Modern Warfare 4 Anti-Cheat and Ban Risk: What RICOCHET, TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot Mean
An honest overview of Modern Warfare 4's anti cheat setup, PC security requirements and the real account risks of third party software.
If you are searching for information on Modern Warfare 4 and anti cheat, you probably want a straight answer. Here it is: the game uses RICOCHET Anti-Cheat, it has tougher PC requirements than many shooters, and no third party tool can be promised as completely safe.
What RICOCHET is
RICOCHET is the anti cheat system used across modern Call of Duty titles. For Modern Warfare 4, it includes server side analytics, detection systems, mitigations and account security measures. Activision may also add further security measures over time, so what is true at launch can change.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot
On PC, Modern Warfare 4 requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot. These are system level security features. If you are unsure whether you have them, you can check in Windows system information and your motherboard BIOS settings. Without them enabled, the game may not run properly on your machine.
For anyone considering third party software, these requirements matter because they affect what a product needs to support. Always check a product page for supported Windows versions, CPU compatibility and any listed security requirements.
What can happen if you use unauthorised software
Activision's rules do not allow it, and consequences can include:
- Temporary account restrictions
- Permanent account bans
- Removal from Multiplayer or DMZ
- Loss of progression, inventory or purchased content
- Restrictions affecting connected Call of Duty titles
- Additional platform account consequences
Why nobody can promise safety
Anti cheat systems get updated, detection methods change, and account behaviour is analysed over time. A product that is fine today may not be tomorrow. Be wary of any seller who uses words like guaranteed or undetectable. The more honest approach is clear status information, update monitoring after patches and good support.
What sensible customers look for
If you decide to use third party software, you can reduce confusion by choosing products that show:
- Current online or offline status
- Supported game version and update history
- Clear installation instructions
- Configurable settings rather than all or nothing features
- Support you can actually contact
Our buying checklist goes through these in more detail. If you have previously been banned and want to know about hardware level bans, see our explanation of what an HWID ban is.
It is your decision
Whether to use third party software is your choice, and you take on the risks that come with it. If you want to see what is currently available, check the Modern Warfare 4 cheats page for status, features and compatibility.