Riot Games Vanguard Anti Cheat Patch Targets DMA Hardware Using IOMMU To Permanently Block Unauthorized Firmware Exploits Across Valorant Systems
Riot Games has rolled out a large security patch to their kernel level Vanguard anti cheat software for Valorant which kicks off a targeted blockwave targeting DMA hardware. The new patch implemented advanced defensive capabilities by permanently disrupting unauthorized firmware that attempts to exploit memory protections through SATA & NVMe storage interfaces.
The update takes advantage of the IOMMU (Input Output Memory Management Unit) which translates device visible virtual addresses into physical memory. During gameplay Vanguard initiates an IOMMU restart warning on the operating system. Upon being triggered this defensive measure implements persistent read blocks on the offending hardware. This modifies the handling of the hardware, effectively rendering DMA firmware completely unusable, even after quitting the Valorant game client and uninstalling the Vanguard software on a system.
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Reports from targeted hardware users claim that system is permanently modified against the flagged device, currently there is no publicly known solution for returning the ability of a system to communicate with the hardware that does not include 1 full reinstall of the operating system. The depth to which the firmware blockage modifies the system's memory virtualization layers does not permit its removal without a complete operating system reset.
This targeted security offensive has essentially removed the bulk of publicly and privately available custom firmwares from circulation. This defense initiative has been so wide in scale, that the top of the line H2 board hardware has also been completely blocked. The ability for the software to block a piece of hardware from functioning by mimicking legitimate SATA and NVMe storage controllers is a huge stride forward in the battle against advanced hardware based cheats.
The usage of IOMMU virtualization techniques allows for a complete containment and denial of operation of peripheral devices, effectively nullifying any stealth DMA hardware may have previously held over software based detections. It is expected that this type of virtualization defense will be adopted by other online competitive multiplayer games who have vulnerabilities towards similar hardware exploits.
