By Zacarías Leone, Director of consulting company ZLSSC

Analysis of the new card counting application for iPhone and iPod

2009-07-10
Reading time 2:01 min

Some time ago, the Las Vegas Gaming Control Board informed, through a memo sent to casinos on the dangers of the use of an application in iPhone and iPod for the card counting. Urgently, people in charge of security in gambling venues increased their controls to any person with an iPhone or an iPod.

Before continuing with this analysis, we will clear up that, due to security and prevention motives, we WILL NOT reveal how is the attack performed in detail, and we will just deal with general concepts with the aim to collaborate with people in charge of the casino security.

Well, then, right now, the manufacturers of the application are issuing a new version but, this one, unlike the previous one, works in a totally hidden and silent way, and with your display off.

Here is a detail of the different modes:

Count Vibrate:
When the “Count Vibrate” system is activated, the iPhone or iPod will indicate the player through vibrations the best values or hands for your bet. This option is very useful when working in “Stealth” mode.

True Count:
The “True Count” system is much more accurate than the manual counting card methods. The player feeds the data base of the application pressing the lateral buttons  of the device  as the cards appear on the table, this way, the control is total and absolute; then, the  “True Control” calculates the quantity of rounds to deal 52 cards, having exact calculations as a result.

Card Counting Methods:
The counting is achieved through different pulsations of each button, bringing a nominal value to each card of all the cards that were extracted from of the pack of cards. Depending on the strategy applied in the attack, some use the elimination of cards to achieve the perfect counting or “True Count”.

• Hi-Lo:
Low cards 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (add 1 of the total). High cards 10, J, Q, K (take away 1 of the total).

• Hi-Op I:
Low cards 3, 4, 5 and 6 (add 1 of the total). High cards 10, j, k and q (take away 1 of the total).

• Hi-Op II:
Low cards 2, 3, 6 and 7 (add 1 of the total) 4 y 5 (añadir 2 en total). High cards 10, j, k and q (take away 2 of the total).

• Omega II:
Under cards 2 and 3 (add 1 to the total) 4, 5 and 6 (add 2 in total). High cards 10, j, k and q (take away 2 of the total).

When finishing the counting and pressing the button +1 during three seconds, values restart to 0.

Stealth Mode:
The hidden attack or “Stealth Mode”, is the most dangerous, because it mantains the display of the device totally switched off and the player enters the data with the lateral buttons of the device and it sends the indications through he data with the lateral buttons of the device and it sends the indication within vibrations.

Requirements:
Compatible with iPhone and iPod touch.
IPhone requires OS 2.0 or later.

Related topics:
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