Just Poker Talk

• Absolute Poker is Hacked by Employee

An Absolute Poker Employee hacked the online poker site. The employee modified the site and provided the ability for the employee to play on the site and see the hole cards of the other players. Internet forums had been discussing this possibility for almost a month. Previously Absolute Poker investigated the allegations and reported: 

“The result of our investigation is that we found no evidence that any of Absolute Poker’s redundant and varying levels of game client security were compromised. In other words, we have determined with reasonable certainty that it is impossible for any player or employee to see whole cards as was alleged. There is no part of the technology that allows for a “superuser� account, and there is no way for any person to influence the game software to their advantage.�

Source: MSNBC

New York attorney Serge Ravitch informed Absolute Poker that he felt cheating was going on. Ravitch informed MSNBC that Absolute Poker initially denied any cheating had occurred or was even possible. In fact according to the MSNBC story, Absolute Poker found no evidence that client security having been compromised. Absolute Poker went on to say that with certainty it was impossible for anybody to see other players hole cards. Also they said there was no way to modify the Absolute Poker game software to gain any advantage.

Absolute Poker provided hand histories to one of the players that had reported cheating. The hand histories provided hole cards for all the players and IP addresses as well as email addresses of the competing players. MSNBC requested an independent review of the re-created tournament and expert Ray Cooke, ex-head of security at Planet Poker online site, came away convinced that the hacker can see the hole cards. Here is the recreation provided by YouTube.

This video is one of four videos of the recreations. Here are links for the other three.
Absolute Poker two of four
Absolute Poker three of four
Absolute Poker four of four

This week a spokesman for Absolute Poker has informed MSNBC on the condition of anonymity that the hacker was an employee of the company who did it to prove it could be done. The spokesman said:

“This is literally a geek trying to prove to senior management that they were wrong and he took it too far,�

Your ‘Dead Money’ bloggers concern with this hacking is that it will make it more difficult to get the UIGEA repealed anytime soon. Also this will provide fuel for the online poker opponents to keep preventing US players from playing online.

Here are some other Just Poker Talk posts regarding UIGEA.

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