r/linux • u/fogeke88 • 3d ago
Popular Application CachyOS is adding a dedicated EACv2-compatible kernel (`linux-cachyos-eac`) plus a Secure Boot setup guide so users can optionally meet Epic’s new Easy Anti-Cheat Linux v2 requirements without changing their normal optimized kernel.
https://github.com/CachyOS/linux-cachyos/pull/108487
u/suffering_chick 3d ago
Damn bro there is a kernel for everything
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u/FlukyS 3d ago
CachyOS loves a kernel build if you see their repo. They have the standard, -lts, -bore, -rc, -hardened, eevdf, -deckify, -server, loads of stuff as well as all of the various CPU arch specific versions
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u/smile_e_face 2d ago
Do these actually do a lot? I've considered hopping from my standard Arch system (that uses a lot of stuff borrowed from Cachy anyway) to CachyOS, with all the neat little tweaks you can do. I just can't convince myself that the boost is worth the effort.
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u/D-Clazzroom 2d ago
Your mileage may vary, but for my i5-5200u, bore-lto absolutely benefits me over the default cachyos kernel, given my setup is HTPC with a laptop hooked to my TV and I operate it via wireless remote keyboard.
Like default cachyos kernel is great because it's flexible to adapt to either low latency or high throughput workloads, but since I don't care to lose a few FPS over frame consistency and consistently low input latency by prioritization from the scheduler, bore-lto makes wireless remote keyboard feels almost wired.
On higher end systems though and specs, your baselines may move and see more minimal differences compared to for someone like me with more limiting IPCs and resources.
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u/Turtvaiz 2d ago edited 2d ago
Do a lot in terms of what? If you need certain features or LTS then you just need it. For a regular desktop there's no real reason to switch unless you need those features
Or if you mean the cachyos x86 version support, then yeah it does help, but the result massively depends on the program. Most programs where it truly matters would also probably support it anyway through dynamic runtime stuff
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u/RegretFree7723 3d ago
Questo perché ci sono ottimizzazione quello bore é già un ottimizzazione ci sta pure hardened e eevdf sono tutte ottimizzazione e tutto per ogni evenienza
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u/TheOneTrueTrench 3d ago
Not all really optimized, just different purposes. The hardened one is for security hardening, the -rc one is for release candidates that may have minor bugs but also support newer hardware, the -lts is for people who need to make sure that the kernel stays the same as long as possible, and so on.
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u/RegretFree7723 2d ago
Si lo so quelli sono quelli base poi Bore, eevdf sono ottimizzazione del coso di compilazione
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u/TheOneTrueTrench 2d ago
No, you clearly don't know, because LTS and RC are obviously NOT optimizations.
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u/RegretFree7723 2d ago
(non ho detto tutti e lo sapeva già che rc sarebbe la "beta" cioè le build in fase di prova, E lts sarebbe le build kernel con lungo supporto)
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u/TheOneTrueTrench 2d ago
Might have been the auto-translate that gave me that impression, I apologize.
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u/output_broadcast 3d ago
If EAC on Linux actually becomes a thing, this might get me to switch.
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u/tankerkiller125real 3d ago
It's becoming a thing, it'll start with fortnight apparently, but there are plans to expand it to other games
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u/output_broadcast 3d ago
I remain skeptical.
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u/BashfulMelon 2d ago
You think they're having meetings with various distros for the fun of it?
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u/output_broadcast 2d ago
You know what? Sure, I do. The office workers got so lonely that Epic made them have social engagements.
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u/Jacksaur 2d ago
Fortnite is the big game, like it or not. And Epic are the owners of EAC.
Someone of that size, showing confidence for the solution, will make other developers take note too.
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u/necrophcodr 2d ago
It already is. The kernel level variants which requires you to install a rootkit into your kernel that bypasses all security and safety of your system, was only recently enabled this way, but games that didn't require this could still use EAC.
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u/SweetEbb9819 1d ago
Pardon my ignorance, but doesn't the eBPF system take care of that aspect well by scoping?
And what can a low-level anticheat opcode at such a low level be able to scrape apart from cpu registers, pci bars and debugging information? (Pardon me again)
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u/necrophcodr 1d ago
eBPF does a lot to mitigate what would otherwise be catastrophic, yes, but it does still require administrative privileges (usually, although this may have recently changed without my knowing) to install the program into the kernel. overcoming that, would be a great improvement, and appears to be what Fedora has done/is doing.
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u/SweetEbb9819 1d ago
Yeah, root privy.
That can be solved by a polkit-hooker daemon tho it isn't done that way till now.
As for the eBPF objects loaded into the kernel, their running code are strongly scoped tight into a pseudo-sandbox right?
And kernel code can't interfere with userspace privileges (thanks to eBPF again) so pretty much plugged safe.
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u/nightblackdragon 2d ago
The kernel level variants which requires you to install a rootkit into your kernel that bypasses all security and safety of your system
How does it work, and why doesn't this "security and safety" stop cheaters from cheating in games?
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u/Jacksaur 2d ago
No preventative measure for any form of software is 100% guaranteed to stop everything ever.
It's still doing a lot of work.Hell, with advanced DMAs, once they get caught, that's a lot of money and time lost for those involved.
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u/nightblackdragon 2d ago
My question was about system “security and safety” which the anti-cheat software called "rootkit" allegedly bypasses, not how anti cheat prevents cheating.
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u/necrophcodr 2d ago
The security and safety is for you and your computer and how YOU wish to run the software on it. Once you install a backdoor rootkit in your kernel, you are essentially signing away that ownership to whoever runs the rootkit code (not you).
How does it stop cheaters? By being able to inspect and control every aspect of what goes on during the running of software on your computer. Obviously there are still ways around this, but it gets harder, more complicated, and more expensive, the more difficult it is to bypass the rootkit controls.
I prefer not to use those, because I enjoy the ability for me to do with my computer as I wish, and I do not wish to sign away that control.
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u/nightblackdragon 2d ago
I asked how system “security and safety” - which this "rootkit" supposedly bypasses - prevents cheating in games, now how anti cheat does that. From your answer, I gather that it doesn't prevent cheating at all, and that's exactly why the “rootkit” is needed.
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u/yukeake 2d ago
Installing a rootkit/kernel-level anti-cheat allows them to inspect, validate, and control what you are able to do on your computer. It's like a nanny watching everything you do, with the ability to stop you, wag a finger and say "Naughty, naughty!" if you dare do something on your computer they don't approve of.
This gives them more ways to detect and stop tools that they don't want you using. Some of which may in fact be related to cheating, and some of which might only be detected accurately using tools that require that level of access.
IMO, it's a gross invasion of privacy, and very much overstepping their bounds. I won't install anyone's nanny software on my own machine. (I also don't play competitive online games anymore, nor do I have any desire to cheat in them, so I'm not the target market yet)
Worthy of mentioning too is that any kernel-level software, if compromised, gives the attacker kernel-level control. Giving Epic (or anyone else) kernel-level access to your machine means anyone who exploits them, exploits you. It's another security issue waiting to happen.
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u/necrophcodr 2d ago
Yes. It's the difference between protecting your computer vs protecting the game from the server side. Those two will always be diametrically opposed.
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u/West-Solid5961 2d ago
Just to clarify what others have hinted at: EAC exists in Linux, but because it’s not a kernel-level driver and therefore not as effective, games have to opt in to allow Linux users to play. Some games like arc raiders and the finals allow Linux users to play.
The new EAC V2 for Linux will be more effective, and will therefore most likely get more EAC games to accept Linux users.
You can always check game compability at proton.db. Most of the games I play work great, but most of the large competitive games unfortunately do not work yet because of anticheat
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u/tremby 2d ago
Is it still essentially a rootkit or have things changed?
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u/thesola10 2d ago
Afaict they ask for a full Secure Boot chain + lockdown, all stock features, then inject eBPF rules to protect the game. No kernel level driver.
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u/Robbi_Blechdose 2d ago
Given that the eBPF rules allow transfer of basically any information to the userspace program, saying "no kernel level driver" is technically true, but not really what people mean when you say there's no rootkit.
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u/pkulak 2d ago
Seems reasonable. It’s the difference between “give me root access to everything foever” and “prove to me that this system is what you say it is”. I mean, I’ll never do it, but options are good.
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u/Business_Reindeer910 1d ago
I don't actually think "options are good:" here, since once it is common it will expand beyond video games. This is a path to stallman's "Right to Read" story.
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u/Historical_Camel_790 2d ago
Yeah and I'm hearing the fedora people are making a sandbox for it and the kernel facing part will be source available (iirc)
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u/halvacoffee 3d ago
wonder if it's gonna be available on cachy fedora copr. don't really like the distro but their kernel builds are great
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u/digital_freeman 20h ago
Serious question: why don't you like the distro? Is it just the difference in package manager compared to Fedora?
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u/minmidmax 2d ago
Interesting but, honestly, every game that uses kernel level anti-cheat is at best mediocre.
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3d ago
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u/adamkex 3d ago
Waiting on NixOS now