Modern Warfare 4 Anti-Cheat Explained
A clear breakdown of the anti-cheat layers Activision is using in Modern Warfare 4 and what each one means for PC players.
Anti-cheat in Call of Duty has changed a lot since Ricochet first appeared. Modern Warfare 4, released October 23, 2026, brings several layers together. Here is a plain explanation of each one, based on what Activision has publicly said.
What Ricochet is
Ricochet is Activision's in-house anti-cheat system for the Call of Duty series. It covers Modern Warfare 4 along with recent Call of Duty titles and Warzone. On PC it uses a kernel-level driver, which gives it deep visibility into what is running on the system.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot
For the Modern Warfare 4 beta and launch, Activision requires TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC before you can play online. Both are Windows security features that make low-level tampering harder. If you are not sure whether yours are on, our TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot setup guide walks through it step by step.
Hardware bans
Activision has said its hardware bans have been strengthened, so a ban is meant to affect the PC itself and not just the account. This is why many players who get banned ask what an HWID ban is and how long it lasts. In short, the punishment is tied to identifiers of your hardware, which is what makes it harder to shrug off than an account ban.
Server culling
Server culling is a newer layer aimed at wallhacks. The idea is that the server avoids sending enemy position data to your client when that enemy should not be visible to you, so there is less information to reveal in the first place. Activision has said this applies to all maps at launch, with new live-season maps covered going forward.
Weekly updates
Activision has committed to regular anti-cheat updates through the end of Season 1. That is a useful signal for anyone paying attention to this space: the rules and the risks are not static, and what was true at launch may change within weeks.
What this means for players
For honest players, these changes are good news. For anyone considering third-party software, they mean the environment is more demanding than it was in earlier Call of Duty games. If you are weighing that decision, read our breakdown of whether Modern Warfare 4 cheats are safe and make sure you understand the risks before you buy anything, including from us.