Poker Perambulation

Well, it is a topic that just won’t go away. Poker players know risk:reward either well or in a way that puts their sign in Pisces with Pluto ascending their leg – the dog and not the former planet. The site I’m going to leave nameless disclosed their “security alert” for UB. They found the same on Cake. It is a BFD only in their SEO directed minds. That seems a vested interest.

Vested interest surround us. Tree huggers are shouting Armageddon. The BP guys are saying, “What oil spill?” Congress is funding all kinds of silly research using the same vested principles. Courts are filled with payed expert witnesses. And, infomercials gather in the gullible. That’s the category I place the site in question in.

As a former computer consultant/programmer, I don’t have a problem with what was provided. Poker is a real time internet activity. The computers used vary dramatically in capacity. A programmer must design for the bottom of the barrel. So, what is referred to as “light encryption” isn’t great but it does minimize overhead which could contribute to folks losing their hand with repeated timeouts that do occur. (My top pet peeve list: All-in protection should not have been dropped. I see it happen repeatedly and that slows the site worse than when it was available and more fair.)

The problem is identical. To work the user must have left the network open. If he secured it in the router with rather robust encryption that puts the overhead at the router, the “security breach” is mute. If you didn’t but are attached by cable to the Net, it is also mute. If some guy doesn’t know you are playing poker and isn’t willing to park within a hundred yards or so of your house to try to see your cards/logon, the problem goes away.

Yes, the worst case scenario gives away all your information. But, even if you are operating in the worst possible scenario, you still have decent (gigantic) odds of avoiding a problem. If your skill level is such that you don’t understand the risk/solutions, you more likely to get had in many other ways. There is far worse out there that is looking to take advantage.

This is a tempest in a tea pot. Yes, it could happen. The odds you might be struck by lightning aren’t far from that likelihood .   I'd also suggest not watching infomercials or possibly the evening news.

ADDENDUM:

If you use a laptop or link to your router in wireless mode, you can go inside your router and secure your system.  It is all in the manual.

1. Disable broadcasting your network name.

2. Enable encryption.

3. If it has the feature, authorize MAC addresses.

Can the system still be hacked? No, system is foolproof. But now the lightning strike odds are against the bad guy and way in your favor. So, read your router’s manual for the instructions and visit their website which often provides further/easier details.

In these blogs I've tried helping two brother bloggers.  One had let his system be compromised.  The other had a computer that was slow to the point of almost being unusable.  They are both very bright guys.  They just aren't that computer savvy. That puts them in the majority.  If you aren't sure about much more than how to turn your computer on, find somebody who is and don't be afraid to ask "dumb" questions.  If you can't find such a helper, pester the kid at Best Buy who typically thrill at showing and sharing their knowledge.  It gives them an ego boost and give you the extra info you need. 

Related posts:

1. Belts and Suspenders