VAC Detection Methods

[SonicSparks]

I'd just like to start a discussion on VAC's inner workings. I am not sure if it acts more passively, or extremely agressive. I am trying to get some closure on how I might avoid something as little as this in the future.

As far as I know, my VACation was triggered because Cheat Engine application was running in the background, idle. And no game/process was selected. I was then banned 10 minutes into a CS:GO game. Shame I guess.

I know that it is impossible to get a VAC ban reversed, unless you were to file a Civil Court complaint or something. But i'd just like to bring this up, since having any sort of software wether you used it or not is a risk for your account. Apparently. Seems a bit unfair given they believe that their anti-cheat is so "perfect".

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Dashie:

As far as I know, my VACation was triggered because Cheat Engine application was running in the background, idle. And no game/process was selected. I was then banned 10 minutes into a CS:GO game. Shame I guess.

No, unless you are actually injecting into a VAC protected game with Cheat Engine, that will not cause a VAC ban. Ironically, it has a higher chance of actually preventing you from connecting in the first place.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2117-ilzv-2837#software

"What typically causes this error?"

There are a number of common software conflicts that can cause this error. If you are running any of the following software, please disable it while playing:

CCleaner
Powershell
Sandboxie
Cheat Engine
(snip)

And VAC bans are delayed. Just beacuse you had Cheat Engine running when your account was VAC banned, that was not the cause of it at that time. VAC bans are delayed for days to weeks, and maybe longer.

[Jim Thirwell]

People on here have tested out the CE in the background theory . They didnt get banned

[The Giving One]

If you played on an unfamilar computer with your account, that could have been the cause.

If someone else was using your account, that could have also been the cause.

VAC only cares if identifiable cheats are detected on a computer when your account is logged into that computer and subsequently connected to a VAC secure server. Or, from an account so linked by family sharing or phone number sharing.

The following explains the possibilities......

1. Detecting identifiable cheats in use on the computer/device used while connected to a VAC-secure server with the account(s).
2. Family sharing a VAC protected game and cheating from either account, as described in #1.
3. Sharing the same phone number with other account(s) at the time of a cheating infraction, caused by any one of those phone number-connected accounts, as described in #1.
4. Account sharing, which is an SSA (user agreement) violation, if the account is used to cheat, as described in #1.
5. Account buying/transferring (also SSA violation) if the account was previously used to cheat with, as described in #1.

EDIT..And false bans are removed automatically by VAC if they are found to be in error. Your account's VAC ban is quite old. Therefore, it was applied correctly, as it has not automatically been removed.

[SonicSparks]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Dashie:

As far as I know, my VACation was triggered because Cheat Engine application was running in the background, idle. And no game/process was selected. I was then banned 10 minutes into a CS:GO game. Shame I guess.

No, unless you are actually injecting into a VAC protected game with Cheat Engine, that will not cause a VAC ban. Ironically, it has a higher chance of actually preventing you from connecting in the first place.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2117-ilzv-2837#software

"What typically causes this error?"

There are a number of common software conflicts that can cause this error. If you are running any of the following software, please disable it while playing:

CCleaner
Powershell
Sandboxie
Cheat Engine
(snip)

And VAC bans are delayed. Just beacuse you had Cheat Engine running when your account was VAC banned, that was not the cause of it at that time. VAC bans are delayed for days to weeks, and maybe longer.

This is the only thing I can think of. But my ban was near instantaneous. Kicked me off, added offical VAC status a few hours later. It seemed like too much of a coincidence.

Personally I dont trust Valve's explanation for "Conflicting Software". But either way, I'll have to deal with it.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Dashie:

This is the only thing I can think of. But my ban was near instantaneous. Kicked me off, added offical VAC status a few hours later. It seemed like too much of a coincidence.

That further proves it was not the cause. VAC does not ban instantly. As said, VAC bans are delayed. Instant bans would allow cheats to easily be playtested to see if VAC detects them or not.

No, that is not how VAC works.

[SonicSparks]

Just replying to what ever I can.

Originally posted by Jim Thirwell:

People on here have tested out the CE in the background theory . They didnt get banned

Im sure VAC has some sort of predictive algorithm / watchlist system. So that might not work. But then again, this is my only logical explanation.

Originally posted by The Giving One:

If you played on an unfamilar computer with your account, that could have been the cause.

If someone else was using your account, that could have also been the cause.

VAC only cares if identifiable cheats are detected on a computer when your account is logged into that computer and subsequently connected to a VAC secure server. Or, from an account so linked by family sharing or phone number sharing.

The following explains the possibilities......


1. Detecting identifiable cheats in use on the computer/device used while connected to a VAC-secure server with the account(s).
2. Family sharing a VAC protected game and cheating from either account, as described in #1.
3. Sharing the same phone number with other account(s) at the time of a cheating infraction, caused by any one of those phone number-connected accounts, as described in #1.
4. Account sharing, which is an SSA (user agreement) violation, if the account is used to cheat, as described in #1.
5. Account buying/transferring (also SSA violation) if the account was previously used to cheat with, as described in #1.

My account has only ever been logged in on my PC and Laptop. Steam Mobile Auth. Secured and all. Is it possible that a cheat/trainer for another game could conflict with another when searched by VAC? Single Player - Non VAC Secured Games to be percise.

[SonicSparks]

Originally posted by The Giving One:

Originally posted by Dashie:

This is the only thing I can think of. But my ban was near instantaneous. Kicked me off, added offical VAC status a few hours later. It seemed like too much of a coincidence.

That further proves it was not the cause. VAC does not ban instantly. As said, VAC bans are delayed. Instant bans would allow cheats to easily be playtested to see if VAC detects them or not.

No, that is not how VAC works.

I am well aware that VAC status does not get applied to your account instantly. But my ability to connect to any VAC-Secured CS;GO Games was. That is what I mean about instantanious. My bad.

[The Giving One]

Let's go ahead and get this out of the way, please......

https://help.steampowered.com/en/wizard/VacBans

Click that and copy and paste EXACTLY what it says, but do NOT post your account login name here.

[SonicSparks]

"
VAC and Game Bans for your account, (removed username)
Bans applied by VAC or Valve Anti-Cheat
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive - View Help Page

"
Good? Good. Again, the purpose of this is not to get the ban removed. I understand that I am stuck with this. Just a meaningful discussion.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Dashie:

"
VAC and Game Bans for your account, (removed username)
Bans applied by VAC or Valve Anti-Cheat
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive - View Help Page

"
Good? Good. Again, the purpose of this is not to get the ban removed. I understand that I am binded to the ToS. Just a meaningful discussion.

Was not asking you to do that because I thought you wanted it removed. That was to see if it was due to family sharing or phone number sharing.

But as you can see, it does not say either there. That means that your account was logged into from a computer that had identifiable cheats installed and then connected to a VAC secure server. The ban has not automatically been removed, which is what happens to false VAC bans applied in error.

VAC automatically removes them in time. Your account's VAC ban has not been removed. Therefore, it was applied correctly.

[Jim Thirwell]

The normal reasons

Cheating
third party software that interacts with the game .Skinchangers crosshairs etc etc
core file modifictions
playing on untrusted pc's that you dont control 100%
Letting anyone else use your acc

Either something that you downloaded or messed with .

False bans are a thing but they are really really rare

[SonicSparks]

Never let anyone use my account. My account has never been on any other computers except for ones I own. But I have downloaded Trainers for single player games, so i am not sure if that could have caused anything. Dispite my steam instillation being on an entirely different drive.

Unless my account was compermised, I cant see where my account was logged into, because I no longer recieve emails because of the Mobile Auth System. Correct me if I am wrong.

[The Giving One]

We don't know what you have downloaded there or what you have been doing on or with your account. I am not saying you are being dishonest here. But the simple fact is, that we don't know.

We see this all the time here. The usual thing is that the user is forgetting that one time they did not use their account in the normal way they do, as in sharing or logging in on a different computer for example only.

As far as what you said about the Trainers, I am not sure what that is, but unless you wrote the code and programs yourself......

"How can I ensure I don't get VAC banned?"

To ensure your account does not get VAC banned, use only trusted machines to play on VAC-Secured servers. If you are not sure whether or not the machine you are using to connect to Steam may have cheats installed, do not play on VAC-Secured servers.

Use caution when installing any game modifications like scripts or custom skins, and only download custom content from trusted sources. Hackers may maliciously disguise their cheats to cause others to get banned.

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7849-RADZ-6869&l=english#avoidvac

[SonicSparks]

It'll all be a mystery. Since exact reasoning is "confidential" even to the person who was banned.

[The Giving One]

Originally posted by Dashie:

It'll all be a mystery. Since exact reasoning is "confidential" even to the person who was banned.

I understant you said you posted here to have a discussion on detection methods of VAC and that is great, and I don't mean to focus on the cause of your account's VAC ban instead.

VAC is mostly secretive in the way it works. We know some features of how it works, but not everything. Valve has detailed logs of every VAC ban. They state that in the support pages on VAC.

But giving that out to the public would only help cheat developers. False bans are rare for sure, just as the good Jim said above, and when we have rarely seen them here, they were removed from the account.

If you have other points or questions, feel free to ask them if you wish. There is also alot of information available to you from the pinned thread, but I assume you have read up on it all at this point.