How seriously risky are high-level anti-tamper systems in modern games?
How seriously risky are high-level anti-tamper systems in modern games?
I've noticed many games using anti-cheat systems. Each has its own challenges based on how they're set up with the game. The most common ones I've seen are Denuvo and Easy Anti Cheat. I played Genshin on my laptop and faced some play issues that probably stemmed from it. The strongest anti-cheat I've ever dealt with was years ago when I played Arcee. That program would shut down your PC from booting until you completely removed it. The only solution was to erase the software from the system. Back then, I didn’t even know its name, and now I wish I had. Recently, I came across Naraka: Bladepoint—it seems more interesting than typical MOBA games. However, it uses a kernel-level anti-cheat called "Neacsafe." I’m trying to learn more about it but haven’t found much information yet. I wouldn’t rely on kernel-level anti-cheats unless I understand what they are. This brings me back to the main issue: how risky are kernel-level anti-tamper tools? And can someone tell if such software is just malware hiding in plain sight?
Anti-cheat solutions require constant adjustments. People seek fewer cheaters while avoiding giving a big company unrestricted access to their machines. Kernel-level protection is tougher to bypass and adds another security layer. From safety perspectives, I haven’t seen cases where kernel anti-cheats spread malware, but keeping them active all the time might cause problems with any game. Ultimately, you must weigh the trade-offs and choose whether to accept these deeper systems or explore other options.
Based on my experience, at least Denuvo and Easy Anti Cheat stop working when the game isn't running. Genshin Impact around two years ago had similar changes, so it won't function either. I'm still unsure about Naraka's situation, but I'm cautious about Chinese companies, their products, and their software.