VAC ban MW2 - protection from hacked lobbies

[[{7]

I got VAC-banned yesterday on COD: MW2, probably for running CheatEngine on MW2.

As the name of the program implies, it's used a lot for cheating and I'm a dumbass for not realizing it might get flagged by Valve.

However I ran CheatEngine to *read* the values inside the MW2.exe, not to change/mod that would give me any advantage while playing or that would in any way interfere with the game.

Explanation:

As we all know 8 out of 10 lobbies you join in MW2 are hosted by someone with special ''modding tools'' and it happens way too often that they mess up your settings and/or prestige/rank (basically your save game file).

I have finally found a way to protect my settings by changing the properties of the corresponding game file to ''read only'', so the last thing left to protect was my save game file.

In these lobbies they often prestige or rank you unwanted, sometimes it's so messed up that everything is unlocked but none of the corresponding challenges are completed. In this case there is no way to reset the prestige levels, unless you turn of Steam sync, delete the save game files and restart the game from 0.

After doing the resetting 4 times after playing in these hacked lobbies (that I didn't want to join at all), I gave up and accepted my prestige 11 with no emblem (prestige 10 should be the highest achievable in-game).

Since I wanted to prevent my save game file from getting modded again to an unplayable version, I wanted to check if these hosts ''inject'' new values into the save game and if it would work if I just used the new ''force quit'' option on the Steam overlay (to prevent cloud syncing of the save game file) or if I needed to create a save game file back-up in a different folder on my own pc.

So when I played in a lobby yesterday where the host bragged that he (or she) would rank everyone (had already showed he could mod running speed, no reload time and teleporting), I opened CheatEngine and ran the read for in-game values. Turns out that Valve doesn't make a distinction for what you're exactly doing, it just flags some programs that are running with MW2. Now I don't blame Valve for this particular situation, but considering the why, I have to admit that it stings a little.

Apart from asking to lift the ban, I would ask anyone who will listen to update the anti-cheat system on MW2. Not only for myself but to protect the other people who bought the game, so they don't have to go through all this trouble to protect themselves, and in my case, get banned for trying to find a way to do so. I know this game is 13 years old or sth, so slim chance they will, but I can't imagine that MW2 is the only game with this issue.

At least find a way to protect our files from interference by 3rd parties while playing Valve supported games.

Or if any of you have found a way to protect yourselves, feel free to comment.

[Wolf Knight]

https://steamcommunity.com/discussions/forum/9/882959527688934488/
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7849-RADZ-6869&l=

Vac bans are issued for known cheats being detected on the computer while the account was connected to a vac server.

Anything that tampers with protected game files is treated as a cheat regardless of it giving an advantage or not (skin changers, etc). Steam/Valve will not release any information about what was detected, that information will only help those that cheat and make cheats. VAC bans are delayed, what you were doing at the time of the ban being applied is unlikely to be what earned the ban

You are responsible for the security of the account and what is on the computer(s) the account uses. It does not matter who was using the account to cheat.

No one on the forums can remove nor investigate a ban. Only falsely applied VAC bans are removed automatically by the system at a later time.
This is not a ban appeal forum, nor can you appeal a vac ban.

[Cathulhu]

What others did is irrelevant.
You injected a well known cheat program into a VAC secured game.
As you already realized, what your intentions were doesn't matter.

The ban will not be removed.

And VAC is constantly updated and improved. Keep in mind that Activision themselves already abandoned the game many years ago.

[[{7]

Okay, this wasn't my main point of this post. I have read the Valve policy and accept the ban for what it is atm.

Main point:
How do you protect your game files?

[my new friend]

Originally posted by ^0{7:

VAC ban MW2 - protection from hacked lobbies

Q: If I join a hacked lobby, will I be banned?

A: No. If you simply join one, then you will not be banned. Running the mod on your computer is a different story. It is considered a good idea to leave a lobby as soon as you join one; this is because it can make unauthorised changes to your rank and config files.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/10190/discussions/0/864974467719651252/
Care to try again?

[[{7]

Originally posted by my new friend:

Originally posted by ^0{7:

VAC ban MW2 - protection from hacked lobbies

Q: If I join a hacked lobby, will I be banned?

A: No. If you simply join one, then you will not be banned. Running the mod on your computer is a different story. It is considered a good idea to leave a lobby as soon as you join one; this is because it can make unauthorised changes to your rank and config files.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/10190/discussions/0/864974467719651252/
Care to try again?

Fair enough, I already accepted that I made multiple mistakes and understand what I did and the consequences.

I don't know if you've played the game lately, but it's often hard to realize it's a hacked lobby until it's too late. Or you leave the lobby and you keep re-joining.

So any tips on how to protect your game files in these cases?

[Snaggle]

It's down to the game developers to tell Valve what to allow/not allow and to implement VAC into their game. I cannot see MW2 getting any kind of update for either of those things by the developer.

Essentially you're just going to have to suck it up and either take the risk of having your save file altered, or you simply don't play the game.

As far as I know the only way to protect your rank is to not play multiplayer. And the VAC forums are probably not the best place for this info anyway.

[Cathulhu]

Modded lobbies do not change game files. Simple as that.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

Originally posted by ^0{7:

Okay, this wasn't my main point of this post. I have read the Valve policy and accept the ban for what it is atm.

Main point:
How do you protect your game files?

Have you read the MW2 thread that says that you cannot get a VAC ban by joining a hacked lobby?

Q: If I join a hacked lobby, will I be banned?

A: No. If you simply join one, then you will not be banned. Running the mod on your computer is a different story. It is considered a good idea to leave a lobby as soon as you join one; this is because it can make unauthorised changes to your rank and config files.


Q: If I join a hacked lobby, and the host migration occurs and makes me the host, will I be banned?

A: No. You are only hosting the match and not actually running the mod on your computer.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/10190/discussions/0/864974467719651252/


You already admitted to using cheat engine to modify something. You cannot modify anything in Activision games, without it causing a bam. Even the main menus are VAC secured.

A cheat is defined as anything that alters protected game files. You did this, joining a hacked lobby did not do it.

[[{7]

Originally posted by Snaggle:

It's down to the game developers to tell Valve what to allow/not allow and to implement VAC into their game. I cannot see MW2 getting any kind of update for either of those things by the developer.

Essentially you're just going to have to suck it up and either take the risk of having your save file altered, or you simply don't play the game.

As far as I know the only way to protect your rank is to not play multiplayer. And the VAC forums are probably not the best place for this info anyway.

I suppose you're right, but here is to hoping someone might read this post, who can change something or has some advice.

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Modded lobbies do not change game files. Simple as that.

They most certainly do.
It is fairly well known that they at the very least can mod the config_mp file without you ever accepting it. Most often they mess up your custom classes or visuals, like the connection bars in the player list of the lobby, to better hide who the host is.

I don't know if you never played the game or just not recently, and I appreciate your input, but it's inefficient to comment if you don't know the current state of the game.

Originally posted by C²C^Guyver |NZB|:

Originally posted by ^0{7:

Okay, this wasn't my main point of this post. I have read the Valve policy and accept the ban for what it is atm.

Main point:
How do you protect your game files?

Have you read the MW2 thread that says that you cannot get a VAC ban by joining a hacked lobby?

Q: If I join a hacked lobby, will I be banned?

A: No. If you simply join one, then you will not be banned. Running the mod on your computer is a different story. It is considered a good idea to leave a lobby as soon as you join one; this is because it can make unauthorised changes to your rank and config files.


Q: If I join a hacked lobby, and the host migration occurs and makes me the host, will I be banned?

A: No. You are only hosting the match and not actually running the mod on your computer.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/10190/discussions/0/864974467719651252/


You already admitted to using cheat engine to modify something. You cannot modify anything in Activision games, without it causing a bam. Even the main menus are VAC secured.

A cheat is defined as anything that alters protected game files. You did this, joining a hacked lobby did not do it.

Yes, I have read this post and multiple posts like it when the cheating first started over 10 years ago and again before I made this post.

I wasn't afraid to get banned from joining these modded/hacked lobbies, I was stuck up with the hassle of not being able to choose/unlock weapon attachments after they scr*wed up my save game files.

Also I did absolutely not modify anything with Cheatengine. I used it to read the values of the game to understand how these hacked/modded lobbies worked. Basically if you know a value, for example your exp, you can look it up and the program looks for values with that same amount. If the amount changes, it turns red so you can find the corresponding value easily.

Again, thank you for your input, but I kindly ask you to read the post fully. Nowhere was it mentioned that I altered game files myself.

[J4MESOX4D]

Originally posted by ^0{7:

I would ask anyone who will listen to update the anti-cheat system on MW2

That would be down to Infinity Ward and they probably haven't updated the game for 12 years. The only way to play the game cheater free is by using a 3rd party client. VAC doesn't mean Valve are responsible - they just provide the anti-cheat framework and it's up to the developer to create and maintain the cheat database.

There's really nothing anyone can do - these games are hacked to death on all systems all the publisher waves all responsibility because the MP component of the game is deemed a free addon. Worst thing you can do is join the party and use external material.

[Daddy Dingle]

Originally posted by Cathulhu:

Modded lobbies do not change game files. Simple as that.

Whilst i agree with most of what you said in this discussion on vacs, this i will correct you on.
YES 100% bloody percent hackers can modify your game files and at worse your pc at large.

MW2 and MW3 had such utter garbage protection they used to be able to crash your whole machines with them.

However, a more serious point with hacking is the current issue plaguing Dark Souls, where the hackers can literally steal anything they want from your computer because of a dangerous code exploit.

I appreciate your best intention on comments, but as OP said, it's inefficient to say anything if you have no clue on the game itself.

Also OP, theres a brand new 3rd party matchmaking system to try and restore mw2 to its glory days without the cheating. I wont link it here, but try googling about it.

[C²C^Guyver |NZB|]

OP you are still not reading even though you claim to have read things.

Read it again.

You do not get a VAC ban simply by joining a hacked lobby.

Q: If I join a hacked lobby, will I be banned?

A: No. If you simply join one, then you will not be banned. Running the mod on your computer is a different story. It is considered a good idea to leave a lobby as soon as you join one; this is because it can make unauthorised changes to your rank and config files.


Q: If I join a hacked lobby, and the host migration occurs and makes me the host, will I be banned?

A: No. You are only hosting the match and not actually running the mod on your computer.

https://steamcommunity.com/app/10190/discussions/0/864974467719651252/

You modified something or the account would not have received a VAC ban.


I'm reading, you aren't