Riot Vanguard is Riot Games’ custom game security software designed to prevent cheating and ensure a fair competitive experience for their players. It has raised concerns because it runs at the kernel level. This means it has the authority to monitor and manipulate the low-level functions of the computer like I/O controllers, CPU control registers, or RAM data which holds information like enemy locations.
The problem arises when cheaters run software at this level, using this data to gain an unfair advantage. Without matching this level of monitoring, it’s hard to know if the data is true or if it has already been manipulated by a cheating program. So when trying to detect cheaters it makes a lot of sense to grant that access, but this has notoriously caused problems with hardware monitoring and controlling software, including CORSAIR iCUE.
If you play League of Legends or Valorant, you will be required to use Vanguard at all times while the game is running. If you aren’t having issues, then there is no need to change anything. But if you do run into problems, close iCUE prior to launching the game. Remember to check the system tray, click the iCUE logo, then click the "Quit" button.
While we understand this may not be ideal, we appreciate the work Riot has done to reduce cheating and create great gaming experiences. We have made all the adjustments we can without compromising on the functionality of iCUE but some users may continue to run into problems. We will continue to update our software and look for potential solutions as both programs evolve over time.
To help reduce any issues, make sure all your software is up to date, including Windows, iCUE, and Vanguard. If you rely on iCUE to augment your gaming experience, such as with key bindings or remaps, check out our guide on setting up hardware functions so you can continue to add functionality without iCUE running. For more information about Riot Vanguard, check out Riot’s support page.
