Riot Games’ Secret War Against Video Game Hackers: Inside the Anti-Cheat Fortress
Riot Games’ Secret War Against Video Game Hackers: Inside the Anti-Cheat Fortress
For years, the battle between video game developers and cheaters has raged on. As online competitive gaming has evolved into a multi-billion dollar industry, so too has the sophistication of those seeking an unfair advantage. What was once a hobbyist pursuit has transformed into a thriving, albeit illicit, market where cheat developers sell their wares to eager players. But game developers are fighting back, and few are as dedicated as Riot Games.
Riot Games, the powerhouse behind global phenomena like League of Legends and Valorant, has invested heavily in its anti-cheat defenses. Leading the charge is Phillip Koskinas, Riot’s Director and Head of Anti-Cheat, who jokingly calls himself an “anti-cheat artisan.” Koskinas and his team are on a mission: to protect the integrity of their games and banish cheaters from their digital realms.
This blog post delves into the strategies and tactics Riot employs in its relentless war against video game hacking, offering a glimpse behind the curtain of their cutting-edge anti-cheat system, Vanguard.
The Vanguard: A Kernel-Level Defense
One of Riot’s most significant weapons is Vanguard, a kernel-level anti-cheat system. Kernel-level access grants the software the highest privileges within the operating system, allowing it to monitor system activity and detect suspicious behavior. While the use of kernel-level anti-cheat has sparked some controversy due to privacy concerns, Riot argues it’s a necessary measure to combat increasingly sophisticated cheats.
Koskinas explains that Vanguard’s primary function is to “force cheats to be visible.” By operating at the kernel level, Vanguard can detect and prevent cheats from manipulating the game’s code or memory. This deep-level access allows Riot to identify and ban thousands of cheaters on Valorant every day, a testament to the system’s effectiveness.
According to Riot, their efforts are paying off. As of early 2025, the percentage of Valorant competitive matches affected by cheaters is less than 1% globally. This is a significant achievement, considering the constant cat-and-mouse game between cheat developers and anti-cheat teams.
Leveraging Windows Security Features
Vanguard isn’t just about its own code; it also leverages the security features already built into the Windows operating system. Koskinas explains that Vanguard enforces crucial security components such as:
- Trusted Platform Module (TPM): A hardware-based security component that verifies the integrity of the system.
- Secure Boot: A security standard that ensures only trusted software can boot the computer.
These technologies check for unauthorized modifications or tampering with the system, preventing compromised machines from even launching the game. Furthermore, Vanguard verifies that all hardware drivers are up to date, identifying potential vulnerabilities that cheats could exploit. Finally, it prevents cheats from loading and executing malicious code in the kernel’s memory.
“Basically, all the security features that Microsoft and hardware manufacturers have leveraged to protect the operating system, we use or enforce,” Koskinas told TechCrunch. “We have to have a playground where we can play. We have to enforce a certain level of security.”
Beyond Technology: Infiltrating the Cheat World
Fighting cheaters isn’t solely about technological prowess; it also requires understanding their methods and motivations. Riot’s anti-cheat team has a dedicated “reconnaissance arm” responsible for identifying and cataloging threats. This often involves acquiring cheats to analyze their inner workings.
Undercover Operations in Cheat Communities
To gain access to these cheats and understand the cheat development landscape, Riot’s team employs undercover tactics. They create sock puppet identities and infiltrate cheater and cheat developer communities, sometimes spending years building trust and gathering intelligence. This approach is akin to traditional law enforcement undercover operations.
Koskinas reveals the extent of their infiltration: “We’ve even gone as far as giving anti-cheat information to establish credibility. We’ll masquerade as though it was something we [reverse engineered], and explain how an anti-cheat technique works to demonstrate that we know stuff,” said Koskinas. “And then leverage our way into something in development, and then sit there until it launches, allow it to acquire users and then ban everybody.”
Targeting Premium Cheats
Some cheat developers cater to a more exclusive clientele, offering “premium” cheats that cost thousands of dollars and are sold to only a handful of customers. These developers aim to reduce the risk of detection by limiting their customer base and targeting players who are more discreet in their cheating.
Koskinas describes this as selling “the reputation of being undetected.” Riot’s anti-cheat team combats this by discrediting cheat developers publicly. This can involve banning all their players or leaking screenshots that expose their activities within private Discord channels.
“We can just make them look like fools,” he said.
The Art of the Ban: A Psychological Game
Riot’s anti-cheat strategy also involves a delicate balancing act. Banning every cheater immediately could lead to cheat developers quickly adapting and creating even more sophisticated cheats. Therefore, Riot sometimes allows a certain level of cheating to persist, within reason.
“If we hit every player every time, they will just change cheats until they find the one that isn’t detected,” he said.
Slow and Steady Wins the Race
By delaying bans, Riot can gather more data on the cheats being used and slow down the development of new, more sophisticated hacks. “To keep cheating dumb, we ban slower,” he added.
Hardware Fingerprinting
To prevent repeat offenders, Vanguard can “fingerprint” the hardware used by cheaters. This creates a unique identifier for their device, making it difficult for them to circumvent bans by simply creating new accounts.
The Future of Anti-Cheat
The war against video game cheaters is a continuous arms race. As cheat developers become more sophisticated, anti-cheat teams must adapt and innovate to stay ahead. Riot Games’ approach, combining kernel-level technology, undercover operations, and psychological tactics, represents a comprehensive strategy for combating cheating in online games.
While the debate surrounding kernel-level anti-cheat systems and privacy will likely continue, Riot’s commitment to protecting the integrity of its games is undeniable. As long as there are players seeking an unfair advantage, the battle against video game hackers will continue, with Riot Games at the forefront of the fight.
Contact Riot (If you dare!)
Do you develop cheats, hack video games, or work in anti-cheat? Riot is (probably) listening. From a non-work device and network, you can contact Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai securely. (Please note: This is a reference to the original article and not an endorsement of illegal activities.)
Source: TechCrunch
