Are anticheats safe?
Are anticheats safe?
By construction these are essentially rootkits and trojans with kernel-level access to your computer, allowing them to collect any data they desire. It would require just one malicious individual to obtain all the information they need. Many of these remain improperly removed or embedded in the operating system, making a complete wipe necessary for a fresh Windows installation. They don’t cause crashes either.
I haven't experienced any significant problems from anticheats leading to PC crashes over two decades. That statement seems exaggerated.
Hmm, yeah, many users are facing performance problems, especially with rootkit-style issues like Valorant. In my view, the overall effect is much more significant than with DRM solutions such as Denuvo. I haven’t had any problems with Denuvo myself, but I still keep the stripped version of a few games because they run better. As for whether those games are still playable today, I don’t know—maybe I haven’t played them in a while.
Some operate at the kernel level, meaning they need to perform questionable actions just to gain access. This also implies you might face issues similar to those encountered with Riot Guard, where even specialized removal methods aren't always enough and the problem can persist despite efforts.
There are kernel-level components that are more invasive. Still, it's not fully secure against cheaters. For instance, Riot Vanguard often needs to run at boot, which is problematic. I personally don't play their games. Other titles like Acti Blizz (Warden, Ricochet) are less intrusive, and many shooters use EAC or similar features from Valve. However, crashes can occur if you're using unsupported or restricted software during launch—like certain overlays or performance tools.
I meant that since anticheats (many of them) operate at the kernel level, they might not be well-built. Assuming a critical Windows service is actually cheating software could lead to serious problems like BSODs or major issues. That’s something I’m concerned about.