The VALORANT anti-cheat system has been reported to cause problems in some other games and some users have security concerns over the kernel-level security program. Now, Riot Games has taken the time to address these concerns while also announcing a pretty big bug bounty program for the game.
"We’ve discussed [the VALORANT anti-cheat] Vanguard in the past, but over the last week there’s been a lot of conversation about Vanguard and its [kernel-mode] driver," began a news post from several members of Riot's security and anti-cheat team. "The biggest concerns we’re hearing are about the security of the driver and your privacy."
The problem boils down to the anti-cheat system running at the "kernel" level, essentially as if it were a system administrator. There is a concern that this could be used to collect private data, but it's a necessary evil according to Riot.
"Vanguard is a solution that will help us achieve the vision of competitive integrity while enabling us to continuously adapt our arsenal in the war against cheaters," the news post further explained. "Vanguard does not collect or process any personal information beyond what the current League of Legends anti-cheat solution does. Riot does not want to know more about you or your machine than what is necessary to maintain high integrity in your game. The game data we collect is used for the operation of the game and integrity-related services such as Packman and Vanguard."
VALORANT Anti-Cheat Offering 'Even Higher' Bug Bounties
As part of Riot's efforts at combating cheaters, they're expanding their bug bounty program for the game even further than before.
There's a ton of fine print and legalese on the HackerOne bug bounty page for Valorant, but it's understandable when you look at the kind of money at stake. Riot is offering bounties ranging from $25,000 all the way up to $100,000 for the most critical flaws. Thus far, Riot says that they've paid out more than $2 million in bounties over the years.
Concerns about anti-cheat systems being used for nefarious purposes certainly are valid, but Riot has reaffirmed that their only concern is keeping the game fair for everyone. You can read about it in more detail at the VALORANT anti-cheat news post.
Does VALORANT's anti-cheat system bother you? Have you encountered any issues with it? Let us know in the comments below!
