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Used Ryzen 7 5800X3D came with an unexpected extra: a Riot hardware ban
VideoCardz.com • • technology
Key Points:
- A buyer of a used Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU encountered a hardware ban when trying to play Valorant, as Riot Vanguard blocked access due to the processor being linked to a previous owner's cheating ban.
- Riot support confirmed the previous owner had received a hardware ID (HWID) ban, which associates the physical CPU and other components like the motherboard with Vanguard’s hardware block list.
- HWID bans affect physical PC components rather than just Riot accounts, meaning using a different account or reinstalling software does not bypass the restriction.
- Riot Vanguard can use TPM 2.0 hardware identity, including the TPM Endorsement Key, to enforce bans tied to specific hardware, sometimes requiring banned users to replace CPUs to avoid detection.
- There is currently no practical way for buyers to check if a used CPU is hardware banned before purchase, and no similar GPU hardware ban reports have surfaced yet.
