ScreenShield at ACR Poker: Protection Against Unauthorized Screen Capture

What is ScreenShield

ScreenShield is an additional security feature built into WPN poker clients that prevents screen capture and screen-sharing software from capturing the poker table. Nothing changes from the player's perspective. The technology works by separating what the player sees from the information that screen capture software can access.

In other words, ScreenShield does not protect the player's computer or account as a whole. Instead, it protects a specific source of information that could be of interest to an attacker.

The technology does not prevent a device from becoming infected with malware, block remote access, or eliminate every possible security threat. Its purpose is much more specific: to prevent external software from viewing a player's hole cards.

This protection also has a downside. ScreenShield can interfere with session recordings and live streams, which is why WPN has not enabled it automatically for every player.

According to WPN CEO Phil Nagy, ScreenShield is "another layer of protection, not a magic button."

WPN has also decided not to restrict access to ScreenShield to its own skins. Other poker sites have received information on how to implement similar protection for their poker tables.

Why was ScreenShield needed?

The introduction of ScreenShield followed an investigation into Mesh Agent being found on players' computers without their knowledge. Mesh Agent is a remote access tool. If used to gain unauthorized access to a device, it could allow an attacker to view the player's screen, including the poker table and their hole cards.

The issue came to light on September 29, 2026. Cybersecurity researcher "WolfSec0x0" reported that approximately 30 computers may have been affected by the attack. Developers from Jurojin Poker and IntuitiveTables later confirmed that Mesh Agent had reached players' computers through updates to their software.

However, the presence of Mesh Agent alone does not prove that a player used it to cheat. WPN also stated that its servers, poker client, and official download files had not been compromised. Its Game Integrity team continues to investigate suspicious player activity.

Against this backdrop, WPN decided to introduce an additional layer of protection for information displayed directly at the poker table.

Why isn't ScreenShield enabled for everyone

This approach has an obvious side effect: screen recording and screen sharing are not used exclusively by malicious actors.

Poker players regularly stream their sessions on Twitch and Kick, record gameplay for YouTube, create educational content, and share hand histories with their coaches. All these activities require software to access the image displayed at the poker table.

Enabling ScreenShield unconditionally for every account would therefore create problems for users who rely on screen capture for legitimate purposes. WPN has opted for a more targeted approach, including the use of its own criteria for detecting potentially suspicious software.

Importantly, detecting remote access software on a player's computer does not, by itself, mean that the player cheated or that their computer was compromised.

Who already has ScreenShield enabled

On September 29, 2026, WPN contacted players whose computers matched its detection criteria for software with remote access capabilities. ScreenShield was immediately activated for these users as an additional precaution.

This does not mean WPN declared all the affected computers compromised. The company stated that it had found no evidence that its own infrastructure, poker client, or official downloads had been compromised.

Meanwhile, the Game Integrity team continues to review player and account activity. If the investigation establishes that violations occurred and WPN players suffered financial losses, any potential compensation will be considered based on the findings.

Any WPN player can request protection

ScreenShield is not limited to players identified through WPN's internal checks.

Anyone using the network can contact customer support and request activation. To do so, players should email [email protected]. Enabling the protection can take up to 48 hours.

Players who stream or record their sessions can also discuss their requirements with customer support. WPN plans to add an option that will let users enable and disable ScreenShield directly in the poker client.

ACR Poker and GTO Wizard

ACR Poker works with GTO Wizard to identify players who may be using a solver while playing.

GTO Wizard has added solutions from its new preflop ICM solver to Fair Play Check, along with timestamps showing when those solutions were generated. This information makes it possible to compare the timing of a solver output with a player's actions at the table.

Separately, ACR Poker and GTO Wizard are working on a game analysis tool for final tables in major tournaments.

What does ScreenShield mean for ACR Poker players?

ScreenShield does not make a player's computer completely immune to malware, nor does it guarantee that cheating will not occur. Its purpose is much narrower: to create an additional barrier between the information displayed at the poker table and software attempting to capture the screen.

In light of the Mesh Agent incident, this is an important precaution because it directly addresses one potential way of obtaining access to private information. At the same time, WPN continues to investigate suspicious play, collaborates with GTO Wizard, and gives other poker operators the opportunity to adopt similar security measures.

For players in the network, the choice is straightforward. Those who prioritize additional protection and do not need to stream or record their sessions can request ScreenShield through customer support. Players who rely on screen capture for content creation or training should wait until the option to disable the feature becomes available directly in the client.

For more information about the measures ACR Poker is taking to protect player security, read the article on the poker site's blog.

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