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nProtect GameGuard (HackShield)

By INCA Internet (nProtect) / Wellbia legacy · Kernel-level · In use since 2002 · Uses a kernel driver

GameGuard, distributed under the nProtect brand by INCA Internet, is one of the longest-running kernel-mode anti-cheat systems in the Korean MMO market. It loads a kernel driver alongside the game client, hooks into Windows process and memory APIs, and pairs each session with a remote integrity check before granting login. Enforcement is operated by the publisher of the affected title; GameGuard itself does not maintain a player-facing appeal channel.

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Restriction tiers

  • Account suspension

    Time-limited or permanent action on the publisher account.

  • Device-tier restriction

    Restriction matched against the device fingerprint; new accounts on the same machine are blocked.

  • Network restriction

    IP-tier blocks observed on repeat detections, particularly for VPN traffic patterns.

What it checks

How nProtect GameGuard (HackShield) looks for cheats, as far as this is publicly known.

  • Kernel-mode driver with periodic memory and module sweeps
  • Hooking of process creation and module-load APIs
  • Server-side session integrity check at login
  • Pattern matching against a maintained library of cheat signatures
  • Detection of debugger and analysis tools running in parallel

Identifiers it can use

Data that can tie a ban to your device rather than only to your account.

  • SMBIOS board and chassis serials
  • Disk and storage controller identifiers
  • MAC addresses of physical network adapters
  • Windows MachineGUID and product identifiers
  • Publisher account graph (NEXON ID, NCSOFT ID, Pearl Abyss ID, etc.)

Points an appeal can make

Arguments that can matter in an appeal, depending on your facts.

  • Publisher support submission with the GameGuard reference identifier
  • Account ownership and primary-user evidence for shared devices
  • GDPR Art. 15 access request where the publisher operates within EU scope

How appeals are handled

Where appeals go and what to expect from the process.

  • GameGuard does not host an appeal counterparty; the publisher of the title does
  • Translated submissions are often required for KR-headquartered publishers
  • First responses are template-driven; structured resubmission is the norm

Evidence to collect

Keep these before you send anything to the publisher.

  • Publisher notice and reference identifier
  • GameGuard log directory (GameMon, npgg)
  • Installed-software inventory and driver list
  • Account purchase and login history

Games that use nProtect GameGuard (HackShield)

This page summarises public information. Anti-cheat vendors do not publish every detail of how their systems work, so read it as background, not as an explanation of how your own case was decided.

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