Gab Hernandez 
Windows announced a change in its approach to security, and it may cause Vanguard to break for League of Legends, Valorant, and 2XKO.
While League of Legends still ranks among the most-played games in modern times, there’s always something for fans to criticize. One such concern is the use of Vanguard in League of Legends. Cheating has always been a problem for League of Legends, and according to Riot, the anti-cheat software Vanguard has reduced cheating significantly since its release.
However, many experts have raised concerns over Vanguard’s kernel-level access to the computer. Riot has notably standardized Vanguard for its other games including 2XKO and Valorant. That meant Riot’s anti-cheat software had full access to any machine it was on. Reports of Vanguard’s negative effects vary in authenticity and volume, but it remains a heated topic. With Microsoft’s upcoming security changes for Windows, Riot may have to rethink its stance with kernel-level anti-cheats.
Will the next Windows update break League of Legends Vanguard?
Windows will still allow kernel access as an option for security software but will reportedly have more security measures outside of it.
In September 2024, Microsoft held the Windows Endpoint Security Ecosystem Summit. The event, primarily held because of the notorious CrowdStrike incident in July, focused on new ways for security vendors to protect Windows machines.
Concerning kernel mode security software, Microsoft has acknowledged the necessity of security measures outside of kernel-level access. While Riot isn’t known to have done anything nefarious with Vanguard, the chief concern is a malicious user finding an exploit and potentially destroying thousands of machines through Vanguard.
If properly implemented, some speculate it could render Vanguard obsolete on Windows. However, some fans think that Microsoft just did Riot’s job for them, and the developers seemingly agree. Microsoft’s added security measures outside of kernel-level access could theoretically lower the chances of Vanguard’s exploitation, and keep League of Legends and Valorant players safe.
“As was foretold, a future will eventually arrive where we can rely on the security features of Windows to protect its own kernel, instead of protecting it from boot with a driver. This will allow us the opportunity to start our anti-cheat services when the game client runs, provided the end-user has opted into all of these features,” stated the developers in a League of Legends blog post in August 2024.
Whatever the future holds for Vanguard, fans can only hope that Riot remains dedicated to keeping players safe, not just from cheaters but also from Vanguard itself.
