Battle Against XIM and Cronus Cheaters: Call of Duty’s Latest Challenge

Activision Takes Action Against Cheating Devices in Call of Duty

Activision is once again addressing the issue of third-party hardware cheating devices in Call of Duty. Players using devices like XIM, Cronus Zen, and ReaSnow S1 to gain unfair advantages that exploit aim assist have been a persistent problem in both Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops 7. To combat this, Activision is implementing new detection methods to ban these devices.

Activision’s Richochet team states, “These devices are not allowed in Call of Duty. They are considered cheating tools, even if they claim to be accessibility devices.” Activision previously took steps to address these devices in Call of Duty: Warzone and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II three years ago, with varying degrees of success.

Activision acknowledges the challenges in detecting these devices, as they are designed to evade detection by hiding, adapting, and changing configurations. The constant evolution of these devices, with regular updates from manufacturers and availability at major retailers, poses a challenge for anti-cheat developers.

In response, Activision is updating its detection software to focus on player inputs rather than attempting to detect the physical devices. By analyzing input timing, consistency, and response patterns, Activision aims to differentiate between natural human play and machine-assisted input. This approach allows them to identify behaviors such as recoil control, aim precision, and input consistency that exceed what is achievable with a standard controller or mouse.

The new third-party device detection methods will be introduced alongside the launch of season 2 of Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 later this week. Additionally, Activision, now owned by Microsoft, is implementing stronger cloud-based anti-cheat technology that utilizes Microsoft Azure Attestation to verify PCs and prevent attempts to bypass system-level security measures. This enhanced detection system will debut in Ranked Play matches and will build upon existing TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements.