PokerStars servers
In a casino, security is sometimes more drastic than in a bank or even an airport. The stakes are enormous: in addition to securing the amount of pharaminous money deposited within it, it will also be necessary to reassure customers and players by tracking all forms of fraud and scams. We recall the scenes of ocean's 12, where the methods used are worthy of the great banditry and the big scams. The poker rooms are thus equipped with complex systems of surveillance and cameras that would give no chance to scams… But what about the online poker rooms? These gaming sites have become the benchmark in poker and now count millions of users and subscribers. Players have fun with fictional money but also play with real money, which tends to place sites like PokerStars — the largest online gambling site at the moment — to a level far more important than hundreds of casinos combined! Security policy is becoming a big issue. We will see in this article that the security of the information system and software, for a site like PokerStars, are brought to such a level that makes hacking, fishing and scam attempts difficult. These companies are investing millions of dollars in security programs that we'll detail below.
Security as soon as you download
In order to avoid any modification of the client software during its download, functions have been integrated into the installer: the signature of the installer executable file with an RSA 2048 code certificate issued by rational Service Ltd. This certificate is verifiable by VeriSign, a public certification authority that can be validated through the client browser. This signature system guarantees the authenticity of the Publisher's software and thus protects the installer from any changes between the time of its publication and the time of its installation on the machine.
Security in the game phase:
In addition to the RNG system, complex system and 100% random card shuffling, other features have been added in the game phase: alongside certifications, and industrial protocols like SSLv3, the client software currently uses an RSA key from 2 048 bit which, according to RSA, is sufficient until 2030. According to the PokerStars security officials, the latter revise and update the server's private keys every three months; which ensures a good margin of safety. Note, however, that personal data, such as closed cards, remain confidential and all software data is validated on the server side.
Anti-scam systems
Collusion is the best known form of Poker cheating and presents itself when several players reveal their game, or develop scam strategies against players from the same table. Indeed, it is easier to communicate information between players in a virtual room than in a real room. But what these players do not know is that the cards of all players can be examined after the game. Even more interesting, no matter how complex this strategy is, collusion will always involve a game model that would not be possible without it. In this sense, PokerStars security officials warn fraudsters: "our detection means localize unusual game types and alert security personnel, who then begins a thorough manual investigation. We also monitor the reports of other players regarding suspected collusion. If it turns out that a player has been complicit in collusion, his or her account may be permanently closed. ».