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Valve will VAC ban you automatically for username
1
#1
0 Frags +

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/7ndjdt/valve_will_vac_ban_you_automatically_for_having/

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Source-1-Games/issues/2475

TLDR: dont name your linux account name (not steam username) to catbot

Whats funny is the source code of the cheat behind the bots has been publicly available on github for over a year, and this is still the best they can do.

Valve said the bug report is incorrect

wickedplayer494McJohn pretty much said "fake news":
/u/vMcJohnHi! Valve employee here. The bug report is incorrect. VAC will not ban you for simply having catbot in your user name (either your steam profile or on one or more of your linux accounts).

The bug report--and I suspect many of the posts in this thread--are a tactic employed by cheaters to try and sow discord and distrust among anticheat systems.

VAC has many different types of detections and we cannot discuss what they do publicly because doing so makes them less effective. However, one thing I can disclose is that all detections require that the detection occur while a user is actively cheating and connected to a VAC-secured server.

Linux historically hasn't been a problem for cheating--the base rate of cheating is significantly lower on Linux than it is on Windows. Unfortunately, a "healthy" community of cheaters grew up around catbot on linux and their impact on TF became large enough that they simply could no longer be ignored. Those banned users are very annoyed that VAC has dropped the hammer on them.

Kisak moderates many of valve's github bug repositories for us in an attempt to keep the bugs high quality and actionable. The VAC team asked him to close the issue in question and to indicate that github was not an appropriate location to discuss VAC bans. He did so, and we support this action.

For proof that I am a Valve employee, you can check my posting flair in the other subs I post on (/r/CSGO and /r/tf2) or a mod can message me and we can work on confirmation using my work email and PMs.
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/7ndjdt/valve_will_vac_ban_you_automatically_for_having/

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/Source-1-Games/issues/2475

TLDR: dont name your linux account name (not steam username) to catbot

Whats funny is the source code of the cheat behind the bots has been publicly available on github for over a year, and this is still the best they can do.

Valve said the bug report is incorrect

[quote=wickedplayer494][url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/7ndjdt/valve_will_vac_ban_you_automatically_for_having/ds2dulw/]McJohn pretty much said "fake news":[/url]

[quote=/u/vMcJohn]Hi! Valve employee here. The bug report is incorrect. VAC will not ban you for simply having catbot in your user name (either your steam profile or on one or more of your linux accounts).

The bug report--and I suspect many of the posts in this thread--are a tactic employed by cheaters to try and sow discord and distrust among anticheat systems.

VAC has many different types of detections and we cannot discuss what they do publicly because doing so makes them less effective. However, one thing I can disclose is that all detections require that the detection occur while a user is actively cheating and connected to a VAC-secured server.

Linux historically hasn't been a problem for cheating--the base rate of cheating is significantly lower on Linux than it is on Windows. Unfortunately, a "healthy" community of cheaters grew up around catbot on linux and their impact on TF became large enough that they simply could no longer be ignored. Those banned users are very annoyed that VAC has dropped the hammer on them.

Kisak moderates many of valve's github bug repositories for us in an attempt to keep the bugs high quality and actionable. The VAC team asked him to close the issue in question and to indicate that github was not an appropriate location to discuss VAC bans. He did so, and we support this action.

For proof that I am a Valve employee, you can check my posting flair in the other subs I post on (/r/CSGO and /r/tf2) or a mod can message me and we can work on confirmation using my work email and PMs.[/quote][/quote]
2
#2
62 Frags +

imagine getting hired to write anti-cheat software for a company so you add a measure where you automatically ban people with a certain phrase in their username

imagine getting hired to write anti-cheat software for a company so you add a measure where you automatically ban people with a certain phrase in their username
3
#3
30 Frags +

tis begin the reign of dogbots

tis begin the reign of dogbots
4
#4
20 Frags +

Also, it's intentional

https://i.imgur.com/D7XCVEQ.png

edit: correct pic

Also, it's intentional

[img]https://i.imgur.com/D7XCVEQ.png[/img]

edit: correct pic
5
#5
29 Frags +

does that mean they can't detect the cheating program so they have to choose this questionable way to deal with it?
i hope not

does that mean they can't detect the cheating program so they have to choose this questionable way to deal with it?
i hope not
6
#6
14 Frags +

im living on the edge i gonna call myself catbot now

im living on the edge i gonna call myself catbot now
7
#7
18 Frags +

*

*
8
#8
13 Frags +

now the bots change their name randomly, good job valve.

now the bots change their name randomly, good job valve.
9
#9
46 Frags +

why are valve so fucking stupid

why are valve so fucking stupid
10
#10
12 Frags +

fun fact: Said cheat was already updated to use random names instead and guess what? the VAC detection method is still present

fun fact: Said cheat was already updated to use random names instead and guess what? the VAC detection method is still present
11
#11
60 Frags +

Just to clarify, this was for your machine username or hostname, not Steam display name.

Just to clarify, this was for your machine username or hostname, not Steam display name.
12
#12
1 Frags +

maybe if valve spent more time and money developing and improving vac then it wouldn’t have to autoban usernames just to remove hacking bots from tf2

but nah fuck that, just keep creating artificial economies

maybe if valve spent more time and money developing and improving vac then it wouldn’t have to autoban usernames just to remove hacking bots from tf2

but nah fuck that, just keep creating artificial economies
13
#13
0 Frags +

Because actually enhancing VAC's cheat detection was just too difficult for Valve.

Because actually enhancing VAC's cheat detection was just too difficult for Valve.
14
#14
23 Frags +

what a bunch of fucking apes, imagine being so shit at your job you can't stop an open source free hack on an open source free operating system.

what a bunch of fucking apes, imagine being so shit at your job you can't stop an open source free hack on an open source free operating system.
15
#15
5 Frags +

Also, this might seem very simple, but VAC on Windows has very simple checks too. This is probably just one step in their game of cat and mouse for catbots. We'll have to see if Valve continues to add more complex checks in the future, or if this is all they plan to do.

Also, this might seem very simple, but VAC on Windows has very simple checks too. This is probably just one step in their game of cat and mouse for catbots. We'll have to see if Valve continues to add more complex checks in the future, or if this is all they plan to do.
16
#16
35 Frags +

dumbest thing i've read in 2018 by far

dumbest thing i've read in 2018 by far
17
#17
-15 Frags +

I'm gonna miss those guys on harvest servers in casual, but they'll be back, I'm hopeful.

I'm gonna miss those guys on harvest servers in casual, but they'll be back, I'm hopeful.
18
#18
20 Frags +

how much money do they make again

how much money do they make again
19
#19
4 Frags +

This year started well

This year started well
20
#20
28 Frags +

Next we get our $1million major

Next we get our $1million major
21
#21
57 Frags +

I investigated a bit more into the users that complained on that GitHub report, and looks like all of them use cheats and/or develop cheats.

(including BenCat07 who posted on this thread and is now VAC banned on their Steam)

BenCat07fun fact: Said cheat was already updated to use random names instead and guess what? the VAC detection method is still present

Remember what Gabe Newell said a few years back about cheaters spreading misinformation about VAC. https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/

You might think it's funny to make fun of Valve, but think about who is controlling the conversation and who'd like you to distrust VAC and Valve.

I investigated a bit more into the users that complained on that GitHub report, and looks like all of them use cheats and/or develop cheats.

(including BenCat07 who [url=http://www.teamfortress.tv/45458/valve-will-vac-ban-you-automatically-for-username#10]posted on this thread[/url] and is now VAC banned on [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/BenCat08/]their Steam[/url])

[quote=BenCat07]fun fact: Said cheat was already updated to use random names instead and guess what? the VAC detection method is still present[/quote]

Remember what Gabe Newell said a few years back about cheaters spreading misinformation about VAC. https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/1y70ej/valve_vac_and_trust/

You might think it's funny to make fun of Valve, but think about who is controlling the conversation and who'd like you to distrust VAC and Valve.
22
#22
7 Frags +

and now the plot thickens

and now the plot thickens
23
#23
-14 Frags +
mastercomsI investigated a bit more into the users that complained on that GitHub report, and looks like all of them use cheats and/or develop cheats.

(including BenCat07 who posted on this thread and is now VAC banned on their Steam)

if people are saying they're getting randomly vac banned for something silly it's pretty dumb to point at their vac ban and call them a cheater, just saying

[quote=mastercoms]I investigated a bit more into the users that complained on that GitHub report, and looks like all of them use cheats and/or develop cheats.

(including BenCat07 who [url=http://www.teamfortress.tv/45458/valve-will-vac-ban-you-automatically-for-username#10]posted on this thread[/url] and is now VAC banned on [url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/BenCat08/]their Steam[/url])[/quote]
if people are saying they're getting randomly vac banned for something silly it's pretty dumb to point at their vac ban and call them a cheater, just saying
24
#24
Patch Notes
33 Frags +

McJohn pretty much said "fake news":

/u/vMcJohnHi! Valve employee here. The bug report is incorrect. VAC will not ban you for simply having catbot in your user name (either your steam profile or on one or more of your linux accounts).

The bug report--and I suspect many of the posts in this thread--are a tactic employed by cheaters to try and sow discord and distrust among anticheat systems.

VAC has many different types of detections and we cannot discuss what they do publicly because doing so makes them less effective. However, one thing I can disclose is that all detections require that the detection occur while a user is actively cheating and connected to a VAC-secured server.

Linux historically hasn't been a problem for cheating--the base rate of cheating is significantly lower on Linux than it is on Windows. Unfortunately, a "healthy" community of cheaters grew up around catbot on linux and their impact on TF became large enough that they simply could no longer be ignored. Those banned users are very annoyed that VAC has dropped the hammer on them.

Kisak moderates many of valve's github bug repositories for us in an attempt to keep the bugs high quality and actionable. The VAC team asked him to close the issue in question and to indicate that github was not an appropriate location to discuss VAC bans. He did so, and we support this action.

For proof that I am a Valve employee, you can check my posting flair in the other subs I post on (/r/CSGO and /r/tf2) or a mod can message me and we can work on confirmation using my work email and PMs.
[url=https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/7ndjdt/valve_will_vac_ban_you_automatically_for_having/ds2dulw/]McJohn pretty much said "fake news":[/url]

[quote=/u/vMcJohn]Hi! Valve employee here. The bug report is incorrect. VAC will not ban you for simply having catbot in your user name (either your steam profile or on one or more of your linux accounts).

The bug report--and I suspect many of the posts in this thread--are a tactic employed by cheaters to try and sow discord and distrust among anticheat systems.

VAC has many different types of detections and we cannot discuss what they do publicly because doing so makes them less effective. However, one thing I can disclose is that all detections require that the detection occur while a user is actively cheating and connected to a VAC-secured server.

Linux historically hasn't been a problem for cheating--the base rate of cheating is significantly lower on Linux than it is on Windows. Unfortunately, a "healthy" community of cheaters grew up around catbot on linux and their impact on TF became large enough that they simply could no longer be ignored. Those banned users are very annoyed that VAC has dropped the hammer on them.

Kisak moderates many of valve's github bug repositories for us in an attempt to keep the bugs high quality and actionable. The VAC team asked him to close the issue in question and to indicate that github was not an appropriate location to discuss VAC bans. He did so, and we support this action.

For proof that I am a Valve employee, you can check my posting flair in the other subs I post on (/r/CSGO and /r/tf2) or a mod can message me and we can work on confirmation using my work email and PMs.[/quote]
25
#25
18 Frags +
nopeif people are saying they're getting randomly vac banned for something silly it's pretty dumb to point at their vac ban and call them a cheater, just saying

Except if you look at their GitHub profile, they have a history of contributing to and reporting bugs for catbot, which is what I pointed out a sentence before (it's even in your quote).

[quote=nope]if people are saying they're getting randomly vac banned for something silly it's pretty dumb to point at their vac ban and call them a cheater, just saying[/quote]
Except if you look at their GitHub profile, they have a history of contributing to and reporting bugs for catbot, which is what I pointed out a sentence before (it's even in your quote).
26
#26
-9 Frags +

can someone on linux test this like right now

can someone on linux test this like right now
27
#27
8 Frags +
gibuscan someone on linux test this like right now

I am not falling for this bait.

[quote=gibus]can someone on linux test this like right now[/quote]

I am not falling for this bait.
28
#28
-2 Frags +

really cool how the day that you create ur tftv profile, you make this thread :thinking:

really cool how the day that you create ur tftv profile, you make this thread :thinking:
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