Riot Requires Kernel Level Anti-Cheat Software
tuta.com
League of Legends and Valorant Players Being Forced to Run Closed Source Low-Level Software.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/10958052

Vanguard, the controversial anti-cheat software initially attached to Valorant, is now also coming to League of Legends.

Summary:

The article discusses Riot Games’ requirement for players to install their Vanguard anti-cheat software, which runs at the kernel level, in order to play their games such as League of Legends and Valorant. The software aims to combat cheating by scanning for known vulnerabilities and blocking them, as well as monitoring for suspicious activity while the game is being played. However, the use of kernel-level software raises concerns about privacy and security, as it grants the company complete access to users’ devices.

The article highlights that Riot Games is owned by Tencent, a Chinese tech giant that has been involved in censorship and surveillance activities in China. This raises concerns that Vanguard could potentially be used for similar purposes, such as monitoring players’ activity and restricting free speech in-game.

Ultimately, the decision to install Vanguard rests with players, but the article urges caution and encourages players to consider the potential risks and implications before doing so.

    • sevenapples@lemmygrad.ml
      3·
      10 months ago

      Not excusing Vanguard, but if you’re running Windows then your entire kernel is a blob. If you’re running most linux distros, then your kernel contains blobs for drivers.

  • BobGnarley@lemm.ee
    11·
    10 months ago

    Anti-Cheat is just spyware. That’s it. Cheaters will always break it and they do, constantly every single day.

    • jaeme@lemmy.ml
      442·
      10 months ago

      Or you could just stop playing these predatory games? Literally condemn them and move on.

      I don’t think its nice to be constantly treated like an inferior by corporate suits who see you as a pig to be exploited for cash.

        • jaeme@lemmy.ml
          52·
          10 months ago

          The Network Effect described the the GNU Project is when individuals will submit themselves to nonfree and DRM’d software simply in order to socially connect with others. Messaging apps are the textbook example, but video games are as well.

          Of course the defense is always a form of apathy or some call to apathy like stating that more people indulge in the activity than those who actively abstain. Of course there is an implicit shaming tactic of those who preserve their freedom, calling them the “frigid minority” or the “isolated zealots”

          Shame on you for being so closed minded. The spread of DRM is never okay under any scenario, just because you have some perceived FOMO. There are thousands of multiplayer games out there that don’t have DRM rootkits, why not try to play those with your friends instead?

    • Dehydrated@lemmy.worldOP
      5·
      10 months ago

      I would use Linux as a host OS and create dedicated Windows VMs with GPU passthrough for Games that require this kernel rootkit bullshit

      • Corngood@lemmy.ml
        3·
        10 months ago

        Even if you can get past whatever VM detection they currently do, that’ll only work until they require remote attestation.

        • Dehydrated@lemmy.worldOP
          2·
          10 months ago

          What do you mean by remote attestation im this context? I’m quite familiar with this stuff, just not sure what you mean right now.

  • UnfortunateShort@lemmy.world
    119·
    10 months ago

    Great, now we need to convince Linus that anti-cheat is definitely worth being implemented in Linux or what?

    Might be a fun project tho… Actually, might become the anti-cheat to rule them all. Who likes cheaters anyway? 🤔