• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Valve Uses over 1,700 CPUs to Catch CS:GO Cheaters

btarunr

Editor & Senior Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 9, 2007
Messages
47,266 (7.54/day)
Location
Hyderabad, India
System Name RBMK-1000
Processor AMD Ryzen 7 5700G
Motherboard ASUS ROG Strix B450-E Gaming
Cooling DeepCool Gammax L240 V2
Memory 2x 8GB G.Skill Sniper X
Video Card(s) Palit GeForce RTX 2080 SUPER GameRock
Storage Western Digital Black NVMe 512GB
Display(s) BenQ 1440p 60 Hz 27-inch
Case Corsair Carbide 100R
Audio Device(s) ASUS SupremeFX S1220A
Power Supply Cooler Master MWE Gold 650W
Mouse ASUS ROG Strix Impact
Keyboard Gamdias Hermes E2
Software Windows 11 Pro
Valve was one of the first to run a centralized game distribution + multiplayer service, through Steam, and its in-house alternative to the Punkbuster anti-cheating software, in the form of VAC (Valve Anti-Cheating). Over the years, VAC has evolved to leverage newer technologies. Its latest avatar is VACnet, an AI deep-learning system built up of over 1,700 CPUs, to more intelligently sniff out cheaters. VACnet leverages CS:GO's player-operated replay system. It studies replays of players who have been reported for cheating, and studies their replays for patterns of cheating, such as wallhacks, aimbots, and more.

What makes this different from previous approaches to the problem is that the AI evaluates the behavior of the gamer through their inputs in a way only a human could, before this. It also makes up its own criteria for spotting cheaters, as it learns more about cheating, so creative and new cheaters are quicker to spot. The decision to suspend or ban players ultimate falls in the hands of humans. VACnet sniffs out the most probable cheaters, and reports its findings to human moderators that determine guilt, and hand out suspensions or bans. VACnet has the potential to increase "convictions" of cheaters by close to four fold.



View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 
Joined
Jun 10, 2013
Messages
161 (0.04/day)
Location
H-town
No problems there if they have the spare cash.
Either way, good on them.
 
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
5,561 (0.96/day)
System Name Cyberline
Processor Intel Core i7 2600k -> 12600k
Motherboard Asus P8P67 LE Rev 3.0 -> Gigabyte Z690 Auros Elite DDR4
Cooling Tuniq Tower 120 -> Custom Watercoolingloop
Memory Corsair (4x2) 8gb 1600mhz -> Crucial (8x2) 16gb 3600mhz
Video Card(s) AMD RX480 -> RX7800XT
Storage Samsung 750 Evo 250gb SSD + WD 1tb x 2 + WD 2tb -> 2tb MVMe SSD
Display(s) Philips 32inch LPF5605H (television) -> Dell S3220DGF
Case antec 600 -> Thermaltake Tenor HTCP case
Audio Device(s) Focusrite 2i4 (USB)
Power Supply Seasonic 620watt 80+ Platinum
Mouse Elecom EX-G
Keyboard Rapoo V700
Software Windows 10 Pro 64bit
HL3 confirmed?
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
They are either using 486 processors or their software is garbage, as the amount of blatant cheaters I get in Overwatch cases is shamefully high.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22,508 (6.03/day)
Location
The Washing Machine
System Name Tiny the White Yeti
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar b650m wifi
Cooling CPU: Thermalright Peerless Assassin / Case: Phanteks T30-120 x3
Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance 30CL6000
Video Card(s) ASRock RX7900XT Phantom Gaming
Storage Lexar NM790 4TB + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 980 1TB + Crucial BX100 250GB
Display(s) Gigabyte G34QWC (3440x1440)
Case Lian Li A3 mATX White
Audio Device(s) Harman Kardon AVR137 + 2.1
Power Supply EVGA Supernova G2 750W
Mouse Steelseries Aerox 5
Keyboard Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint II
VR HMD HD 420 - Green Edition ;)
Software W11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Benchmark Scores Over 9000
They are either using 486 processors or their software is garbage, as the amount of blatant cheaters I get in Overwatch cases is shamefully high.

Since when is Overwatch run by Valve? And if anything, Blizzard games are probably the most adequately secured and curated with regards to cheating...
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10

INSTG8R

Vanguard Beta Tester
Joined
Nov 26, 2004
Messages
8,042 (1.10/day)
Location
Canuck in Norway
System Name Hellbox 5.1(same case new guts)
Processor Ryzen 7 5800X3D
Motherboard MSI X570S MAG Torpedo Max
Cooling TT Kandalf L.C.S.(Water/Air)EK Velocity CPU Block/Noctua EK Quantum DDC Pump/Res
Memory 2x16GB Gskill Trident Neo Z 3600 CL16
Video Card(s) Powercolor Hellhound 7900XTX
Storage 970 Evo Plus 500GB 2xSamsung 850 Evo 500GB RAID 0 1TB WD Blue Corsair MP600 Core 2TB
Display(s) Alienware QD-OLED 34” 3440x1440 144hz 10Bit VESA HDR 400
Case TT Kandalf L.C.S.
Audio Device(s) Soundblaster ZX/Logitech Z906 5.1
Power Supply Seasonic TX~’850 Platinum
Mouse G502 Hero
Keyboard G19s
VR HMD Oculus Quest 3
Software Win 11 Pro x64
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22,508 (6.03/day)
Location
The Washing Machine
System Name Tiny the White Yeti
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar b650m wifi
Cooling CPU: Thermalright Peerless Assassin / Case: Phanteks T30-120 x3
Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance 30CL6000
Video Card(s) ASRock RX7900XT Phantom Gaming
Storage Lexar NM790 4TB + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 980 1TB + Crucial BX100 250GB
Display(s) Gigabyte G34QWC (3440x1440)
Case Lian Li A3 mATX White
Audio Device(s) Harman Kardon AVR137 + 2.1
Power Supply EVGA Supernova G2 750W
Mouse Steelseries Aerox 5
Keyboard Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint II
VR HMD HD 420 - Green Edition ;)
Software W11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Benchmark Scores Over 9000
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
Wow. Context. Thanks!

HOWEVER Overwatch as I read it is in no way related to VAC. Its a separate system and the reports you get served as a member are not at all generated by those 1700 CPUs.

So, please don't act smart
I does. Because if VAC was working as intended you wouldn't have to report people or encounter blatant wallhacking, aimbots, spinbots, triggerbots and bunny-hopping scripts in overwatch.
I play CSGO a bit less than it's release. I know what I see every day in Overwatch, I know what I encounter every other day in Competitive, and every day in Casual.
Clearly you don't, if you did, you would know what overwatch is. So why do you think you are competent to discuss CSGO and it's cheating/anti-cheating?

Edit
i still see this type of stuff every other day on average. Those 1700 cpus working their magic.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22,508 (6.03/day)
Location
The Washing Machine
System Name Tiny the White Yeti
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar b650m wifi
Cooling CPU: Thermalright Peerless Assassin / Case: Phanteks T30-120 x3
Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance 30CL6000
Video Card(s) ASRock RX7900XT Phantom Gaming
Storage Lexar NM790 4TB + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 980 1TB + Crucial BX100 250GB
Display(s) Gigabyte G34QWC (3440x1440)
Case Lian Li A3 mATX White
Audio Device(s) Harman Kardon AVR137 + 2.1
Power Supply EVGA Supernova G2 750W
Mouse Steelseries Aerox 5
Keyboard Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint II
VR HMD HD 420 - Green Edition ;)
Software W11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Benchmark Scores Over 9000
I does. Because if VAC was working as intended you wouldn't have to report people or encounter blatant wallhacking, aimbots, spinbots, triggerbots and bunny-hopping scripts in overwatch.
I play CSGO a bit less than it's release. I know what I see every day in Overwatch, I know what I encounter every other day in Competitive, and every day in Casual.
Clearly you don't, if you did, you would know what overwatch is. So why do you think you are competent to discuss CSGO and it's cheating/anti-cheating?

Of course you would still encounter them. If any company had a perfect anti-cheat there would never have been an issue in the first place. This is not isolated in any way to CS:GO you see it everywhere.

Not once did I say I feel competent with CS:GO's anti cheat... I think that is clear and the only reason is because CS:GO is a game with lots of people with stinky attitudes, that I try to stay far away from.. (read between the lines here...). But I cán read, and I do know quite a few things about online gaming and cheating in general, and Overwatch is just a 'Valve way of doing a service' (read: saving money on their own mods), it has no relevance with regards to how well VAC works or doesn't work. In fact, this is what a learning process and AI is all about: constant training. Nowhere, in any situation is any number of CPUs a guarantee for accuracy in abstract matters.

For example, for Dota 2 it (VAC) is incredibly effective on its own.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
Like I said, you need to play CSGO for a long time and experience everything chronologically to fully understand the crap that is VAC in CSGO and all the "promises" Valve makes/made about it.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22,508 (6.03/day)
Location
The Washing Machine
System Name Tiny the White Yeti
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar b650m wifi
Cooling CPU: Thermalright Peerless Assassin / Case: Phanteks T30-120 x3
Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance 30CL6000
Video Card(s) ASRock RX7900XT Phantom Gaming
Storage Lexar NM790 4TB + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 980 1TB + Crucial BX100 250GB
Display(s) Gigabyte G34QWC (3440x1440)
Case Lian Li A3 mATX White
Audio Device(s) Harman Kardon AVR137 + 2.1
Power Supply EVGA Supernova G2 750W
Mouse Steelseries Aerox 5
Keyboard Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint II
VR HMD HD 420 - Green Edition ;)
Software W11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Benchmark Scores Over 9000
Like I said, you need to play CSGO for a long time and experience everything chronologically to fully understand the crap that is VAC in CSGO and all the "promises" Valve makes/made about it.

No, its the same everywhere honestly. Cheaters versus anti-cheat is a constant battle just like the one between scene groups and publishers of games.

Referring to Blizzard, but also to for example games like The Division: only with dedicated in-house moderation and banwaves to put the scare in people, can you get real success. Or your game's code is designed in such a way that you simply do everything server side. Both options are costly, and eat into a game's profit margin. That is all this is... Overwatch and these CPUs may show merit but they will only do so after having been in place for a loooong time. Perhaps even too long for CS:GO itself.
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
There is no battle in CSGO, 90% of the time VAC doesn't work, and most is left to Overwatch.
 
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
22,508 (6.03/day)
Location
The Washing Machine
System Name Tiny the White Yeti
Processor 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI MAG Mortar b650m wifi
Cooling CPU: Thermalright Peerless Assassin / Case: Phanteks T30-120 x3
Memory 32GB Corsair Vengeance 30CL6000
Video Card(s) ASRock RX7900XT Phantom Gaming
Storage Lexar NM790 4TB + Samsung 850 EVO 1TB + Samsung 980 1TB + Crucial BX100 250GB
Display(s) Gigabyte G34QWC (3440x1440)
Case Lian Li A3 mATX White
Audio Device(s) Harman Kardon AVR137 + 2.1
Power Supply EVGA Supernova G2 750W
Mouse Steelseries Aerox 5
Keyboard Lenovo Thinkpad Trackpoint II
VR HMD HD 420 - Green Edition ;)
Software W11 IoT Enterprise LTSC
Benchmark Scores Over 9000
There is no battle in CSGO, 90% of the time VAC doesn't work, and most is left to Overwatch.

Alright. Let's follow this line of reasoning keeping in mind the Valve slides in the OP.

This whole thing is built as a constant process, so if 'Overwatch' is supposed to do the 'feeding', how come people can still cheat and it is still rampant in CS:GO? That only happens because that circle you see, really doesn't exist, the constant feedback loop is simply not there. Valve is just outsourcing work and AI is a great excuse to hide that, because nobody really knows when it should actually pay off.

The problem isn't VAC, its CS:GO and the way it is coded, plus a total lack of in-house moderating. To leave it to players and feed those players with edge cases from VAC says nothing about VAC and everything about Valve's approach. You may very well be right that VAC doesn't work for CS:GO, but saying VAC is shit because of that is jumping to conclusions when it does prove effective in other titles.
 
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Messages
2,141 (0.53/day)
Location
Serbia
Processor Ryzen 5600
Motherboard X570 I Aorus Pro
Cooling Deepcool AG400
Memory HyperX Fury 2 x 8GB 3200 CL16
Video Card(s) RX 6700 10GB SWFT 309
Storage SX8200 Pro 512 / NV2 512
Display(s) 24G2U
Case NR200P
Power Supply Ion SFX 650
Mouse G703 (TTC Gold 60M)
Keyboard Keychron V1 (Akko Matcha Green) / Apex m500 (Gateron milky yellow)
Software W10
Well i did clearly say Vac in CSGO, and this is a CSGO related article, of course I'm limiting myself to CS when bashing Vac.
 
Top