Steam VAC handling questions

This is primarily a question to all you Server Admins out there. I am hosting my own Rust server, the box is mine, I have access to it, it's all dedicated. It's a Linux box, installed Rust via LGSM.

The question is, does Rust server come with VAC auto enabled? Do I need to install it or enable it? Or is that a feature you cannot have if you host your own box?

On a side note, how do you guys handle VAC bans? I had two players login to my server, they did nothing wrong, however looking through RustAdmin logs I noticed they each had a VAC ban. In addition, I looked them up on RustAdminDB and they had been banned from a server a day before for apparently being, I quote "Trolls/Minge".

So after seeing that, I banned both of them from my server. I have a website with a forum and they're asking me why I banned them, since they did nothing wrong, which they haven't...yet...is what im afraid of.

Have any of you encountered a dilemma like this before? How would you or did you handle it?

Thanks guys!

 

So since I'm hosting my own Rust server, and players login through the Steam client, would a VAC ban simply prohibit them from playing Rust? I saw that Rust was indeed part of the VAC enabled list on Steam, however I was just sort of confused as to how that works. I know VAC runs randomly, and checks processes running in the background of computers running the Steam client, and if they notice a process which is interpreted as a "hack" tool of sorts, it gives you a VAC ban. But how does the VAC ban apply to Rust?

Also how do I check to ensure my server has EAC enabled? Is it enabled by default?

Thanks for the info Wulf!

 

I never ban players based off their past ban history, if you think someone is suspicious keep a close eye on them before banning them for no reason.

 

Alright, so I guess the money question is, would my own Rust server be considered a Steam-enabled server?

I'm contemplating letting them back in but I don't know. Thanks for your input though.

 

I am pretty sure console command `server.secure false` disables Steam Network Ban Management `antihack.enabled false` should disable EAC
[DOUBLEPOST=1472963817][/DOUBLEPOST]Even in Garry's Mod there is an option to disable VAC protection on your server

 

Thank you very useful. I found the Easy Anti Cheat true or false option in server.cfg file, but nothing in there in relation to Steam. Ill run the server.secure true command tomorrow, and then I assume save.write? Or config.save? Write.config? Lol.

Another silly question on the side. What do you look for if you believe a player is hacking? Are there certain keywords that I should look for in logs? Or any other preventive measures apart from VAC and enabling EAC?

thanks for your feedback.

 

Much obliged Wulf. Do you run a Rust or Oxide modded server Wulf?

 

I believe I remember him saying he only runs a private one for plugin testing and development

 

VAC is handled by the client because it'd be terrible if server owners could just add bans to a global ban database.
EAC is handled by the server and manages local bans.
Do not ban people before they did anything wrong.
You can spectate people. I don't remember the command, but you can "roughly" go into first person mode.
You can never be completly sure whether people are hacking, not even anti cheats can be completly sure.

 

VAC may be handled by the client but it's up to the server owners if they want there server protected by VAC. I believe it's also more of a Client Server Combo

 

Sure, the point is that VAC detects bans on the client, not on the server.

 

Agreed