{{Multiple issues| {{Primary sources|date=September 2024}} {{MCN|date=June 2025}} }} {{Use American English|date=September 2024}} {{Short description|Kernel-level anti-cheat developed by Riot Games}}
{{Infobox software | title = Riot Vanguard | logo = Riot Vanguard Logo Sep 2024.svg | logo alt = The Riot Vanguard Logo | author = Riot Games | developer = Riot Games | released = April 7th, 2020 | included with = Valorant<br />League of Legends }}
'''Riot Vanguard''' is a kernel-level anti-cheat developed by Riot Games. Vanguard initially released as the anti-cheat used for ''Valorant'' on April 7th, 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=5 January 2024 |title=What is Vanguard? |url=https://support-valorant.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046160933-What-is-Vanguard |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240906065441/https://support-valorant.riotgames.com/hc/en-us/articles/360046160933-What-is-Vanguard |archive-date=6 September 2024 |access-date=6 September 2024 |website=Riot Games Valorant Support}}</ref> Originally designed for Windows only alongside ''Valorant'', the console edition of ''Valorant'' released in June 2024 has an anti-cheat using the same branding, however this anti-cheat functions very differently.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-09-20 |title=Vanguard x VALORANT |url=https://playvalorant.com/en-us/news/game-updates/vanguard-x-valorant/ |access-date=2025-08-13 |website=playvalorant.com |language=en-us}}</ref> Vanguard has received much criticism because of its intrusive nature. Vanguard was introduced into ''League of Legends'' on April 11th, 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2024 |title=Riot Requires Kernel Level Anti-Cheat Software |url=https://tuta.com/blog/riot-requires-kernel-level-anticheat |access-date=13 June 2025 |website=Tutanota |language=en-us |author=Brandon}}</ref>
== Features == {{More citations needed section|date=December 2025}} === Client-side defenses === Riot's anti-cheat solution has client-side protections that actively observe the game for any suspicious behavior. These protections are essential in identifying game client modifications or efforts to inject code to alter the game. Riot's system operates behind the scenes, actively detecting and preventing cheats like aimbots, wallhacks, and other client-side modifications. The system employs methods for identifying normal player behavior against behavior that constitutes cheating.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-11 |title=/dev: Vanguard x LoL |url=https://www.leagueoflegends.com/en-us/news/dev/dev-vanguard-x-lol/ |access-date=2024-09-06 |website=leagueoflegends.com |language=en-us}}</ref>
=== Kernel-level anti-cheat === {{Main|Kernel-level anti-cheat}} On top of client-side protections, Riot introduced a kernel-level anti-cheat to target more advanced cheating techniques. This method runs at a lower system level, which makes it more difficult for cheats to avoid detection. Kernel-level monitoring has been questioned because of its potential security risks.
Critics have stated that providing the anti-cheat system with higher system privileges could be vulnerable since the higher access could be exploited by attackers. Riot justifies kernel-level scanning despite such problems by claiming that this is the way that existing cheating practices can be detected.
=== Ongoing monitoring and updates === Vanguard is supported by constant monitoring and continuous updates. The anti-cheat team provides patches on a frequent basis to counter new cheating techniques. For example, the Winter 2021 update for ''Valorant'' included enhanced anti-cheat capabilities, adding detection and blocking of previously undetectable cheats. Riot's approach emphasizes proactive initiatives, with constant updates to stay ahead of cheaters and reduce the impact of cheating on the game. In a workshop on anti-cheat systems in 2024, Collins et al. discussed Riot's system as a potential means of balancing the demands of cheat prevention and player experience.
== Controversy == On May 19th, 2026, Riot Games released an update for Vanguard that enabled the Input–output memory management unit (IOMMU), a memory management unit which protects memory from malicious Direct Memory Access (DMA) cards, for accounts flagged as having used DMA cheats.<ref name=":0">{{cite web |last1=Cripe |first1=Michael |title=Riot Games Says It 'Would Not and Cannot' Use Vanguard Anti-Cheat to Brick PCs After Rumors Spread |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/riot-games-says-it-would-not-and-cannot-use-vanguard-anti-cheat-to-brick-pcs-after-rumors-spread |access-date=24 May 2026}}</ref>
DMA cards are among the most widely documented methods of cheating in ''Valorant''.<ref name=":0" /> They work by directly reading and/or modifying the game's memory, which is why enabling IOMMU causes this method to stop working. Shortly after the update's release, Riot Games posted on their official X account congratulating the owners of a "brand new $6,000 paperweight," referring to the now-useless DMA devices.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{cite web |last1=Zollner |first1=Amelia |title=Riot Says Its Valorant Anti-Cheat Update Can't Brick PCs After A Joke Fuels Panic |url=https://kotaku.com/riot-says-its-anti-cheat-update-isnt-bricking-pcs-but-players-are-still-worried-2000698675 |access-date=24 May 2026}}</ref> The post caused concern among players that Vanguard was capable of permanently damaging hardware, which Riot denied, stating that they "would not and cannot" use Vanguard to brick personal computers.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Guimarães |first1=Sofia |title=Riot Games “bricks” $6,000 DMA cheating devices? Vanguard explained and response |url=https://esports.gg/news/gaming/riot-games-cheating-devices-vanguard-update/ |access-date=25 May 2026}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== Further reading == * {{Cite conference |last1=Dorner |first1=Christoph |last2=Klausner |first2=Lukas Daniel |date=2024-07-30 |title=If It Looks Like a Rootkit and Deceives Like a Rootkit: A Critical Examination of Kernel-Level Anti-Cheat Systems |series=ARES '24 |location=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |pages=1–11 |doi=10.1145/3664476.3670433 |isbn=979-8-4007-1718-5 |book-title=Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on Availability, Reliability and Security|arxiv=2408.00500 }} * {{Cite web |date=2018-07-17 |title=Riot's Approach to Anti-Cheat |url=https://technology.riotgames.com/news/riots-approach-anti-cheat |access-date=2025-04-27}} * {{Cite web |date=2021-01-27 |title=VALORANT Anti-cheat: Winter Update |url=https://playvalorant.com/en-us/news/dev/valorant-anti-cheat-winter-update/ |access-date=2025-04-27}} * {{Cite conference |last1=Collins |first1=Sam |last2=Poulopoulos |first2=Alex |last3=Muench |first3=Marius |last4=Chothia |first4=Tom |date=2024-11-19 |title=Anti-Cheat: Attacks and the Effectiveness of Client-Side Defences |series=CheckMATE '24 |location=New York, NY, USA |publisher=Association for Computing Machinery |pages=30–43 |doi=10.1145/3689934.3690816 |isbn=979-8-4007-1230-2 |book-title=Proceedings of the 2024 Workshop on Research on offensive and defensive techniques in the context of Man At The End (MATE) attacks|doi-access=free }} Category:2020 software Category:Anti-cheat software Vanguard {{Anti-cheat software}}{{security-software-stub}}