Activision is announcing their new anti-cheat system for Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Vanguard: RICOCHET. The new anti-cheat system is a kernel-level implementation that monitors all system activity, looking out for suspicious backend activities now emerging in sophisticated cheating software which supercedes the common user-level access that most games have.
Backend anti-cheat security features will launch alongside Call of Duty: Vanguard, and later this year with the Pacific update coming to Call of Duty: Warzone.
You can read the FAQ published by Activision in its entirety below:
What is RICOCHET Anti-Cheat?
The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat initiative is a multi-faceted approach to combat cheating, featuring new server-side tools which monitor analytics to identify cheating, enhanced investigation processes to stamp out cheaters, updates to strengthen account security, and more. RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโs backend anti-cheat security features will launch alongside Call of Dutyยฎ: Vanguard, and later this year with the Pacific update coming to Call of Dutyยฎ: Warzone™. ย In addition to server enhancements coming with RICOCHET Anti-Cheat is the launch of a new PC kernel-level driver, launching first for Call of Duty: Warzone.
How does the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat kernel-level driverย work?
The PC kernel-levelย driverย monitorsย and reports applications that attempt toย interact withย Call of Duty: Warzone, allowing the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team to determineย if a machine is utilizing unauthorized processes to manipulate the game.
What is aย kernel-levelย driver?
Aย kernel-levelย driver is computer codeย thatย operates withย highย privilegesย on yourย computer, able to access all resources on your systemย while it is running.ย Kernel-levelย drivers are generally used to allow access to your overall computer hardware, such as drivers for your graphics card. Typical software, such as games, operate on theย user-levelย and have limited access to theย kernel-levelย and other user-mode processes.
Why does RICOCHET Anti-Cheat use aย kernel-levelย driverย instead of software from the user level of access?
Cheating software has become more sophisticated, allowing cheaters to circumvent traditional approaches to security.ย Aย kernel-levelย driverย allows for the monitoring of applications that may attempt to manipulate Call of Duty: Warzone game code, while it is running.
User-mode applications have limitations on access and monitoring, making itย more likelyย for unauthorized software to manipulateย game code orย to circumventย security features.
Will the kernel-level driver be available inย Call of Duty: Vanguard?
RICOCHET Anti-Cheat will enhance anti-cheat security for both Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone when it launches later this year alongside the Pacific update for Warzone. The PC kernel-level driver will arrive first for Warzone and subsequently release for Call of Duty: Vanguard at a later date.
Is the kernel-level driver in RICOCHET Anti-Cheat always-on, even when Iโm not playing Call of Duty: Warzone?
No.ย RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโsย kernel-levelย driver willย onlyย operate when you play Call of Duty: Warzoneย onย PC. Theย driverย shuts down when you exit the game and turns on when you start a new game.
What data doesย theย driverย examine on myย PC?
The driver monitorsย the machine and processes interacting with Call of Duty: Warzone to determine if they are manipulating the game.ย This data helps identifyย cheaters as well as helpsย the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team to strengthen the overall anti-cheating security.
What testing has been doneย to test theย kernel-levelย driver?
Testing for the new driver has been done to ensure system stability across a large range ofย PCs. The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team is committed to continued testing and is committed to iteration after launch.
Can I opt outย of using the driver to play Call of Duty: Warzone?
RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโs kernel-level driver will beย required to play Call of Duty: Warzoneย onย PCย when it launchesย later this year.
Will this solve cheating issues?
There is no single solution or policy to cheating.ย The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat teamโs commitment is the relentless pursuit fair play, which is fought against the sophisticated issue of cheating. We are dedicated and determined to evolve the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat System, fighting for the community against those that aim to spoil their gaming experience.
Players are also an importantย element to anti-cheat measures,ย asย itโs critical you report suspicious behavior using in-game reporting tools.ย Find out how to report a player in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Should players report others in-game for cheating?ย
Yes. Players should always report issues they encounter.ย In-game reportingย is critical to identifying issues and gives our teamย the foundation toย develop iterationsย as part of the evolving RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system.ย Find out how to report a player in Call of Duty: Warzone.
Are there additional system requirementsย for the kernel-level driver?
RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโsย kernel-levelย driverย will be added toย Call of Duty: Warzoneย via an update alongside the release of the Pacific update for Warzone later thisย year.ย There are no additional requirements.
How do I uninstall RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโs PC kernel-level driver?
RICOCHET Anti-Cheatโs PC kernel-level driver is a part of the installation process for Call of Duty: Warzone, and only operates when you are running the game. If Call of Duty: Warzone is uninstalled, the kernel-level driver will be removed from your machine. Subsequent installations of Call of Duty: Warzone on PC will include the kernel-level driver.
Will RICOCHET Anti-Cheat be available on consoles?
While the kernel driver, which is only a part of RICOCHET Anti-Cheat, will release toย PC, by extension, console players playing via cross-play against players onย PCย will also stand to benefit.
How else can I protect my account?
Two-factor authentication is extremely important for your account security. We strongly recommend two-factor authentication for Call of Duty, log into your account and learn how toย enable two-factor authentication.