How I believe the client hacking is being done to steal your valuables. (Theory)

One thing most people are overlooking is the couch co-op mode in PoE2.

Couch co-op allows 2 characters of the same account or 2 separate GGG accounts to be logged into, and play on the same client. The second part is more important to this.

I believe The hackers are using trade/friends list to start player interaction in which you invite them or they invite you to a party, and then they join your hideout. Once in your hideout their character is, according to the servers, in your Accounts Session, and on the same server you are playing on.

During this player interaction they are somehow inviting you to and/or tricking the game to think your are joining their couch co-op session. This shouldn't be possible since you are on a separate device, but that's why its an exploit.

Once the interaction is complete they sit in your hideout and wait for you to logout. Its important for them to sit in your hideout, potentially hiding in a corner away from your stash and or mapping device, because as long as they are in it, They are in your session and on the same server.

The second you actually log out they activate their couch co-op mode using the exploit. Normally this would require logging in, authentication, and server checks for your account, but your session is still active. So when they "log you back in" with the exploit the server sees you just reconnecting back into your still active session on the same server, as if there was a minor internet outage.

Once they have done this they have limited access to your account and full access to your characters, and can take and trade all your valuables to their character. When they are done they end the couch co-op session and offload the goods to another account to sell.



I can't confirm this 100% because I don't know the exact method/means to perform the exploit, but this fits all of the information i have seen shared. It can work with Steam accounts or Standalone, it bypasses authorization, and explains why they stand or hide in your hideout.

Thank you for coming to my GGGx Talk,

I stand at other peoples bases looking for the next item on my shopping list. I'm not stealing your info. Im just AFK on the trade site. But your idea may be right. I'll watch out from now on and only do trades from town. But thats gonna be a big hassel if Im mapping.

oh nice, that's where the singular valuable item that's dropped for me in 350 hours ran off to. I had a very nice rare pair of gloves disappear after some dude was squatting in my hideout for a prolonged period of time. I thought someone just got me with the edited trade message 1 exalt scam.