information and details onto notebooks or notepads, screenshots and Word documents 📓 And also, I'm noticing that some of you are playing a lot of households at the same time! I guess keeping written notes of everything that is going on probably helps, but handling two hundred sims is out of my depths 🙈 I think that it’s very sweet to have a trace of the stories and achievements of our sims outside of the main game. I would love to see some “out of context” notebook pages about your sims! Finally as a little extra even though this hasn't happened this week: we just wanted to make a quick shout out to the Bayou Bijou Collaboration that has officially been completed! Congratulations to all of you who participated, the world and the builds are all unique and beautiful. And congrats to soocoolsim , Hidehi2 and Sandraelle for organising the collaboration! And with this, we conclude another week of highlights. I will be off now to enjoy some sunshine, and I'll see ya back in August 🌞 Dag dag! Cath 🌴EA Forums Online Security Newsletter - Volume 5
Welcome to all our readers - whether you're a long-time subscriber or joining us for the first time—for the latest edition of our newsletter! This month, we invite you to engage in a conversation about security, our featured topic, and much more. Each edition is an opportunity to share your security tips, experiences, or insights with us. In last month’s edition, we explored the critical topic of safe online transactions. With the summer promotions season fast approaching, now is the perfect time to refresh your knowledge or check out our tips if you haven’t already. We also introduced the latest updates to EA’s flagship anti-cheat system, EA Javelin. If you’re unfamiliar with EA Javelin, we encourage you to revisit last month’s newsletter to learn more. This month, we’re exploring the fascinating topic of passwords from a psychological perspective. Why do we choose certain passwords over others? What motivates our choices? And what strategies can help you create strong, secure passwords? You’ll find answers to these questions and more in the Security Focus section. As always, your participation in the newsletter—whether through comments, quizzes, or sharing your experiences—earns you a participation token: a unique badge on the forum. Don’t miss out! We would also like to highlight recent software blocks in EA Javelin. AntiCheatWard from EA's anti-cheat team shared that the Disc-Soft block was implemented due to cheat-like scripts circulating in the ReWASD community, which automate actions like recoil control and skill-based challenges in games. While EA Javelin Anticheat supports legitimate remapping tools like Steam Input and Microsoft's Keyboard Manager, Disc-Soft's attempts to bypass anti-cheat checks and its tolerance of these scripts led to blocking their virtual hardware and drivers. We encourage you to uninstall the software and provide feedback to the vendor, with hopes that changes in their practices could allow for more targeted blocks in the future. You'll find the link to the full article in the InfoHub Section. Stay safe! The Psychology of Password Creation In today's digital age, passwords are crucial for safeguarding our personal and professional information. Yet many people struggle with creating and remembering secure passwords. This challenge is deeply rooted in human psychology and impacts how we choose and manage our passwords. Cognitive Load and Memory It is human nature to simplify complex tasks, which leads to choosing passwords that are easy to remember. As a result, simple choices can be made, such as using sequential numbers, common words, or birthdays. These elements reduce cognitive load, but at the same time, they compromise security. Familiarity Bias People tend to choose passwords that are familiar or meaningful to them. It can be the names of loved ones, favourite sports teams, or phrases that are familiar to you. While these choices make passwords easier to remember, they also make them easier to guess. Risk Perception Many users underestimate the risk of cyber threats, believing that they are unlikely targets. This perception leads to less rigorous password practices, such as using the same password across multiple accounts or opting for simple, easily cracked passwords. The Role of Emotion Emotional attachment can play a significant role in password creation. People often choose passwords that evoke positive feelings or memories, which makes them easier to recall. However, emotional passwords can be predictable for anyone familiar with the user. Social Influence Social factors, such as advice from friends or media, can impact password choices. Recommendations to use complex passwords might be acknowledged but not always implemented due to the inconvenience of remembering them. Strategies for Improvement Use Passphrases Combining unrelated words into a passphrase increases complexity while remaining memorable. Leverage Mnemonics Creating a mnemonic device can help recall complex passwords. Employ Password Managers These tools reduce the burden of remembering multiple passwords while ensuring they are strong and unique. Periodic Password Updates Changing passwords can mitigate risks associated with compromised credentials. But don't make it a burden, as accourding to NIST research over complicating the password changing process might have opposite effect. Online Security Newsletter - Feedback Form Online Security Newsletter - Challenge Creation Interest Form EA Javelin Anticheat & Recent Software Blocks Online Security Newsletter - Volume 5 QuizFriday Highlights - July 18th
Sul Sul simmers! It has been more than a week since Enchanted by Nature has been released! Have you been able to try it out yet? How are you currently playing this pack? I have been having so much fun with Build Mode and floating around as a fairy. First, let’s recap what happened this week: 📑 On Wednesday we released an e-patch for The Sims 4, you can catch up on the notes here! 🎁 Finally, don’t miss out on the Eco Lifestyle giveaway on Discord for a chance to win a copy of this pack! DIY with gnomes, shared here by DiscipleOfDuat Now let’s check out this week’s highlights! Let’s kick off those highlights with a nice challenge offered by simszfreakz : The Siren’s Curse Challenge 🧜♀️, which is a story-based supernatural challenge that will be played over different generations. The legend says that a long time ago, a mermaid made a deal with the ocean to protect her child. In exchange, all mermaids born from this bloodline will pass when their child reaches teenagehood, if they were born mermaid… In this challenge, your start off as a regular sim who turns into a mermaid, you must have a child and your mermaid must pass away when the child becomes a teenager. If the child is born human, the curse is lifted! There are specific rules so I encourage you to check out the thread before you venture into the challenge. Good luck! This week for our Sims 3 players, we are getting an update from HotBlackSand for the Hidden Springs Reimagined story, which is focusing on Jessica Willow. Her military career was stagnant, so she decided instead to focus on a new career of being an International Spy 🕵️♀️ In this new chapter, we learn that Jessica has been doing pretty well since she had made it to International Super Spy! However the needs for this new career seem to be taking a toll on Jessica’s private life, and we all know that work-life balance is important, so she might be considering another career path. With all those skills and experience with her, I’m pretty sure she can become anything that she wants - let’s see what new adventures await her! If you are looking for inspiration to build houses in Enchanted by Nature, make sure to take a look at all the creative players from Simmingal's Share Your Innisgreen Builds thread! 🏡 I feel that the items from this pack are very versatile and the build combinations are limitless. But if you feel overwhelmed by all the different elements, I’m sure this thread will come in handy for you. We can already see a very promising work-in-progress build situated in the middle of the trees, as well as a manor for fairies for biggest households (who says fairies only need small homes?). Make sure to share your Innisgreen builds or to take a look for inspiration, I can’t wait to see what you creative folks come up with 🎨 This time, we will focus on one particular build, ADashofAsh90’s Floral Fairy Hobbit Home. As you may have guessed from the title, it’s the perfect place for your fairies and nature lovers, or just for shorter sims 😀 This build is a very cute 1-bedroom home completely surrounded by grass and flowers, with a beautiful gazebo on the top of the house to relax with a nice book or cup of tea. The interior is very cosy and whimsical and would be perfect for a couple or a single sim with a pet or two. I honestly don't know if I prefer the interior decoration or the outside: despite living in a smaller home, there is a sizable garden. You can even bring your farm animals there as there already is a stable and plenty of space in the plot for them. If this was real, I know I would trade my home for this one in a heartbeat. 😆 Storytellers, this is your time to shine once again! ✍️ Lion-In-A-Teacup is currently playing a legacy sims family and needs ideas to continue the storyline. The current household is a family of occults with werewolves and vampires, so this is an interesting start! The story should focus on the three children of a couple of occult sims, so that leaves the door open to a lot of different scenarios. Someone has suggested creating clubs for the children’s hobbies to keep them (and Lion-In-A-Teacup) engaged. I also like the idea of creating an enemy clan for a more dramatic story, Twilight style 😈 If you have any other suggestions, make sure to share them in the thread. I can’t wait to see what Lion-In-A-Teacup decides to do with the characters! And that concludes another week of highlights! Have a great weekend folks and see you next week! Dag dag! 😙 CathFriday Highlights - July 11th
Sul Sul everyone! We’ve finally made it to another Friday, and more importantly, we’ve made it to Enchanted by Nature launch ✨🧚🏽♀️🌿 Have you all been enjoying the lush and beautiful world of Innisgreen? Have you already turned all your Sims into fluttering fairies and PlantSims? I want to hear everything you’ve been up to with this new pack! But first, a quick recap on the news from this week: On Tuesday, we got a sneak peak at the world of Innisgreen and some of the whimsical lots created by TheCrackedKyber, The Sim Scrolls, Ninahschmidt and Sandra Pyka. You can dig deeper into these beautiful lots and what inspired them in the article here! Yesterday brought us a new game update which included several bug fixes and improvements. If you’re curious to see what all was included in this update, you can check out the full notes here! And the moment we’ve all been waiting for… yesterday the newest pack Enchanted by Nature finally launched! If you haven’t yet, make sure to join in on our official screenshot thread here and show off all your fairy best screenshots! An enchanted place, posted here, by Gagea25 Enough flittering around, let’s get on to the highlights! Dreams can be either wildly imaginative or sometimes boring and mundane reflections of our day to day activities, so sailorleontine wants to know- have you ever played too much and started dreaming about The Sims? Any time I play a particular game for a while, I definitely start to dream about it, so naturally I’ve had a few Sims related dreams over the years. Since I spend most of my time building, I’ll sometimes dream about creating floorplans or decorating rooms and gardens, which serves as great inspiration for when I’m playing again! But we want to hear about any Sims related dreams you’ve had- do you dream more about gameplay and get ideas for storytelling, or maybe you dream about your friends and family only speaking Simlish? Be sure to share all the wild and wacky Sims dreams you’ve had! 😴💭 Everyone knows July 5th is the official start of Spooky Season, so let’s celebrate with this Spooky Cottage created by shandy_lou97. This witchy cabin includes a full size kitchen, two rustic style bedrooms, an outdoor garden to grow your very own oversized pumpkins, and a homey living room with a grand fireplace to sit around and tell scary stories. This little cottage gives off all the cozy vibes and is the perfect spot for pumpkin carving or ghost hunting, so if you’re already feeling spooky and need a place to enjoy Summerween, be sure to check out this festive cottage! 🎃🍂🦇 If you haven’t discovered all the secrets in Enchanted by Nature just yet, EmmaVane has once again got you covered in this Q&A: Enchanted by Nature discussion about all the new gameplay and features. So are you looking for some more information on ailments and how to cure them? Or maybe you’re curious about the new fairy abilities and ranks? And how exactly will other Occults interact with fairies? We’ve now got all the answers to these burning questions and plenty more, so be sure to check out this illuminating Q&A! To kick off the month of July, we’ve got a brand new buildnshare challenge called Flavors of the World. The theme for this month is a multicultural summer festival to celebrate the various cultures and traditions represented in our Sims world. With no restricted budget, you’ll need to create an outdoor community space with at least 4 food or drink stalls, a seated and shaded eating area, public restrooms, and any other items that bring life and vibrancy to your festival. This challenge will be open until July 31st, so you still have plenty of time to submit your entries! 🍛🍵 We’ve all been quite busy with the Week 3 of the Nature’s Calling event, so let’s finish this week off with this gameplay story, Nature’s Calling: A Sims 4 Story created by LegacySims2017. This story follows protagonist Lucifer Morningstar, a global superstar from Newcrest as he returns for his fourth event quest. In this week’s episode, Lucifer focuses on sculpting and building furniture on his new woodworking table to decorate his log cabin. But as he works, something is weighing on his mind… Has he really been hearing whispers in the wind, or is he just imagining things? What could this whisper mean, and what does this strange voice want? Be sure to follow along with this puzzling story as we find out and unlock this supernatural mystery! And that’s all for another wand-erful week! I hope you all have the most magical weekend, stay safe, and happy Simming! 💚 -EA_Solaire
