For those of you who have serious worries about people stealing your FFXI account and using it for dastardly deeds...and are too lazy to make an extremely strong password, Square Enix has a new solution for you. Of course you’ll have to shell out some cash for it.

The VASCO Data Security International, Inc. DIGIPASS(R) GO6 and VACMAN(R) Controller strong authentication solution will authenticate users attempting to access the content and services of Square Enix Co., Ltd. (Square Enix) including massively multiplayer online role-playing game FINAL FANTASY XI.

FINAL FANTASY XI will be the first online game in Japan to use one-time password security. On April 7, 2009, Square Enix plans to begin offering user authentication using this technology to users who purchase VASCO’s authentication devices.

Until now, Square Enix security initiatives included the use of user IDs and fixed passwords, and user education on online security regarding user ID and password management. Square Enix decided to enhance unauthorized access countermeasures by adopting VASCO’s DIGIPASS GO6 & VACMAN strong authentication solution to authenticate users of FINAL FANTASY XI in Japan, North America and Europe.

Square Enix will distribute VASCO’s DIGIPASS GO 6 authenticators which will be used by FINAL FANTASY XI game players when logging in to the game. By using the one-time password (OTP) generated by DIGIPASS for logging in to the game, unauthorized access to the account will virtually become non-existent and the security of the account will be enhanced considerably. FINAL FANTASY XI can be accessed from console games PlayStation2 and Xbox 360, and from Windows PCs, and users will be able to use the one-time password for access to the game from any of these devices. On the server side, VACMAN Controller, VASCO’s authentication software which is used by many financial organizations worldwide, was adopted.