Malware attack on online poker players may have netted a hacker millions of dollars
Wired reports that hundreds of online poker players were allegedly targeted with MeshAgent malware that let a cheater see their screens. Poker platforms are said to have responded in very different ways.
The technology magazine Wired has published an investigation into a cheating scandal in online poker: hundreds of players were allegedly targeted by a malware attack that let a cheater see their computer screens, including their hole cards. According to the outlet, the long-running campaign may have taken millions of dollars from players across major online poker platforms. It is the latest case of a community dealing with the fallout from a high-profile cyberattack.
How the scheme worked
In poker, cheating by gaining unfair access to another player's cards is known as the "superuser" strategy. It has surfaced from time to time over the years.
Wired claims the attacker exploited third-party tools that let people play several poker games at once, using them to install a malware program called MeshAgent on the computers of specific players.
How platforms responded
The platforms' responses reportedly varied widely, which is especially striking because the cheater's real name is known within the poker community. Wired did not publish the person's identity because they have not been charged with a crime, and the individual did not respond to the outlet's requests for comment.
One service had banned the cheater before the MeshAgent attack became public, citing the account's unusually high win rate and playing tendencies. Others released tools after the malware was discovered so that players could check whether their machines had been compromised.
Another company, however, let the cheater keep playing despite complaints from other players. It also said it had found no evidence that game outcomes were compromised and would not refund players for their losses.
