EA Unveils Controversial Kernel-Level Anti-Cheat System for FIFA 23 on PC

Electronic Arts has unveiled a controversial new anti-cheating system for the forthcoming PC edition of FIFA 23, referred to as a kernel-level anti-cheat. Known as EA AntiCheat, this system is compulsory for specific competitive games and will debut alongside FIFA 23 on PC. The primary objective is to safeguard PC gamers, as well as console players who may face PC opponents, from cheaters.

This cutting-edge approach to combating cheating software delves deep into the kernel level of the operating system, providing unprecedented proximity to the core components of a user’s PC. At this level, evading detection becomes substantially more challenging for any program, which is why kernel-level anti-cheat solutions have become increasingly prevalent.

Cheating software creators often employ deeply embedded drivers to manipulate games, a tactic that standard anti-cheat tools may fail to detect. In such cases, there isn’t a typical “cheat program” actively running that can be identified. Kernel-level anti-cheat software, however, can identify these drivers, along with virtually any other software running on a PC.

It’s crucial to note that game developers claim they are only interested in identifying cheats and have designed their software accordingly. EA emphasizes that EA AntiCheat solely gathers information about programs that interact with the protected game, without accessing sensitive data like passwords, emails, or photos.

Furthermore, EA employs hashing to encrypt any sensitive data collected. A notable advantage of this system is that it terminates when the associated game is closed, unlike some other anti-cheat programs that run continuously, such as Riot Games’ software.

Following its debut alongside FIFA 23, this software will be introduced to PC versions of other competitive online games later this month. For single-player games and multiplayer titles lacking leaderboards or competitive progression systems, alternative security measures may be employed.