  Addressing a critical aspect of cybersecurity in online gaming, this paper
systematically evaluates the extent to which kernel-level anti-cheat systems
mirror the properties of rootkits, highlighting the importance of
distinguishing between protective and potentially invasive software. After
establishing a definition for rootkits (making distinctions between rootkits
and simple kernel-level applications) and defining metrics to evaluate such
software, we introduce four widespread kernel-level anti-cheat solutions. We
lay out the inner workings of these types of software, assess them according to
our previously established definitions, and discuss ethical considerations and
the possible privacy infringements introduced by such programs. Our analysis
shows two of the four anti-cheat solutions exhibiting rootkit-like behaviour,
threatening the privacy and the integrity of the system. This paper thus
provides crucial insights for researchers and developers in the field of gaming
security and software engineering, highlighting the need for informed
development practices that carefully consider the intersection of effective
anti-cheat mechanisms and user privacy.
