Anti-Cheat Guide 2026: EAC, BattlEye, Vanguard and Ricochet Explained
Every popular shooter runs an anti-cheat. Understanding how they work explains why cheats need updates after patches, why ban waves happen and why behaviour matters as much as software. Here is an overview of the big four.
How anti-cheats work in general
Most anti-cheats combine several methods:
- Signature scanning: looking for known cheat programs and code patterns.
- Integrity checks: making sure game files and memory have not been changed.
- Kernel-level drivers: running deep in Windows to watch what other programs do.
- Server-side analysis: flagging impossible stats such as accuracy and reaction time.
- Reports and review: players report you and staff or systems review gameplay.
- Hardware bans: recording your PC's identifiers so new accounts can be banned too.
Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC)
Used by: Fortnite, Apex Legends, Rust and many more.
EAC is owned by Epic Games and runs a kernel-level component while you play. It is updated regularly, which is why cheats for EAC games need quick updates after a patch. Fortnite and Apex also lean heavily on server-side stats and reports.
Our EAC-game cheats: Fortnite Lumi, Fortnite Private and Apex Private.
BattlEye
Used by: Rainbow Six Siege, PUBG, DayZ, Escape From Tarkov and others.
BattlEye is known for delayed ban waves: it detects quietly, then bans many accounts at once. That makes it important to stop using a cheat as soon as its status changes. Siege also bans hardware, so an HWID ban is common.
Our BattlEye-game cheats: R6 Vivid and R6 Phoenix.
Riot Vanguard
Used by: Valorant and League of Legends.
Vanguard loads with Windows at boot, before most other software, which makes it one of the hardest anti-cheats to work around. We do not currently sell Valorant cheats.
Ricochet
Used by: Call of Duty (Warzone, Black Ops and Modern Warfare).
Ricochet combines a kernel driver with heavy server-side analysis and is known for "mitigations" (making cheaters' bullets do no damage) as well as bans. Our Temp Spoofer supports Ricochet for players with hardware bans.
What ban waves mean for you
Anti-cheats often detect a cheat days before they ban anyone. When a cheat provider sees signs of detection, they switch the product to Testing or Updating. That is why the most important habit is checking the status page before every session and stopping when a product is not marked Undetected.
Behaviour matters as much as software
Even an undetected cheat gets accounts banned if you play like a robot. Smooth aim, a small FOV and natural reactions keep you off report lists. Read how to avoid cheat bans for the full checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Which anti-cheat is the hardest?
Riot Vanguard is generally considered the strictest because it starts with Windows. BattlEye and EAC are updated frequently.
Why do cheats need updates after a game patch?
Patches change the game's code and often update the anti-cheat. Cheats must be checked and updated to match.
What is a ban wave?
Many accounts banned at once, usually after the anti-cheat collected detections over several days.
Can an anti-cheat ban my PC?
Yes. Many anti-cheats record hardware identifiers and issue HWID bans. A spoofer can help.