Malware Scandal in Online Poker

A hacking attack targeting high-stakes online poker players is alleged to have generated illegal earnings of between $1.5 million and $4 million. The attacker reportedly gained access to players' computers through third-party poker software and could see their hidden cards.

According to WIRED's investigation, updates to two applications, Jurojin and IntuitiveTables, were compromised and a remote access tool called MeshAgent was installed. Cybersecurity expert WolfSec said more than 1,000 users may have received affected software. The malicious functions were reportedly activated selectively, and the attacker compiled a list of high-stakes players.

Jurojin confirmed that modified packages were sent intermittently to a small group of users between June 2025 and January 2026. Professional player Alex discovered the malware in September 2026, after an AI assistant noticed suspicious activity on his computer. Of the 11 screen-monitoring cases, 10 reportedly took place in sessions played against the same suspicious opponent at ACR. Alex is estimated to have lost about $30,000. The opponent reportedly used different usernames on different platforms, which makes it difficult to link their accounts.

The operators' responses are also being debated. CoinPoker said it detected and banned the suspicious account in 2025 and paid out more than $100,000 in refunds. ClubWPT Gold suspended an account after a player complained and refunded the loss from the affected session. GGPoker, however, is criticized for not acting in a timely manner. Statistical evidence presented by poker coach Patrick Howard in September 2026 was reportedly judged insufficient at the time to take action. On October 15, the company announced that it had banned third-party software, set up systems to detect unusually high win rates, traced suspicious revenue as far as a crypto wallet, and passed the information on to law enforcement and regulators. On October 18, ACR said it had reviewed more than two million hands, found no problem with game results, and therefore would not issue refunds, while it would offer additional protection against screen-monitoring software.