How to configure anti-cheat on your Project Zomboid server

Here’s how to configure the built-in anti-cheat on your Project Zomboid server, including what each check does and whether it bans, kicks, or only logs players.

These settings apply to Build 42, the current stable build. Build 41 (legacy41) still uses the older AntiCheatProtectionType options. If you are on Build 41 and players are kicked for malformed packets, follow How to Fix Malformed Packet Detected for Project Zomboid.

Note

Mods can trigger the anti-cheat by mistake. When this happens, the kicked or banned player sees a message like Malformed packet detected. If players are being kicked or banned this way, set the related option to 3 or 4.

What the numbers mean

Each anti-cheat option in your server ini takes a number that decides what happens when a player trips that check:

Value	Action
1	Ban the player.
2	Kick the player.
3	Log it only. The player stays connected and admins get a warning in admin chat.
4	Disabled.

What each option checks

Option	What it checks	Default
AntiCheatSafety	PVP safety toggle abuse.	2
AntiCheatSpeed	Players moving faster than possible.	2
AntiCheatNoClip	Players walking through walls (noclip).	4
AntiCheatHit	Hit damage, hit distance, weapons, and vehicle hits.	2
AntiCheatPacketException	Malformed or unexpected network packets.	4
AntiCheatPermission	Admin-only powers used by regular players.	2
AntiCheatXP	XP gains that are too large.	2
AntiCheatSafeHouse	Safehouse ownership and membership.	2
AntiCheatPlayer	Player stats, state updates, and targeting.	2
AntiCheatChecksum	Game and mod file checksums.	2

AntiCheatNoClip and AntiCheatPacketException ship disabled (4). Those two are the checks most often tripped by lag or mods.

Change the settings

1. Open the AleForge Panel and stop your server
2. Go to Files
3. Open .cache/Server/
4. Open your server ini. If you did not change the save name, this is dedicated.ini. The file name matches the Internal Save Name on the Startup page
5. Find the option you want to change, for example AntiCheatSpeed
6. Set it to a value from the table above:

AntiCheatSpeed=3

7. Save the file and start your server

If the ini is missing, start the server once so Project Zomboid creates it, then stop the server before editing.