Buying used CPUs can expose users to existing bans from anti-cheat engines, and there's no way to check for violations before purchase
A German gamer was banned from the video game Valorant after buying a used AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D processor that was previously flagged by the game's anti-cheat system.
The processor worked fine on the new machine, but the gamer was immediately kicked out of the game. The ban was triggered by the processor's hardware ID, which was blacklisted by Vanguard on Aug. 12, 2026, for cheating.
the CPU they bought on Sep. 21, 2026, was blacklisted by Vanguard on Aug. 12, 2026, because its previous user apparently cheated on Valorant
Riot Games states the ban duration is four months, though other anti-cheat engines enforce permanent bans using similar hardware ID systems.
Hardware Bans and Expiration Dates
The gamer reached out to Riot for support and found out the specific reason for the block. However, while the CPU has a ban enforced, Riot Games says the ban duration is four months.
However, while the CPU has a ban enforced, Riot Games says the ban duration is four months
