Valorant Vanguard destroys DMA cheat firmware

Riot Games said on May 23 that a new Valorant Vanguard anti-cheat measure can render some DMA cheating firmware unusable, while leaving players’ computers intact. The clarification followed online claims that Vanguard was “bricking” PCs after Riot employees and gaming sites described high-end cheat hardware becoming “paperweights.” Riot said the target was the firmware used by DMA cheating devices, not the player’s machine. The company also said IOMMU, a hardware memory-protection feature, must remain enabled for access to Riot games. ### What exactly did Riot say Vanguard is doing? Tweaktown reported on May 23 that Riot said Vanguard can “destroy” DMA cheat firmware tied to SATA- and NVMe-based cheating setups. Digital Trends, citing Riot’s clarification, said the update makes some expensive cheat hardware useless by tightening hardware-level memory protections rather than damaging the host PC. (tweaktown.com) Riot’s own December 18, 2025 security post had already laid out the broader approach. In that post, anti-cheat engineer Mohamed “ItsGamerDoc” said Riot had found a motherboard flaw that could let hardware cheats inject code before the operating system fully loaded, and said Vanguard would begin stricter checks on boot security for some players. ### What is a DMA cheat, and why is Riot focusing on firmware? (tweaktown.com) DMA stands for direct memory access, a method that lets hardware talk to system memory with limited CPU involvement. Riot said in its December post that cheats can exploit the early boot process and hardware pathways to load before the operating system, giving them a chance to hide from software defenses. The May 23 reporting described the current crackdown as aimed at the firmware running on cheat devices, not at Windows installations or consumer storage drives themselves. (riotgames.com) That distinction matters because Riot’s public explanation centers on cutting off the cheating hardware’s ability to function, not on damaging unrelated components in a player’s system. ### Did Riot actually brick players’ PCs? Riot said it did not. Digital Trends reported that Riot clarified Vanguard’s latest update targets DMA-based cheat hardware and that the move had raised questions about overreach, but the company’s position was that user machines remain intact. Tweaktown likewise reported that Riot said Vanguard destroys cheat hardware firmware without bricking the PC. (tweaktown.com) Riot’s support guidance also points in that direction. The company’s Vanguard restriction documentation says Riot may block systems it considers too “cheat-capable” and then show a VAN: RESTRICTION message telling players which settings must be changed to regain access, rather than describing any process that disables the computer itself. ### Why does IOMMU matter here? (tweaktown.com) Riot identified IOMMU as one of the security features that help stop early-loading hardware cheats. In its December 18 post, the company said features such as Secure Boot, VBS and IOMMU are effective against this attack path when they are enabled and functioning properly. Riot’s support materials go further for affected users. The VAN: RESTRICTION support page says players may need to enable DMA-related options, including IOMMU, in BIOS, and it directs them to motherboard-manufacturer documentation if those settings are hard to find. (support-valorant.riotgames.com) The page also warns that incorrect BIOS changes can prevent a computer from starting, and recommends professional help for users unfamiliar with firmware menus. (riotgames.com) ### What happens next for players? Affected Valorant players now face a simpler practical question than the online panic suggested: whether their systems meet Vanguard’s required security settings. Riot’s published materials say systems flagged by Vanguard will receive restriction messages that identify the needed changes, including BIOS, TPM or DMA-related protections. (support-valorant.riotgames.com) Riot’s next visible enforcement step is already in place. As of May 23, the company said IOMMU must remain enabled to play, and players who receive Vanguard restriction notices are being directed to Riot support pages and motherboard-maker instructions for the required updates. (tweaktown.com) (support-valorant.riotgames.com)