Rust Server Anti-Cheat Setup: Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up anti-cheat on a Rust server helps keep gameplay fair by detecting and blocking common cheats like aimbots, ESP, and speed hacks. This guide walks you through enabling and configuring the built-in anti-cheat (EAC and VAC), adding server-side plugins for extra protection, and tuning settings to reduce false positives. You’ll need access to your server’s control panel or FTP, and the ability to edit configuration files.

What You’ll Need

• Admin access to your Rust server (control panel, FTP, or RCON)
• A text editor (like Notepad++ or VS Code) for editing config files
• If using plugins: a plugin manager like Oxide or uMod installed on your server

Step-by-Step

1. Enable Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) and VAC – In your server’s startup parameters (usually in the control panel under “Startup” or “Command Line”), ensure the following flags are present: -eac for EAC and -vact for VAC. If they are missing, add them. These are the first line of defense against known cheats.
2. Restart the server – After changing startup parameters, restart the server completely. Verify EAC and VAC are active by checking the server console output; it should show lines like “Easy Anti-Cheat enabled” or “VAC secure”.
3. Install Oxide/uMod (if not already) – Download the latest Oxide build from the official uMod site, extract the files into the server’s root folder (where RustDedicated.exe is), and restart the server. This allows you to use anti-cheat plugins.
4. Add a server-side anti-cheat plugin – Popular plugins include AntiCheat (by VisEntities) or TrueBlack. Download the .cs or .dll file from uMod, place it in the oxide/plugins folder, and reload it via the console command oxide.reload AntiCheat (or the plugin’s name).
5. Configure the plugin – Most anti-cheat plugins generate a config file in oxide/config after first load. Open the config file (e.g., AntiCheat.json) and adjust settings like Enabled, ViolationLevels, and KickOnViolation. Set violation levels to a reasonable threshold (e.g., 5-10) to avoid false kicks.
6. Set up automatic actions – In the plugin config, define what happens when a player is caught: log the offense, warn, kick, or ban. For a public server, start with logging and warning, then escalate to kicks after you’re confident the settings are stable.
7. Enable server-side logging – In the plugin config, ensure LogToFile is true. Also enable Rust’s built-in logging by adding -logfile to startup parameters. This creates logs you can review to spot cheat patterns.
8. Test with a friend – Have a trusted player join and try a known cheat (like a speed hack) to see if the plugin catches it. If it doesn’t, check the plugin’s documentation for additional required settings.
9. Monitor and adjust – Regularly check the logs and the plugin’s violation reports. Adjust sensitivity levels based on real player behavior to minimize false positives while keeping cheaters out.

Common Mistakes

• Forgetting to add both EAC and VAC flags – Some server panels only show one; make sure both are present.
• Not restarting after config changes – Plugin configs often only load on server start or plugin reload. Always reload the plugin after editing its config.
• Using outdated plugin versions – Rust updates frequently; an outdated anti-cheat plugin may miss new cheats or crash. Always keep plugins up to date.
• Setting violation thresholds too low – This leads to false bans for legitimate players (e.g., lag spikes). Start with higher thresholds and lower them gradually.
• Ignoring false positives – If a plugin flags a player who isn’t cheating, adjust the plugin’s sensitivity or whitelist that player temporarily while you investigate.

Tips

• Use a whitelist – Most anti-cheat plugins allow you to whitelist admins or trusted players. Add them to avoid accidental kicks during testing.
• Combine with manual monitoring – Plugins aren’t perfect. Use the server’s playerlist and status commands to spot suspicious behavior like impossible kill distances.
• Keep backups of your config – Before changing anything, copy the current config file. If something breaks, you can restore it quickly.
• Announce your anti-cheat – Let players know you have anti-cheat active. This deters many casual cheaters.
• Set up a ban appeal process – Even with good settings, mistakes happen. Have a clear way for players to appeal bans, like a Discord server.

Troubleshooting

• Plugin not loading – Check the Oxide log (oxide/logs) for errors. Common causes: missing dependencies, incompatible Rust version, or file permissions. Make sure the plugin file is in the correct folder and the server has read access.
• Players getting kicked randomly – This usually means violation thresholds are too low or the plugin is detecting false positives (like high ping). Increase the violation threshold or disable specific checks that are causing issues.
• EAC/VAC not activating – Verify the flags are exactly -eac and -vact (case-sensitive). Some server hosts have a toggle in the control panel instead of command line; enable it there.
• Plugin works but doesn’t catch cheaters – Some cheats bypass basic checks. Update the plugin, or consider adding a second plugin like RustAdmin for additional detection methods.
• Server crashes after installing plugin – Remove the plugin file and restart. If the server runs fine, the plugin is incompatible. Try a different anti-cheat plugin or contact the plugin author for support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Rust have built-in anti-cheat?

Yes, Rust uses Easy Anti-Cheat (EAC) and Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) by default. You just need to enable them with startup flags.

Can I ban players permanently with anti-cheat plugins?

Yes, most plugins allow you to set automatic bans after a certain number of violations. You can also manually ban using the ban command in console.

Will anti-cheat plugins affect server performance?

Minimally. They run in the background and only check player actions. On a small server (under 50 players), the impact is negligible.

How do I whitelist a player?

In the plugin config, there is usually a Whitelist list where you can add Steam IDs. Alternatively, some plugins have an in-game command like anticheat.whitelist add [ID].

What should I do if a player claims a false ban?

Check the plugin logs to see what triggered the ban. If it was a false positive, unban the player and adjust the plugin settings to prevent it from happening again.

Do I need a separate anti-cheat for modded servers?

No, the same plugins work on modded servers. Just ensure the plugin is compatible with your modded setup (e.g., with other plugins that might interfere).

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