CEREUS Poker Network Implements OpenSSL

Recently, hand tracking website PokerTableRatings.com exposed a security hole in CEREUS Network sites that had the entire industry buzzing.  Given CEREUS’ checkered past under old management, this security issue was nothing short of a huge debacle for the network that, at the time, sat as the sixth largest in the world.

The security issue occurred because the network used XOR-based encryption that proved to have several easy-to-exploit flaws. If taken advantage of, hackers could steal usernames, passwords, and other data as well as expose opponents’ hole cards if they were on the same unsecured wireless network connection.

Within hours, CEREUS issued a statement saying that they were immediately looking to work on a fix, including implementing the industry-standard OpenSSL technology for encrypting data.  The industry exploded with comments on forums and news articles alike, all coming down hard on the network for not taking steps to ensure that private data was properly encrypted.

The fallout from the players spoke for itself.  CEREUS fell from the sixth largest network in terms of cash game traffic to ninth in a matter of a week.  PokerTableRatings.com continued to monitor and audit the updates to the CEREUS Network sites UB.com and Absolute Poker with the blessing of CEREUS management.

On Monday, May 17th, CEREUS Network’s PR team released a statement from COO Paul Leggett about the issue and also announced that OpenSSL had been implemented throughout the software.  The statement read that Tokwiro Enterprises (the parent company of the CEREUS Network) released a security update for both sites that upgrades security to use OpenSSL encryption.  This secures all Client-Server communication and, according to their officials, reestablishes the CEREUS Poker Network as a safe and secure online poker environment.

The statement also read that PokerTableRatings.com had confirmed through their own independent audits that SSL is live and CEREUS is operating as it should.  Leggett commented, “Our priority is our players and providing them with a secure online poker environment… The implementation of the OpenSSL standard achieves this for our players and we will continue to conduct rigorous verification tests and submit to third party audits to ensure our entire operation is secure.”

Leggett added, “We are communication openly with PTR, our players, and the rest of the poker community to prove ourselves as a company that is safe to play at and that we are serious about security.”

The statement concluded by saying that Tokwiro management will also work with various regulatory bodies, including the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, and third party auditing firms to ensure everything possible is being done to provide a secure gaming environment for players. Leggett will also appear on this week’s episode of “Poker2Nite,” which will air on Wednesday, May 19th at 11:00pm ET on the VERSUS Network.

At the time of this article’s publication, CEREUS has recovered to eighth place worldwide on the PokerScout.com traffic rankings in a near deadlock with now ninth-ranked Microgaming.  Check out the original CEREUS encryption problem.