VectorGuard

# VectorGuard **Production-grade combat anti-cheat for Paper servers.** VectorGuard is a 100% server-side anti-cheat plugin focused exclusively on **combat detection**. It uses packet-level analysis, tick-based telemetry, and multi-signal detection to identify cheaters with high accuracy and minimal false positives. Built from the ground up for modern Paper servers (1.20.x–1.21.x) with Java 21. --- ## Product Overview VectorGuard is a combat-only anti-cheat designed to catch the most common PvP exploits while staying light on performance and fair on legitimate players. Every check uses multiple independent signals (rotation, timing, movement, cooldown usage, and hit validation) and applies buffered violations with decay, so one-off spikes do not punish normal players. Ping-aware thresholds and packet-timing compensation reduce false positives for high-latency players. Administrators get a fast response workflow: clickable in-game alerts with action buttons, a threat score that aggregates risk across checks, and a visual report command for quick evidence review. A built-in GUI lets staff adjust thresholds, toggle checks, and tune punishments without editing files or restarting the server. Alerts can also be mirrored to Discord for off-server monitoring. VectorGuard ships as a single jar with no external dependencies. PacketEvents is embedded, and the plugin runs entirely server-side with no client mod required. --- ## Features ### Detection Engine - **19 combat checks** targeting the most common cheat modules including Mace PvP exploits, crystal PvP automation, bow manipulation, and inventory exploits - **Multi-signal compound detection** — each check combines multiple independent signals for high confidence - **Buffered violation system** with configurable decay — prevents single-tick flukes from triggering punishments - **Latency compensation** — all checks account for player ping to avoid false-flagging high-ping players - **Tick-based analytics** with per-player position history and rotation profiling ### Admin Experience - **Clickable chat alerts** with action buttons: `` `` `` `` - **Threat score system** — composite 0–100% risk assessment across all checks - **Visual threat reports** via `/vg report <player>` - **Sound alerts** for online admins (configurable) - **Discord webhook integration** for off-server monitoring - **In-game GUI** for editing thresholds, toggling checks, and tuning punishments ### Architecture - **100% server-side** — no client mod required - **PacketEvents** embedded and shaded — zero external dependencies - **Modular check system** — each check is independent and fully configurable - **Performance profiler** built-in (`/vg profile`) - **Multi-version support** — Paper 1.20.x through 1.21.x --- ## Checks ### Combat | Check | Description | |-------|-------------| | **Aimbot** | Detects snap rotations, acceleration spikes, over-smooth curves, and precision patterns consistent with aim assistance | | **TriggerBot** | Identifies automated attack timing with near-zero reaction delay after crosshair alignment | | **AutoTotem** | Catches unrealistically fast offhand totem swaps during lethal damage windows | | **Reach** | Eye-to-hitbox distance verification with ping, sprint, and movement leniency | | **Velocity** | Detects Anti-Knockback by verifying displacement after server-sent velocity packets | | **Criticals** | Identifies fake critical hits via spoofed position packets (abnormal crit rate, ground-flag oscillation, tiny Y offsets) | | **AutoClicker** | Catches robotic click patterns through timing variance analysis (stddev, CPS, coefficient of variation) | | **KillAura** | Detects multi-target attacks, angle mismatch, wall attacks, and perfect cooldown abuse | | **Sprint** | Identifies backwards sprinting, KeepSprint, and sprint-toggle patterns around attacks | | **MaceSpoof** | Detects spoofed fall-distance position packets for fake Mace smash damage (Criticals-Mace exploit) | | **MaceNoFall** | Catches NoFall + Mace combos: players deal Mace fall-bonus damage but evade fall damage on landing | | **MaceSwap** | Identifies automated weapon switching to Mace during falls (AttributeSwap / auto-swap patterns) | | **CrystalAura** | Detects automated crystal place-and-break cycles (superhuman crystal attacks/sec, place→break pairing, fast-break ratio) | | **BowManipulation** | Catches BowSpam and BowAimbot via charge variance analysis, fire rate, and abnormal hit rates at distance | | **InventoryCleaner** | Identifies inhuman inventory manipulation speed (AutoTotem swaps, chest stealing, combat inventory use) | | **AutoWeapon** | Detects automated weapon switching around attacks (pre-attack swap ratio, A→B→A swap-back patterns) | | **HitboxExpand** | Catches expanded entity hitboxes via lateral offset analysis and edge-hit rate tracking | | **AutoArmor** | Detects automated armor equipping during combat (rapid armor clicks, anti-break durability s