Got too much free time this quarantine period?
If so, you might be pleased to know Riot Games is offering a $100,000 bounty if you find bugs, exploits, or any flaws in Valorant’s anti-cheat system— Vanguard.
Despite being in its beta stage, developers want to implement an effective anti-cheating system for the hyped game as early as now.
No Place for Cheaters
Riot further explained “Vanguard” and the on-going bug bounty hunt in an official statement:
“To reinforce our commitment to our players’ security, we are offering special bounties for up to $100,000 for high quality reports that demonstrate practical exploits leveraging the Vanguard kernel driver.”
There are six varying categories of rewards to be awarded among anti-cheat bounty hunters, from $25,000 to $100,000.
This new policy is designed to scope out potential cheaters and make the game’s anti-cheat system as impenetrable as it can get.
The Catch
The $100,000 bounty might sound like a one-time big-time jackpot, but the amount range of $25,000 to $100,000 is actually the maximum bounty for every category there is.
To further clarify the matter, Riot stated:
“…The actual bounty paid out depends on the impact and practicality of the exploit presented.”
In a gist, you need to find some sort of vulnerability in Vanguard— Valorant’s anti-cheat system, that hasn’t been revealed or shared elsewhere on the internet.
You are also required to present replicable proof to Riot to back-up your claims.
Riot Games delved on its decision to issue such a challenge in a blogpost:
“If you think you’ve found a flaw in Vanguard that would undermine the security and privacy of players, please submit a report right away and you may be eligible for a big bounty payout.”
Focus on Fairness
Valorant is designed to focus on fairness among players, grounded on the idea to create a game that’s precise, consequential, and highly-lethal.
Riot also wants the game to prioritize “skill and strategy alone.” Hence even when the game is not being played, Vanguard is designed to run with high privileges and it comes automatically attached with every download of Valorant.
If you want to learn more, Riot Games revealed the requirements for every reward and presented a comprehensive list of tips to help you score one.
The challenge was posted on HackerOne, a famous site for tech companies offering various incentives for hackers to try and expose any possible security breach in their software.
The hype for the upcoming 5v5 shooter continues by the day! Riot is taking security matters seriously for its next big game, and you may just help crack down on possible exploits.
If you want to contribute and become a part of Valorant’s community, start your (virtual) bug hunting today.
