HardwareFreaks

Tag: Anti-cheat

  • Riot’s always-on anti-cheat is finally getting an off switch

    Riot Games Rolls Back Vanguard‘s Always-On Behavior

    Gaming performance and system resource management are constantly evolving, and lately, the landscape of anti-cheat technology has seen some significant shifts. Riot Games, known for its competitive titles, is taking a step back in how its flagship anti-cheat, Vanguard, operates on PC systems, aiming to improve user experience by limiting its background activity.

    The change centers on Vanguard’s persistent, “always-on” behavior. Previously, the system was designed to ensure maximum security and real-time integrity for players, which involved initiating automatically upon every PC boot. However, this constant presence began to raise questions about system performance and privacy for users who were simply trying to boot up their operating systems.

    In response to these considerations, Riot Games is implementing an update that modifies how Vanguard initiates on a user’s machine. The goal is to pull back from the previous “always-on” state, allowing the anti-cheat system to be more judicious about when it consumes resources.

    This new configuration means that Vanguard will no longer automatically start whenever a PC boots up – at least not for everyone. Instead of running constantly in the background, the anti-cheat is now configured to activate only under specific circumstances, ensuring that system resources are reserved for other essential operations when gaming isn’t actively underway.

    This adjustment represents a thoughtful effort to balance the need for robust anti-cheat security with the demands of efficient operating system functionality. By limiting its background activity, Riot Games is providing a more streamlined experience for PC users while still maintaining the necessary security framework that Vanguard provides for competitive gaming environments.

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    Credit: TechSpot

  • Riot Vanguard finally drops its controversial always-on requirement for anti-cheat — new on-demand mode requires a strict Windows 11 security stack

    Riot Lets Gamers Take Back Control of Anti-Cheat with On-Demand Mode

    The anti-cheat world is undergoing a subtle yet significant shift, and Riot Games is handing players the keys. The company has announced plans to let users control when its powerful Vanguard anti-cheat driver loads, effectively ending its persistent presence at Windows startup. This move introduces a new mode called Vanguard On-Demand, giving gamers greater flexibility over their system security settings without compromising game integrity.

    This change isn’t just about convenience; it’s rooted in cutting-edge operating system features. By leveraging a new element in Windows 11 25H2, the system can now record driver activity even when Vanguard is dormant. This capability allows Vanguard to confirm that no vulnerable drivers have slipped in while the system was idle, streamlining the process and enhancing security monitoring.

    However, this feature isn’t available to everyone automatically. To unlock the On-Demand functionality, PCs must meet a specific set of foundational security requirements. This includes having UEFI Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Virtualization-Based Security (VBS), Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI), and IOMMU all enabled.

    While these features are standard in many modern prebuilt systems, they often require manual activation or a trip into the BIOS for users to enable them. Riot estimates that while about 35% of players already satisfy this hardware checklist, a significant portion of machines still need configuration. Some gamers will find themselves navigating intricate settings just to access the new functionality.

    The technical complexities behind this system involve deep integration with Microsoft’s Runtime Driver Attestation Report. This mechanism records every driver loaded since boot in an append-only hash stored securely in the TPM. This ensures that Vanguard can verify integrity at launch, closing a potential security gap that necessitated its always-on design.

    The story of Vanguard itself has been a rollercoaster. Riot pushed strong security measures, enforcing requirements like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot starting in 2020. This focus, while aiming to protect the gaming environment, led to friction with the player base, drawing criticism over mandatory updates and perceived intrusions into system settings.

    The underlying hardware features that enable On-Demand mode—VBS and HVCI—are complex components. Benchmarks have long suggested that enabling these protections can cause a noticeable dip in frame rates, leading many users to disable them for peak performance. Furthermore, activating VBS can sometimes activate Microsoft’s driver blocklist, potentially disabling older peripheral drivers.

    Ultimately, the choice remains with the player: embrace the streamlined security of Vanguard On-Demand, or keep the current setup as-is. Riot is deliberately stepping back, suggesting they are willing to wait for the gaming ecosystem to fully mature before forcing any changes. The power now rests with users who want to balance robust anti-cheat measures with their personal system preferences.

    Credit: Tom’s Hardware

  • You can finally turn Riot’s Vanguard anti-cheat off when you’re not playing a game

    For years, PC gamers have lived with a controversial piece of software called Vanguard, Riot Games’ anti-cheat system. It operates at a deeply privileged level—kernel mode—granting it access to your computer at an alarmingly deep level. This intrusive nature, while intended for security and competitive integrity, often sparked debates about privacy and user experience.

    Now, that landscape is shifting. Riot Games is rolling out a significant update to Vanguard, moving away from its traditional, omnipresent model toward a more flexible, “on-demand” system. This change aims to dramatically improve the user experience for League of Legends and Valorant players by giving them control over when the anti-cheat software activates.

    The core change is simple yet profound: Vanguard will no longer launch automatically when your PC boots up. Instead, it will only activate when you are actively playing a game and shut down once that session is complete. This shift fundamentally changes how this powerful piece of security interacts with the rest of your operating system.

    This development is facilitated by advancements in system-level security. To enable this flexible mode, Vanguard must operate on sufficiently secured devices, relying on modern pre-boot security mechanisms built into systems like Windows 11 and specialized hardware components.

    For the vast majority of players, this transition is purely about convenience rather than capability. Riot’s anti-cheat chief explained that roughly 35% of their player base already satisfy the necessary conditions for this new “Pre-Check” feature, meaning the option to run in on-demand mode will appear automatically after the update.

    However, those who haven’t yet benefited are provided with a clear roadmap. To access the on-demand functionality, users generally need to ensure their systems meet modern security standards, including running Windows 11 25H2 or later, along with enabling critical features such as UEFI Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, VBS, HVCI, and IOMMU.

    For those remaining on older hardware, the update ensures that Vanguard continues to function exactly as it does now, without forcing any immediate changes. Riot’s approach is one of patience, believing that by waiting for the broader PC ecosystem to mature, they can achieve a smoother experience without demanding immediate upgrades.

    This evolution reflects a broader trend in the technology world: security measures are becoming more integrated and collaborative. As developers and hardware manufacturers work together—like Microsoft and PC equipment makers—to build these necessary cryptographic verification features natively into the Windows kernel, it becomes possible to create systems that are both secure and user-friendly.

    Ultimately, this move prioritizes user choice. By focusing on incentives rather than strict requirements, Riot is creating a system where powerful anti-cheat technology can operate effectively while respecting the boundaries of modern computing security. It’s an update that promises less friction and more control for the dedicated community.

    Credit: PC Gamer