Call of Duty is taking another swing at hardware-based cheating. Activision says it rolled out new RICOCHET Anti-Cheat detections targeting Direct Memory Access, or DMA, cheats ahead of DMZ Early Access earlier this week. The update adds another layer of protection as the publisher builds out its anti-cheat tools for Modern Warfare 4.
Activision also shared screenshots of reactions to the DMA ban wave, including complaints about permanent bans and hardware bans.
In brief:
- New RICOCHET detections targeting DMA cheats went live ahead of DMZ Early Access.
- DMA cheats use external hardware to access hidden game information, including enemy locations.
- Activision shared reactions to the ban wave, but the supplied announcement includes no ban total.
- An updated Secure Attestation Wizard aims to help PC players resolve security configuration issues.
How Call of Duty’s RICOCHET Update Targets DMA Cheating
According to Activision’s announcement, DMA cheats use external hardware to obtain information players shouldn’t have access to during a match. That includes details about opponents and their in-game positions.
These setups are designed to evade traditional software-based protections by operating outside the PC running Call of Duty. RICOCHET’s new detections specifically target this method of cheating.
Activision hasn’t explained the technical details of the new detections in the supplied statement.
Activision Shares Reactions to the DMA Ban Wave
In some screenshots shared by Activision, one person describes seeing numerous reports of permanent bans across different chats. Other messages mention hardware bans and DMA users being caught during the same evening.
These screenshots offer a glimpse of the reaction Activision is highlighting. However, the announcement provides no total for banned accounts or figures showing how much DMA cheating has dropped. The scale of the crackdown remains unclear.
Activision says it will continue adjusting its methods as cheat developers change theirs, with DMA detection forming part of RICOCHET’s wider protections for Modern Warfare 4.
Call of Duty Updates Its Secure Attestation Wizard
Alongside the DMA crackdown, Activision addressed PC players who are still running into secure attestation problems.
The publisher’s support page lists Secure Attestation Wizard version 1.3.0, updated on October 21, 2026. The tool checks whether a PC meets Call of Duty’s security requirements and provides guidance when settings need attention.
In its accompanying statement, Activision highlighted two recurring issues:
- AMD 3.x.0.x: Identified as the most common problem currently affecting players.
- Lenovo devices: Users are reporting problems at higher rates than those using other manufacturers.
According to Activision, affected Lenovo users who cannot find the necessary BIOS update need to contact Lenovo directly because the relevant update has not been made publicly available.
Players struggling with these checks can find the wizard and troubleshooting guidance on Activision’s TPM and Secure Boot support page. Modern Warfare 4 requires both TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot for online play, making those configuration issues particularly frustrating for anyone trying to get into a match.
