FACEIT is yet another completely useless, doesn’t-actually-work, trust-the-client anti-cheating tool. Basically, it makes it so that cheaters (and the game publisher) can claim cheating isn’t happening because, “there’s an anti-cheat tool” but in reality it doesn’t stop actual cheaters.
The entire purpose of anti-cheat tools appears to be to stop casual Linux gamers from being able to play the game. Microsoft has a big part in it as well because the very same intentional vulnerabilities in Windows that hackers use to install undetectable rootkits are what get used by anti-cheat software.
If Microsoft wanted they could close those vulnerabilities by making all privilege levels above administrator (of which Windows has two which is insane) inaccessible to anyone but Microsoft. Instead they just collect money from 3rd party vendors to sign their driver encryption keys, inherently trusting those vendors not to make software with vulnerabilities. It’s a recipe for insecurity and Microsoft likes it that way. It acts as a form of vendor lock-in.
Anti-cheat tools pretty much all work with the same basic assumption: Trust the client. What’s the first rule of network programming?Never trust the client!
From what I understand, FACEIT is a “better” anti cheat that the developers want to use to replace the current Easy Anti Cheat. Their current implementation of Easy Anti Cheat supports Linux and Steam Deck while FACEIT does not, and will not support Linux
Honestly though, I hate it but I do kind of get it. If this game gets overrun by hackers in its prime, the game dies and I’d really like to see this survive long term as this is the kind of pricing model I’d like to support. Can’t have everything perfect.
But it will only make sense if FACEIT achieves that goal. Time will tell, and I’ll keep my windows dual boot for gaming for now.
FACEIT really is a bummer
I was interested about this game by the article, but what is FACEIT?
FACEIT is yet another completely useless, doesn’t-actually-work, trust-the-client anti-cheating tool. Basically, it makes it so that cheaters (and the game publisher) can claim cheating isn’t happening because, “there’s an anti-cheat tool” but in reality it doesn’t stop actual cheaters.
The entire purpose of anti-cheat tools appears to be to stop casual Linux gamers from being able to play the game. Microsoft has a big part in it as well because the very same intentional vulnerabilities in Windows that hackers use to install undetectable rootkits are what get used by anti-cheat software.
If Microsoft wanted they could close those vulnerabilities by making all privilege levels above administrator (of which Windows has two which is insane) inaccessible to anyone but Microsoft. Instead they just collect money from 3rd party vendors to sign their driver encryption keys, inherently trusting those vendors not to make software with vulnerabilities. It’s a recipe for insecurity and Microsoft likes it that way. It acts as a form of vendor lock-in.
Anti-cheat tools pretty much all work with the same basic assumption: Trust the client. What’s the first rule of network programming? Never trust the client!
Anti-cheat, I assume it breaks Linux compatibility and/or runs with basically unlimited permissions on your PC
Edit: details here
From what I understand, FACEIT is a “better” anti cheat that the developers want to use to replace the current Easy Anti Cheat. Their current implementation of Easy Anti Cheat supports Linux and Steam Deck while FACEIT does not, and will not support Linux
Honestly though, I hate it but I do kind of get it. If this game gets overrun by hackers in its prime, the game dies and I’d really like to see this survive long term as this is the kind of pricing model I’d like to support. Can’t have everything perfect.
But it will only make sense if FACEIT achieves that goal. Time will tell, and I’ll keep my windows dual boot for gaming for now.