This has been known for some time. IIRC there was a project to build a .m file sanitiser that removes that information (along with a bunch of other supposedly-invisible information) from .m files sent out by SAH; I don't know whether it was actually implemented or not.

EDIT: Everyone in the know was being a bit cagey about it, but some comments I read about this when it was first broached a few years back might suggest that among the other supposedly-invisible information in .m files is the location and stats of all fleets and planets (i.e. that the "can you see this" algorithm is client-side). If that's true, it makes for a VERY strong incentive not to permit out-of-client data extraction in ordinary games, because it would turn the game into a complete farce. Certainly, there's at least something bigger than the MT at stake here.

I would strongly object to the public dissemination of a tool to cheat in this fashion until we've at least discussed this a little more and determined exactly what is at stake, as well as the status of the sanitiser.