Hacker may have used malware to see rivals' cards in online poker

A hacker may have used malware to peek at rivals' cards in online poker, and the scheme could have taken millions of dollars. Wired reports that hundreds of players were allegedly targeted. Engadget summarized the story, and the details below come from that summary.

What happened

The attack allegedly gave the cheater a view of other players' screens. In poker, this kind of cheating is called the "superuser" strategy. It means getting unfair access to another person's cards. It has surfaced in the poker world from time to time over the years.

This case appears to be a long-term campaign across major online poker platforms. Wired reports that the hacker used third-party tools that let people run several poker games at once. Through those tools, the hacker allegedly installed a malware program called MeshAgent on specific players' computers.

How the sites responded

The responses reportedly varied a lot. That is notable because the hacker's real name is known in the poker community. Wired did not publish it. The person has not been charged with a crime and did not respond to the outlet's requests for comment.

• One service banned the cheater before the hack came to light, citing an unusually high win rate and play patterns.
• Others released tools so players could check whether their machines had been compromised.
• One company kept the cheater active despite player complaints, said it found no evidence that game outcomes were compromised, and would not refund losses.

What to take from it

The lesson reaches beyond poker. Add-on tools made by outside companies can act as a back door into your computer. If a program does not come from a source you trust, it may not be worth the risk. Keeping your device protected is a basic step that applies to anyone, whether you play cards online or just do your banking on the same machine.

What is not known

The summary does not say how much money was lost in total, only that it may be millions. It also does not name the platforms or the tools involved. The claims come from Wired's reporting, and the accused has not been charged.