Pokertracker.com hack & Absolute frenzy - not a coincidence?

[pygmyhipo]

For your consideration, may require tinfoil hat:

On Sep 13 or earlier, the PokerTracker.com website was compromised by hackers.

On Sep 14, a 2+2 poster reported that their Virus scanner had detected a javascript trojan installer in content downloaded from from PokerTracker.com:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12079085

On Sep 15, adanthar posted a report of bizarre play by POTRIPPER during the Sep 13 tournament on Absolute, including the famous ten high call.
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12097244

Soon other hand histories were posted. All suspicious hands occurred on Sep 12 or later. Some hands that suggested the suspected players could not see hole cards occurred before this date. Examples:
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12105226
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12101810
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12105775
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/sh...umber=12106459

Hypothesis:

* Hackers compromised the PokerTracker.com website. They installed one or more "javascript trojan downloaders" that exploit holes in unpatched browsers. If you are running an insecure browser, you get infected simply by viewing the web page. You don't need to click on anything. Here are some examples:
http://www.viruslist.com/en/virusesd...pter=153318100

* Some PokerTracker users with unpatched browsers visited the site. Their computers were infected with a trojan.

* The trojan was designed to monitor the Absolute client program and upload your hole cards to a central server controlled by the hackers.

* The hackers used existing accounts to play both NL tournaments and ring games. They were able to see the hole cards of those opponents who had been infected.

Note that high-limit players and 2+2 users are more likely to be PokerTracker users, so it is precisely these players who would be first to get infected, be cheated, and report their suspicions here.

-pygmyhipo

[Enervate]

No.

[luckyjimm]

I'm sure OJ Simpson is involved somewhere

[artard]

HOLY [censored] NOBODY HAS THOUGHT OF THIS YET

[Lurker.]

wow, that's a lot of links....cliffnotes ?

[SenatorKevin]

Short story, run firefox..

[ikestoys]

short story, i'm the one who pretty much got screwed the hardest, and i was playing on a mac without pt... so no dice

[ibluffoldladies]

Where is your source for your claim of this trojan being designed for absolute's hole cards?

[ibluffoldladies]

[ QUOTE ]
short story, i'm the one who pretty much got screwed the hardest, and i was playing on a mac without pt... so no dice

[/ QUOTE ]

safe to take the foil off now.

[BrookTrout]

Not to condone this theory - but everyone should be using mozilla as their default browser.

And install the NoScript add-on, or you're not as secure as you might think.