Modern Warfare 4 launched on 23 October 2026 with Ricochet anti-cheat live from day one. Launch week brought new detections aimed at DMA cheats, a server-side system called server culling that hides enemy positions you should not see, and a hard requirement for TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot on PC. Here is each change, where it was reported and what it means in practice.
New detections for DMA cheats
The Call of Duty team says new Ricochet detections targeting DMA cheats went live ahead of DMZ Early Access, earlier in launch week (GoNintendo, 23 October). DMA cheats use extra hardware to read game information from outside the gaming PC, which is why they were built to get around software anti-cheat. Activision says it will keep updating these detections as cheat makers adapt.
Server culling against wallhacks
Ricochet now withholds the location of opponents your PC should not have access to (Worthplaying, 2 October). When you should not have access to a player's position, the server does not send it, so there is nothing on your machine for a wallhack to read. It covers every launch map, including DMZ and Combat Outpost, and new maps for Multiplayer, DMZ and Warzone from Season 1.
In plain terms: any ESP, ours included, can only draw players the server has sent to your game. Expect players you have no line to at all to show up less than they did in older Call of Duty titles.
TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot are required on PC
Activision lists TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot as required to play MW4 on PC, alongside DirectX 12 and an SSD (Activision Support). The Call of Duty blog describes them as part of Ricochet's hardware-based protection (Call of Duty blog, 29 September). If you cannot get online, check both first. Our guide to checking TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot takes two minutes.
Hardware bans carry over from earlier games
Team Ricochet reported more than 70,000 new hardware bans before launch and said they carry into MW4, along with about 5,000 accounts banned for cheating with Cronus Zen, XIM and similar devices (GosuGamers). A hardware ban targets the machine, so a fresh account does not get around it. Team Ricochet has also committed to weekly anti-cheat updates through MW4 Season 1 (MW4.GG).
What this means if you play with Pandora's Box
Our Call of Duty build is external and runs beside the game, and one key covers MW4 multiplayer and Warzone. Ricochet changing every week means builds change too. When the game or Ricochet updates, we push a new build, and if it needs testing first the live status page says so. Check it before every session.
No cheat is risk free, and account bans are permanent in Call of Duty. If a build is not safe, it is paused rather than sold, and paused days are added back to your plan. You can see what the build includes on the MW4 cheat page and every plan length on the pricing page.