RICOCHET Anti-Cheat coming to COD: Warzone, Vanguard

After many complaints about the rampant cheating problem in Call of Duty: Warzone, and, to a lesser extent, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, the Call of Duty staff has revealed RICOCHET Anti-cheat.

This anti-cheat will launch alongside Call of Duty: Vanguard later this year, as well as the Pacific update coming to Call of Duty: Warzone.

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-Cheat’s 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.

In addition to server enhancements coming with RICOCHET Anti-Cheat is the launch of a new PC kernel-level driver,developed internally for the Call of Duty franchise, and launching first for Call of Duty: Warzone. This driver will assist in the identification of cheaters, reinforcing and strengthening the overall server security. The kernel-level driver launches alongside the Pacific update for Warzone later this year.

While the kernel driver, which is only a part of RICOCHET Anti-Cheat, will release to PC, by extension, console players playing via cross-play against players on PC will also stand to benefit. The kernel-level driver will subsequently release for Call of Duty: Vanguard at a later date.

Here is why RICOCHET Anti-Cheat matters:

1. A Full Anti-Cheat System. RICOCHET Anti-Cheat brings a broad enhancement to the security of for Call of Duty, bringing server enhancements to Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone. Launching first in Warzone later this year is a new kernel-level driver on PC. The driver will be integrated into Call of Duty: Vanguard at a later date. The new initiative allows for rapid iteration to combat a sophisticated and evolving problem.
2. Call of Duty: Warzone Adds Kernel-Level Driver. Kernel-level drivers are given a high level of access to monitor and manage software and applications on a PC, such as your PC’s graphics card driver. The driver element of the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system will check the software and applications that attempt to interact and manipulate Call of Duty: Warzone, providing the overall security team more data to bolster security. Once the kernel-level driver is deployed; it will be required to play Warzone. For more detailed information about RICOCHET Anti-Cheat and its kernel-level driver, read the dedicated FAQ.
3. Protecting Your Privacy.  In its initial rollout on Call of Duty: Warzone, the kernel-level driver will only operate when you play on PC. The driver is not always-on. The software turns on when you start Call of Duty: Warzone and shuts down when you close the game.  Plus, the kernel-level driver only monitors and reports activity related to Call of Duty.
4. Feedback and Transparency Are Crucial. You are also a critical part in our pursuit to combat cheating.  So, please continue to report issues in-game, allowing the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team to adapt all tools to combat cheaters.

The kernel-level driver for PC as part of the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat system monitors software or applications that attempt to interact with Call of Duty: Warzone.

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The driver will help the RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team to learn about suspicious behavior, using that data to strengthen overall anti-cheating security over time.

Ensuring player privacy is extremely important, and the prospect of a kernel-level driver may give some players pause. Given those concerns, here is how your privacy will remain unaffected with RICOCHET Anti-Cheat:

• RICOCHET Anti-Cheat’s kernel-level driver operates ONLY while playing Call of Duty: Warzone on PC.
• RICOCHET Anti-Cheat’s driver is not always-on.
• RICOCHET Anti-Cheat’s driver monitors the software and applications that interact with Call of Duty: Warzone.
• When you shut down Call of Duty: Warzone, the driver turns off.

Testing for the new driver has been done to ensure system stability across a large range of PCs. The RICOCHET Anti-Cheat team is committed to continued testing and iteration after launch.

Player-reporting will remain a critical element in all anti-cheat measures, so it’s important that players continue to report suspicious behavior they encounter online.

Another layer in the battle against cheaters is the evolving use of machine learning (ML). ML algorithms examine gameplay data from the server, helping to identify suspicious behavior trends, and add another layer of security as part of the overall RICOCHET Anti-Cheat initiative.

The Call of Duty staff also urges players to protect their Call of Duty by setting up two-factor authentication.

As RICOCHET rolls out, be sure to check back to Gaming Trend to see our thoughts on it, and as always stay tuned to Gaming Trend for all your gaming news needs.