Is Riot Vanguard Spyware?

Summary

In this video, Eric examines the concerns surrounding Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat system, specifically whether it acts as spyware. Through HTTP debugging and process exploration, Eric finds no evidence of hidden spying, confirming that Vanguard primarily collects game telemetry data. While the system can take screenshots in specific circumstances to detect cheats, particularly in Valorant, Eric dismisses fears of it being a malicious surveillance tool. He concludes that Vanguard's actions are focused on anti-cheat measures rather than privacy violations, offering reassurance while acknowledging some privacy concerns for certain users.

Takeaways

• 😀 Vanguard does not make HTTP requests when not running Valorant or League of Legends, debunking concerns of continuous spying.
• 😀 Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat system is designed to detect cheating and uses a kernel-level driver for deep game integrity checks.
• 😀 The primary concern for Vanguard is its ability to take screenshots of your screen, but this is mainly limited to *Valorant*, not *League of Legends*.
• 😀 Vanguard screenshots are taken only when suspicious activity is detected, such as when cheats or overlays are present.
• 😀 The system has been shown to not interfere with normal debugging activities unless suspicious behavior is detected, like opening x64 debug.
• 😀 Some users have speculated that Vanguard could be stealing sensitive data, but these concerns are unfounded according to the analysis.
• 😀 Vanguard’s telemetry system only communicates basic data to Riot’s servers, like game crash information, and is not used for extensive spying.
• 😀 Although Vanguard runs at a kernel level, it’s not intended for general surveillance or data exfiltration; its primary purpose is cheat detection.
• 😀 There is no solid evidence of Vanguard being involved in secret surveillance or violating privacy laws like GDPR.
• 😀 Allegations of Vanguard being spyware are mainly driven by misinformation and the lack of understanding of its technical function.
• 😀 While Vanguard can potentially take screenshots to detect cheating software, this feature is not widely active and is only triggered in specific scenarios.

Q & A

What is the main purpose of Riot's Vanguard anti-cheat system?

The primary purpose of Vanguard is to prevent cheating in Riot Games, particularly in *Valorant*, by detecting and blocking cheats during gameplay.

How does Eric investigate Vanguard's potential privacy issues?

Eric investigates Vanguard by monitoring network traffic with an HTTP debugger, analyzing decompiled code, and checking for any suspicious activity like data exfiltration or unnecessary system monitoring.

Does Vanguard make network requests when not playing a game?

No, Vanguard does not make any network requests when the game is not running, indicating that it does not engage in any background surveillance outside of gameplay.

What does Vanguard do with screenshots, and is it a privacy concern?

Vanguard can take screenshots in *Valorant* to detect cheats like screen overlays. Riot claims that this feature is only active in *Valorant*, and it does not take screenshots in other games like *League of Legends*.

Is Vanguard capable of collecting sensitive data like passwords or personal information?

No, Vanguard's kernel driver is not designed to capture sensitive data such as passwords. Eric demonstrates that simpler programs can still extract sensitive information without requiring administrator access.

How does Vanguard handle debugging or reverse engineering attempts?

Vanguard has protections, such as VMProtect, that prevent easy reverse engineering or debugging. Attempts to open the game in debugging environments like x64 debug cause Vanguard to crash the game.

Does Vanguard comply with global privacy regulations like GDPR?

Yes, Riot states that Vanguard complies with global privacy laws, including GDPR, and there is no special version of Vanguard for the EU. Riot claims that they follow legal requirements regarding data collection.

What did Eric conclude about the privacy risks associated with Vanguard?

Eric concludes that while concerns about kernel-level anti-cheat systems are valid, Vanguard itself does not engage in significant data collection or spying, and the risk to user privacy is minimal.

What role do reverse engineering communities play in understanding Vanguard?

Reverse engineering communities, especially those focused on cheating, have extensively analyzed Vanguard. Eric points out that these communities would likely have uncovered any serious privacy violations if they existed.

Are there any specific security concerns related to Vanguard's kernel-level driver?

While kernel-level drivers can bypass security measures, the risk of Vanguard being used to steal sensitive data is considered low. Any cheating or rootkit activity would likely be detected by the community or security researchers.