Exploiting the Ricochet Anti-Cheat: A Hacker’s Bold Claims
A hacker has come forward, claiming a significant breach in Call of Duty’s Ricochet anti-cheat mechanism, leading to the unjust banning of “thousands upon thousands” of players in both Modern Warfare 3 and Warzone. This revelation raises serious concerns about the efficacy and reliability of anti-cheat systems within popular gaming titles.
Details of the Exploit
According to Activision, the issue, which the hacker has labeled as an exploit, was patched last month after initial reports indicated only a limited number of legitimate players faced wrongful bans. However, the hacker, known by the alias Vizor, contends that the actual number of affected players was significantly larger than what had been initially suggested.
Simplicity of the Method
In an interview with TechCrunch, Vizor described the exploit as deceptively simple, indicating they could have operated without detection for an extended time. “I could have done this for years, targeting random players without any notable gamers involved, which would have gone unnoticed,” they remarked.
How the Exploit Worked
The method leveraged a peculiar flaw within Ricochet’s detection system. Vizor found that the anti-cheat was programmed to monitor for specific hardcoded text strings associated with cheating. By messaging players with these strings, they could trigger automated bans. One of the strings involved was “trigger bot,” referring to a common cheat that fires weapons automatically when a target is in sight.
Ricochet was introduced as the proactive anti-cheat solution for Call of Duty back in 2021.
Automated Banning Process
To maximize the ramifications of their exploit, Vizor programmed a script to join games, disseminate the trigger strings, and exit, thereby instigating a cycle that would yield further bans. Their strategy was to take advantage of updates in the Ricochet system, particularly when new trigger words were added. By exploiting these words extensively, Vizor made it appear as if Ricochet was effectively identifying genuine cheaters.
Public Disclosure and Aftermath
The exploit reportedly remained under the radar until a cheat developer named Zeebler exposed it via Twitter/X, prompting Activision to take action. The developers swiftly patched the flaw and reversed the bans on affected accounts, acknowledging the issue’s gravity. Vizor expressed a sense of satisfaction upon witnessing the resolution, sharing, “It was nice to see it get fixed and see unbans. I had my fun.”
Looking Ahead
As we approach the launch of Call of Duty’s Season 1 on November 14, players can anticipate exciting new content in both Black Ops 6 and Warzone.
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