Difference between revisions of "Valve Anti-Cheat"

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| 1 = [[w:Valve Anti-Cheat|Valve Anti-Cheat]] on [[w:Main Page|Wikipedia]]
 
| 1 = [[w:Valve Anti-Cheat|Valve Anti-Cheat]] on [[w:Main Page|Wikipedia]]
 
| 2 = {{vdc|Valve Anti-Cheat}}
 
| 2 = {{vdc|Valve Anti-Cheat}}
| 3 = [https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7849-RADZ-6869 Valve Anti-Cheat System] on the [https://help.steampowered.com/ Steam Support Center].
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| 3 = [https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/571A-97DA-70E9-FF74 Valve Anti-Cheat System] on the [https://help.steampowered.com/ Steam Support Center].
 
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{{Quotation|'''The Engineer''' after banning a cheater|Slither on back to Hell, coward!|sound=Engineer dominationspy07.wav}}
  
[[Image:VAC banned.png|right|thumb|240px|Message displayed to a VAC-banned client.]]
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[[File:VAC logo.jpg|right|thumb|240px|VAC logo]]
  
'''Valve Anti-Cheat''', abbreviated as '''VAC''', is an anti-cheat solution developed by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]] as a component of the [[Steam]] digital game distribution platform.
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'''Valve Anti-Cheat''', abbreviated as '''VAC''', is an anti-cheat mechanism developed by [[Valve|Valve Corporation]] as a component of the [[Steam]] digital game distribution platform; it is intended to deter, abate, and quell [[cheating|cheaters]] and such bad-faith players.
  
 
== Functionality ==
 
== Functionality ==
VAC-bans are engine-wide, applying to all games running on a single engine. For example, users that are banned on ''[[Counter-Strike]]'' or ''[[Half-Life]]'' will be banned on all games running the [[W:GoldSrc|GoldSource]] engine. However, they can still play games and connect to secure servers on games that do not use the same engine. VAC-banned players are still able to play on all VAC-insecure servers on any game.
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VAC-bans can apply to multiple games, even if you didn't cheat in them.<ref>[https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/647C-5CC1-7EA9-3C29 Steam support article] - ''I've been VAC banned''.</ref> For example, users that cheat in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' will be unable to play ''[[w:Counter-Strike: Source|Counter-Strike: Source]]'', ''[[w:Half-Life 2: Deathmatch|Half-Life 2: Deathmatch]]'', and ''[[w:Day of Defeat: Source|Day of Defeat: Source]]''. VAC-banned players are still able to play on all VAC-insecure servers on any game. If a Steam account has a phone number attached to it, any account also using that phone number will also be VAC banned, even if the other accounts do not own the game. However, this feature is not enabled for all games and is used at the discretion of the developer.  
  
In the past, those who were VAC Banned had all non-purchased items deleted from their [[Backpack|backpack]]. In the current version of ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'', users who are VAC banned '''do not''' lose any items in their backpack. Instead, all items they have are stuck inside of their backpack and cannot be traded away, placed on the [[Steam Community Market]], or transferred to other accounts in any way. This is done to prevent players from trading the items to another account and cheating again. These users are still able to purchase items off of the Mann Co. Store, and use said items freely.
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In the past, those who were VAC banned had all non-purchased items deleted from their [[Backpack]]. In the current version of ''Team Fortress 2'', users who are VAC banned '''do not''' lose any items in their backpack. Instead, all items they have are stuck inside of their backpack and cannot be traded away, placed on the [[Steam Community Market]], or transferred to other accounts in any way. This is done to prevent players from trading the items to another account and cheating again. These users are still able to purchase items off of the [[Mann Co. Store]] and use said items freely.
  
VAC bans are non-negotiable. With few exceptions that may occur due to account theft of very rare false positives. VAC targets cheats that tamper with the client, it does not secure against vulnerabilities server-side.
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VAC bans are non-negotiable; however, if a VAC ban was issued incorrectly, it will automatically be removed. The VAC system checks if any foreign processes are hooked into the player's local game binaries. If one of these is detected, the account is marked for a delayed ban.
  
== Effectiveness Against Bots ==
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Certain applications or Steam errors can interfere with client VAC functionality, and VAC secured servers cannot be joined until these applications are shut down or the errors are resolved. Using these applications does not result in a ban.
The delayed ban system of VAC has proven to be ineffective against bots, which can be replaced quickly by their hosts, making bans effectively worthless when they happen. Valve has recognized this, and they have adopted an approach of combating vulnerabilities inside the TF2 client itself, instead of focusing on the VAC system.
 
  
== VAC Functionality on GNU/Linux ==
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== VAC functionality on different operating systems ==
Contrary to several rumors originated by the fact that TF2 botting software is Linux-exclusive, the versions of VAC on Linux, Mac and Windows enjoy a level of complete parity. This means each version of VAC works the same, independently of the platform it's running on. This parity originates from VAC being designed as client-level only, meaning that it can be easily maintained on various operating systems without harming security or infringing on the user's privacy by installing a rootkit.
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The versions of VAC on Linux, Mac, and Windows are identical. This means each version of VAC works the same regardless of the platform it's running on. This originates from VAC being designed as client-level only, meaning that it can be easily maintained on various operating systems without harming security.
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== Gallery ==
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<gallery>
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File:VAC banned.png|Message displayed to a VAC-banned client.
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</gallery>
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
* [[Valve]]
 
* [[Valve]]
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* [[Source Engine]]
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== References ==
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<references />
  
 
[[Category:Valve]]
 
[[Category:Valve]]

Latest revision as of 18:29, 14 February 2024

Slither on back to Hell, coward!
The Engineer after banning a cheater
VAC logo

Valve Anti-Cheat, abbreviated as VAC, is an anti-cheat mechanism developed by Valve Corporation as a component of the Steam digital game distribution platform; it is intended to deter, abate, and quell cheaters and such bad-faith players.

Functionality

VAC-bans can apply to multiple games, even if you didn't cheat in them.[1] For example, users that cheat in Team Fortress 2 will be unable to play Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life 2: Deathmatch, and Day of Defeat: Source. VAC-banned players are still able to play on all VAC-insecure servers on any game. If a Steam account has a phone number attached to it, any account also using that phone number will also be VAC banned, even if the other accounts do not own the game. However, this feature is not enabled for all games and is used at the discretion of the developer.

In the past, those who were VAC banned had all non-purchased items deleted from their Backpack. In the current version of Team Fortress 2, users who are VAC banned do not lose any items in their backpack. Instead, all items they have are stuck inside of their backpack and cannot be traded away, placed on the Steam Community Market, or transferred to other accounts in any way. This is done to prevent players from trading the items to another account and cheating again. These users are still able to purchase items off of the Mann Co. Store and use said items freely.

VAC bans are non-negotiable; however, if a VAC ban was issued incorrectly, it will automatically be removed. The VAC system checks if any foreign processes are hooked into the player's local game binaries. If one of these is detected, the account is marked for a delayed ban.

Certain applications or Steam errors can interfere with client VAC functionality, and VAC secured servers cannot be joined until these applications are shut down or the errors are resolved. Using these applications does not result in a ban.

VAC functionality on different operating systems

The versions of VAC on Linux, Mac, and Windows are identical. This means each version of VAC works the same regardless of the platform it's running on. This originates from VAC being designed as client-level only, meaning that it can be easily maintained on various operating systems without harming security.

Gallery

See also

References

  1. Steam support article - I've been VAC banned.