I know people have plenty of ways to check stuff by using Windower add-ons (or perhaps some other app), but has anyone ever checked to see if you get the +8 STR when you're dead? If you think about it, that explains a lot. It would explain why no one has ever seen or been able to figure out how to crack the latent.
Another idea is that perhaps SE had it developed so that the latent is in effect if you are unable to equip the weapon. Hoping to catch people who were using illegal software to mod the game.
Either theory would appeal to the namesake, "killing the fools (that cheat)."
My theories behind this are simply that SE has a weapon that people can not actually SEE the latent, nor is there any actual way to make USE of it either. It explains why SE has never told us anything else about it. If it IS meant to catch people cheating, why would they release that information and tell us what they were planning? And IF it actually does what I theorize, and no one has ever been caught, then it is a failed attempt by SE. So, again, why would they bother telling people? Instead, why not just give up and forget all about it?
Of course, it could always go right back to SE deciding that they want to royally screw over their fan base and watch us continually suffer and try to figure out what is in their sick and twisted little minds.
Or not.
Just food for thought.