As in-game virtual currency begins to be converted to real-world money, security becomes imperative to stop the spread of fraud. Turning real-world currency into virtual currency can hurt a virtual economy leaving publishers holding empty accounts. But more importantly, the reverse flow - turning virtual currency into real-world money - can spell disaster for publishers trying to protect their IP.
Currently, multiple security technologies are available to ensure the authenticity of the monetary transactions in virtual economies. This presentation will focus specifically on the role of strong authentication in securing subscription-based and free-to-play titles that are moving towards the convergence of the virtual and real currencies. The presenter will also address several interesting areas related to the growing use of strong authentication technology in the MMO market such as end-user perception of security, identity federation, and the use of open standards in user authentication and authorization.