Vortex Gaming

· The developers have released a new dev blog to be more transparent with the community about their anti-cheat efforts.
· Statistics from approximately three months, from January to March, show that over 25,000 players were banned. This includes RMT (Real Money Trading) sellers and buyers, actual cheaters, auto-leveling bots, and script users manipulating KD (Kill/Death ratio).
· RMT sellers and cheaters constituted the largest portion, with a significant number of repeat offenders also identified.

· With the Tarkov 1.0 update, the developers have shifted their approach from directly publishing ban lists to addressing key anti-cheat issues and providing more in-depth statistics.
· Regarding the misconception that 'ban waves don't happen often,' they emphasized that bans occur daily and that reporting cheaters through the in-game reporting system is the most effective method.

· A significant portion of accounts suspected of cheating are likely compromised accounts rather than actual cheaters.
· To enhance account security, they strongly recommend enabling Two-Factor Authentication (TFA) and using complex, hard-to-guess passwords. Using an app like Google Authenticator for TFA is particularly advised.
· While hacking methods like cookie theft exist, TFA can effectively block most hacking attempts.

· While false bans are rare, they explained that using spoofers (hardware ID changing programs), sharing accounts with cheaters, or installing malware can lead to bans.
· They indicated that if an account is stolen and used for cheating, the ban may remain even if the account owner requests recovery.

· The developers are pursuing legal action against companies advertising and distributing cheat programs, but noted that legal processes are lengthy and may have limited practical impact.
· Currently, they are focusing more on removing advertisements and demonstration videos of cheat programs, and user reports help accelerate these actions.
· Furthermore, they warned against some third-party solution providers demanding player personal information through aggressive marketing, stating that such methods can actually cause security issues.

· The requirement for TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot activation with the Tarkov 1.0 update is a measure to make it harder for cheat programs to operate.
· While this may cause dissatisfaction among some users with older PCs, they explained it's a necessary step for a fair gaming environment.
· Related settings changes or Windows updates might be necessary, and they plan to produce a guide video later.

· To counter the rise of DMA (Direct Memory Access) software and tools, they are researching the use of Windows security features like VBS (Virtualization-Based Security) and HVCI (Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity).
· These features can help protect the Windows kernel and control memory access, preventing cheat programs from infiltrating and manipulating the system.
· While DMA cheats are very difficult to detect, the introduction of VBS and HVCI is expected to contribute to effectively blocking these types of cheats.

· The implementation of new detection and automated systems has led to a significant increase in bans since the game's launch.
· The fight against cheats is a constant 'cat and mouse' game, but the development team is continuously implementing new detection systems and working to reduce the number of raids cheaters can play before being banned.

· Returning gear when killed by a cheater is practically impossible; instead, they plan to gradually increase Ruble compensation.
· However, current compensation amounts are very low, leading to significant player dissatisfaction, especially for those using high-value gear, where it's deemed insufficient.
· Additionally, the system requiring a report to receive compensation for a cheater's death encourages reporting for every death, potentially leading to system abuse, a criticism they face. The developers may need to reconsider this aspect.

· Anti-cheat is an area requiring continuous effort, and the development team will do their best to maintain a fair gaming environment through system improvements and account verification.
· They will work with BattleEye to ensure gameplay is not disrupted by cheats and will continue to evolve the system based on community feedback.