The Valve Anti-Cheat system runs on servers displaying the "Secured" shield logo. If a user connects to a VAC-Secured server while using a cheat, the VAC system will ban the user from playing on VAC-Secured servers in the future.

While server admins may choose to ban specific players, server admins cannot VAC ban players. The VAC system is automated - contacting Steam Support to report cheaters is not necessary, nor will Steam Support act on any information provided.

All VAC bans are permanent - Valve has a zero-tolerance policy for cheaters.

The VAC system does not generate false-positives. Only hacks and cheats (modifications designed to give one player an advantage over other players) will trigger a VAC ban - any modifications to a game's core executable files (.EXE) or dynamic link library (.DLL) files will trigger the VAC system.

The following will not trigger a VAC ban:

• Using chat programs like X-Fire
• Playing multi-player mods which do not modify core .EXE and .DLL files
• System hardware configurations
• Playing with custom skins

Use only trusted machines to play on VAC-Secured servers - if you are not sure whether or not the machine you are using to connect to Steam may have cheats installed, do not play on VAC-Secured servers.

For more information on Valve's policies, please see the Steam Subscriber Agreement and the Rules of Steam Online Conduct.

I get the error: 'Your connection to this secure server has been rejected. Because of past cheating violations, you have been banned from playing on all secure servers'

If your account has been banned by the VAC system for cheating, there are several important considerations:

Steam Support cannot remove the ban on your account.

Regardless of whom was using your account at the time it was banned. The use and security of your Steam account is your responsibility.

The details of the ban will not be provided.

Steam Support will not disclose the cheats that were detected running on your system or the date and time the infraction took place.

VAC may not ban you immediately - the cheating violation may have occurred days or even weeks before the ban is apparent on your account.

Your account may still be used to play on unsecured servers.

Your account may still be used to play single-player games, or to connect to non-secure game servers and for games played over a LAN. To find non-secure servers, please change your filter settings in the server browser list to show servers which are not VAC-secured (from the Steam main menu go to the View option, select Servers and then select "Not secure" in the Anti-Cheat drop-down).

Deleting an account will not release its CD Key(s) to be used on other accounts. It is recommended that you not register retail products or purchase new Steam subscriptions on your banned account.

If you choose to purchase a new copy of the game, please register it or install it under a newly-created Steam account. Prior to installing, remove all cheats from your system - if you do not know where the cheats were installed, you may want to consider reformatting the machine and starting over with a fresh installation of your operating system.