PokerStars Security

The PokerStars Security Department ensures all games are conducted fairly and is responsible for researching and resolving all disputes. From downloading the PokerStars client to in-game security, PokerStars has developed many procedures to ensure game integrity.

Software Download Security

In order to ensure your security when downloading the PokerStars poker client, PokerStars adopts a certificated approach.

The installer executable file is signed using an RSA 2048 bit code-signing certificate that was issued to Rational Services Ltd and can be verified with VeriSign, a public certificate authority which can be validated via your web browser.

This ensures that the client installer came from the software publisher, PokerStars. It protects the client installer from alteration between the point of publication and later installation on your machine.

PokerStars In-Game Security

PokerStars client software uses the certificates issued by its own Certificate Authority (CA) to authenticate its servers.

The poker client software uses the industry standard TLS protocol. PokerStars is currently using a 2048-bit RSA key, which according to RSA is sufficient until 2030.

PokerStars reviews and updates private server keys every three months, so there is a large time margin of security. PokerStars supports the following ciphers: AES128-SHA (128 bits) and DES-CBC3-SHA (168 bits).

No private data, such as the details of hole cards is ever transferred to other players (except in accordance with the game rules).

All client input is validated server-side.

Login Safety with RSA Security Token or PIN Number

If you want your account login to be safer from hackers, get an RSA Security Token from the VIP Store. It’s a device that generates an extra password to you every time you log-in.

Another option for more secure login is to set up a PokerStars PIN number from within your account. It is not as strong as the RSA Security Token, but still a good alternative which is available for free.

Collusion at PokerStars?

PokerStars Security Department uses detection methods to determine if two or more players are sharing hole cards on the same table. The Security Department also investigates players reports about suspected collusion.

No matter how sophisticated the collusion is, it must involve a play of a hand that would not be played that way without collusion. PokerStars detection methods are aimed to catch unusual play patterns and warn the security personnel, who will then make a thorough manual investigation.

PokerStars also investigates all players’ reports about suspected collusion.

Whenever collusion is found, PokerStars confiscates the offending accounts and reimburse players for any loss they may have suffered, even if this is greater than the amount confiscated from the offenders.

Shuffling and PokerStars RNG

The use of a fair and unpredictable shuffle algorithm is critical to all online poker software.

PokerStars uses two independent sources of truly random data:

• User input, including summary of mouse movements and events timing, collected from client software.
• Quantis, a true hardware random number generator developed by Swiss-based company ID Quantique, which uses quantum randomness as an entropy source.

Each of these sources itself generates enough entropy to ensure a fair and unpredictable shuffle.

For any questions please email [email protected]