Online shooters live or die by justice

In a game like PUBG: Battlegrounds, even one cheater can ruin the entire match for 99 other players. That's why PUBG Studios and Krafton have spent years building an anti-cheat layer designed to detect, block, and block hackers as quickly as possible.

However, despite millions of bans, players still encounter cheaters on a regular basis. So how does PUBG actually fight hackers behind the scenes, and why is the battle so difficult?

Here, we take a closer look at the technology, systems, and community reports that are shaping PUBG's current fight against cheating.

Why PUBG is a prime target for hackers

Battle royale games are particularly attractive to cheat developers for the following reasons:

The match is very competitive
Ratings and statistics are important
A rare victory looks worthwhile
Streaming and eSports create pressure to perform

This creates demand for hacks such as:

aimbot
wall hack
radar cheat
return script
Hardware DMA Cheat
speed khaki

Some cheat tools now operate at the Windows kernel level, making them extremely difficult to detect using traditional anti-cheat software. Modern cheats are constantly being updated to circumvent security systems, turning anti-cheating into a never-ending arms race.

PUBG uses multiple anti-cheat levels

Unlike older games that used a single detection system, PUBG uses multiple layers of protection.

These would include:

Client-side anti-cheat monitoring
Server-side behavioral analysis
Equipment bans
SMS verification
Machine learning detection systems
Manual surveys
Community Reports

PUBG also discussed more robust detection systems for advanced cheating techniques such as DMA-based hardware attacks. According to community discussions on PUBG's anti-cheat roadmap, the company permanently banned approximately 260,000 DMA-related cheaters in 2025 alone.

Ranked mode provides even more security

PUBG Ranked mode offers stricter protection than regular matchmaking. According to PUBG support documents, ranked players may be required to verify their accounts using SMS authentication. If a verified account is blocked, the associated device may also be permanently blocked.

The rating system also requires:

Minimum level of account development
put a match
Competitive matchmaking limitations

These barriers help slow down newly created fraudulent accounts.

Server-side discovery is becoming increasingly important

One of the main weaknesses of traditional anti-cheat systems is that they allow hackers to take control of your computer. If a cheat can evade local scanning, it will be harder to detect. This is why modern multiplayer games increasingly rely on server-side behavioral analysis.

Researchers studying anti-cheat systems in FPS have shown that suspicious aiming patterns, impossible reaction times, and unnatural movement behavior can reveal cheaters even if they avoid detection by clients.

Simply put, PUBG servers can analyze:

precision model
motion tracking
headshot frequency
Instant aiming movement
match statistics
Unusual gameplay consistency

This is one reason why some bans occur days after cheating instead of immediately.

Reddit gamers say cheating remains a big problem

Despite these systems, many players believe that cheating is still one of PUBG's biggest problems. On Reddit, players regularly describe encounters with:

Wallhack users
Instant shots
Suspicious Ranked Matches
High-profile accounts are openly cheating

One player claimed to have encountered "7 blatant cheaters" in a single week, while others claimed the anti-cheat system was struggling to keep up with the hacks.

Another Reddit thread discussing PUBG's anti-cheat roadmap showed mixed reactions. Some players appreciated the transparency, while others felt that the cheating situation was already hurting the competitive nature of the game.

This highlights an important reality.

Even strong anti-cheat systems rarely eliminate cheating completely. Their real goal is usually to reduce cheating and ensure that most matches remain fair.

Why is anti-cheating so difficult?

Cheat developers act like real software companies. Some also sell subscriptions.
Some hacks are updated daily. Some use encrypted hardware devices.
Some cheats are tested on our anti-cheat system before being published. This creates a constant loop.

Game developers improve detection
Cheat developers adapt
New techniques also appear
Anti-cheat system is growing again

Kernel-level anti-cheat systems have become more common, as much sophisticated cheat code now operates deep within the operating system itself.

But aggressive anti-cheat practices also create controversy, as some players worry about privacy, system performance, or false bans.

Real PUBG strategy: Make cheating expensive

It may be impossible for any competitive online game to completely eliminate hackers.

Instead, PUBG seems to be focusing on cheating:

more difficult
more expensive
easier to detect
ban sooner

This includes:

Prohibition of equipment
SMS authentication
behavioral artificial intelligence system
Community reporting tool
Regular anti-cheat updates

The goal is simple.

Keep enough hackers out of the game so that legitimate players can enjoy a fair game. And in modern online games, this struggle never ends.

According to insights from EpicTop100, modern multiplayer games face increasingly complex anti-cheat challenges

For more gaming industry insights, see EpicTop100