For gamers invested in competitive titles like Valorant, running into obscure system errors can be the ultimate frustration—especially when those errors are tied not to game performance, but to system-level security features like Secure Boot and TPM 2.0. Since the introduction of Windows 11, Riot Games’ Vanguard anti-cheat system has required both Secure Boot and the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0 to be enabled for optimal security. While these requirements serve an essential function—protecting both the game and the system from sophisticated threats—they have also become a source of frequent headaches for Windows 11 users everywhere.
At its core, Secure Boot is a security standard developed by the PC industry to ensure your PC boots only with software trusted by manufacturers. It leverages the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)—the modern replacement for the aging BIOS system—to validate the authenticity of each boot component through digital signatures. If any bootloader or driver is tampered with or unsigned, Secure Boot blocks it from loading, thereby foiling many types of rootkits and bootkits that attempt to hijack a system in its earliest startup sequence.
Why does Valorant care? Riot’s Vanguard driver loads at boot-level, before Windows itself, to prevent kernel-level cheats. If Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 is missing or turned off, Vanguard refuses to launch, resulting in cryptic “VAN9001”, “VAN9003”, or “VAN: RESTRICTION” errors—the digital equivalent of a bouncer denying you entry. These requirements allow Riot to verify the integrity of your system and offer the same level of defense intended by Windows 11’s own security model.
This prompted Microsoft and vendors to aggressively push for Secure Boot, updated certificate authorities (Windows UEFI CA 2023), and stricter default policies to invalidate older, untrusted bootloaders. If your system or game won’t function without these protections, it’s not just about control or inconvenience—it’s about preventing advanced attacks that could put all your data at risk.
If you’re hitting the Secure Boot wall, it’s a prompt to audit your system’s setup—not just for Valorant, but to ensure your overall device security is as robust as modern threats demand. As daunting as BIOS settings and error codes may seem today, they’re now just a regular part of the toolkit for anyone serious about maximizing both their gaming and digital safety.
For anyone still struggling with Secure Boot errors in Valorant (or elsewhere), patience, careful reading of your motherboard manual, and regular updates are your best friends. And always, always back up your data before diving into UEFI or firmware territory—one wrong setting could make game crashes the least of your problems.
Source: sigortahaber.com Resolving Valorant's Secure Boot Error in Windows 11 | Sigorta Haber
What Is Secure Boot, and Why Does Valorant Require It?
At its core, Secure Boot is a security standard developed by the PC industry to ensure your PC boots only with software trusted by manufacturers. It leverages the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)—the modern replacement for the aging BIOS system—to validate the authenticity of each boot component through digital signatures. If any bootloader or driver is tampered with or unsigned, Secure Boot blocks it from loading, thereby foiling many types of rootkits and bootkits that attempt to hijack a system in its earliest startup sequence.Why does Valorant care? Riot’s Vanguard driver loads at boot-level, before Windows itself, to prevent kernel-level cheats. If Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 is missing or turned off, Vanguard refuses to launch, resulting in cryptic “VAN9001”, “VAN9003”, or “VAN: RESTRICTION” errors—the digital equivalent of a bouncer denying you entry. These requirements allow Riot to verify the integrity of your system and offer the same level of defense intended by Windows 11’s own security model.
The Upside: Benefits of Secure Boot and TPM 2.0
Enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 on your Windows 11 PC provides several tangible benefits:- Malware and Rootkit Protection: By validating each component before Windows loads, Secure Boot blocks the loading of malicious bootloaders and rootkits—malware designed to evade conventional anti-virus by loading first.
- Enhanced Encryption: TPM 2.0 makes more advanced encryption features (like BitLocker and Windows Hello) possible and harder to bypass, providing protection for your credentials and system data.
- System Integrity: Both features contribute to a higher overall trustworthiness of your operating system and any overlapping software, such as anti-cheat drivers in games.
The Downside: Compatibility and Usability Concerns
Nothing in tech is without trade-offs. Secure Boot, while vital for protecting systems, can cause compatibility snags—especially for those running older hardware, customized drivers, or dual-boot (Windows/Linux) configurations:- Grayed Out Options: On some motherboards, Secure Boot settings may be “locked” or grayed out if an admin password isn’t set, or if the system isn’t configured to UEFI mode.
- Legacy Drivers and Recovery: Some drivers or utility disks, especially those written for legacy systems, simply won’t work with Secure Boot enabled. Similarly, Secure Boot can sometimes block certain bootable recovery tools.
- Dual-Boot Challenges: Users running Linux alongside Windows might have to jump through additional hoops, as many Linux distributions now support Secure Boot, but custom kernels or modules may still get blocked.
- Firmware Variability: Different manufacturers use varying names for TPM (PTT for Intel, fTPM for AMD) and Secure Boot options in BIOS/UEFI menus, confusing less experienced users.
Step-by-Step: Fixing Valorant Secure Boot Errors
If Valorant (or more specifically, Vanguard) refuses to play ball and complains that Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 isn’t enabled, you need to tackle the problem at firmware level. Here’s a best-practice walkthrough, cross-checked with Microsoft and leading tech community wisdom:1. Enter Your BIOS/UEFI Firmware
- Reboot your PC and hit the manufacturer’s UEFI entry key during startup (often F2, Del, F10, or ESC).
- Look for a “Boot”, “Security”, or “Advanced” tab.
2. Switch to UEFI Mode (if not already set)
- Secure Boot is only available in UEFI mode, not in Legacy Boot or Compatibility Support Module (CSM) mode. If you see your system in Legacy/CSM, switch it to UEFI.
- Warning: Changing from Legacy to UEFI on an MBR-formatted disk can prevent your PC from booting until you convert the disk to GPT. Use the Windows MBR2GPT tool under guidance if necessary.
3. Enable Secure Boot
- Find the “Secure Boot” option and set it to Enabled.
- Save and exit the BIOS (usually F10).
- If Secure Boot is grayed out, check if your system requires setting an Administrator password, or do a “Factory Reset” of the BIOS settings to clear old key assignments.
4. Check and Enable TPM/Platform Trust Technology
- Look for “TPM” (Trusted Platform Module), “PTT” (for Intel), or “fTPM” (for AMD) in the Security or Advanced tab.
- Make sure it’s set to Enabled.
- Save settings and reboot.
5. Confirm Secure Boot and TPM Status in Windows 11
- Secure Boot: Press
Win+R
, typemsinfo32
, and press Enter. Look for “Secure Boot State”. It should say “On”. - TPM: Press
Win+R
, typetpm.msc
, and press Enter. Under “Status”, you should see “The TPM is ready for use”.
6. Launch Valorant
- If both Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are enabled, open Valorant. Vanguard should load normally, and the error should disappear.
7. If Errors Persist: The “Grayed Out” Dilemma
If you find Secure Boot unavailable or still get a restriction error after enabling the correct settings:- Make sure Windows is installed in UEFI mode. If installed in Legacy mode, consider migrating your installation using Microsoft’s documented MBR2GPT utility.
- Some users report resolving persistent errors by updating the BIOS/UEFI to the latest firmware from the motherboard’s manufacturer.
8. Factory Reset or Clear Secure Boot Keys
- On rare occasions, Secure Boot may display errors or remain stuck due to corrupted Platform Keys (PK/KEK).
- Use the “Factory Reset” or “Clear Secure Boot Keys” option in BIOS. This will reset to manufacturer defaults and usually unlocks Secure Boot configuration.
Common Error Messages and What They Mean
- VAN9001: Your system does not have Secure Boot enabled.
- VAN9003: The system lacks TPM 2.0 support or it is not enabled.
- VAN: RESTRICTION: Generic message indicating at least one of the required security features is missing.
Why Are These Restrictions So Rigid?
Microsoft and Riot Games are not alone in their zeal for hardware-level security. After widespread bootkit and rootkit attacks in 2023, such as the infamous BlackLotus UEFI bootkit (CVE-2023-24932), the industry as a whole redoubled efforts to lock down pre-boot environments. BlackLotus demonstrated how attackers could slip malicious code past traditional defenses and compromise the system even before Windows or any antivirus could load.This prompted Microsoft and vendors to aggressively push for Secure Boot, updated certificate authorities (Windows UEFI CA 2023), and stricter default policies to invalidate older, untrusted bootloaders. If your system or game won’t function without these protections, it’s not just about control or inconvenience—it’s about preventing advanced attacks that could put all your data at risk.
Addressing Fallout: Risks & Caveats of Enabling Secure Boot
While enabling Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 is both a technical and security win, it is not without risks or complications:- Irreversible Changes: In 2024, Microsoft’s Secure Boot certificate update (in response to CVE-2023-24932) became permanent—once revoked or replaced, there’s no rollback even with a fresh install of Windows. Recovery media and boot loaders lacking the new signatures may become unbootable.
- Firmware Bugs: Microsoft, HP, and Qualcomm have acknowledged some firmware may fail to update Secure Boot’s database properly, leaving certain models vulnerable even after updates.
- BitLocker Recovery Prompts: Enabling Secure Boot can sometimes trigger BitLocker to request a recovery key. If you’ve never backed up your recovery key, you could be locked out.
Recommendations Before Making Changes
- Backup Data: Any time you change boot-related settings or update firmware, back up important data.
- Update Firmware Cautiously: Only update using official sources, and ensure your device’s model is listed as compatible for the intended patches.
- Test Recovery Media: Create new USB recovery drives after major Secure Boot updates, since old drives might not be recognized.
Can You Bypass These Requirements?
Some online guides and tools (like Rufus) claim to allow Windows 11 or games like Valorant to run without Secure Boot or TPM 2.0, often via registry tweaks or modified installation media. However, these come with serious caveats:- Unsupported Systems: Microsoft and Riot both explicitly state that these methods render your system unsupported. Updates (particularly security ones) may not be delivered reliably.
- Increased Attack Risk: Modifying core boot settings for convenience undercuts the very security Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 offer, exposing your system to increased risk of rootkits and malware.
- Potential Instability: There are reports of system instability, driver incompatibility, and even future updates breaking these workarounds, leaving users locked out of their machines.
Critical Analysis: Strengths and Weaknesses of Game-Level Security Enforcement
Strengths
- Standardized Security: Requiring Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 across both the OS and game anti-cheat software aligns the security posture, raising the bar for potential attackers.
- Reduced Cheating: Vanguard’s low-level hooks are effective against a wide class of cheats that would otherwise run undetected at the kernel or firmware level.
- Encouragement to Update: These rigid requirements push users to keep systems and firmware updated, indirectly boosting protection across the user base.
Weaknesses and Controversies
- User Friction: The process of enabling Secure Boot and TPM can be daunting, and for less experienced users, anything involving the BIOS/UEFI is a potential minefield.
- Hardware Fragmentation: Not all hardware, especially older devices, supports these technologies. Some users may be forced to upgrade hardware just to play their favorite games or update to Windows 11.
- Service Outages Due to Bugs: A minority of users encounter edge-case firmware bugs or update failures, which can render machines unbootable or require time-consuming fixes, like firmware rollback or factory reset.
- Dual-boot / Custom OS Pain Points: Hobbyists and developers running custom kernels, Linux, or alternative operating systems often butt heads with Secure Boot requirements.
Future-Proofing and Takeaways
With cybersecurity threats growing ever more sophisticated, features like Secure Boot and TPM 2.0 are increasingly non-optional for both consumers and enterprises. Gaming is just one front in this battle—expect similar demands from workplace software, remote access tools, and even productivity applications as hardware-level protection becomes normalized. Vendors are also expected to further tighten recovery and rollback controls, ensuring only the latest and most secure boot components can ever be loaded.If you’re hitting the Secure Boot wall, it’s a prompt to audit your system’s setup—not just for Valorant, but to ensure your overall device security is as robust as modern threats demand. As daunting as BIOS settings and error codes may seem today, they’re now just a regular part of the toolkit for anyone serious about maximizing both their gaming and digital safety.
For anyone still struggling with Secure Boot errors in Valorant (or elsewhere), patience, careful reading of your motherboard manual, and regular updates are your best friends. And always, always back up your data before diving into UEFI or firmware territory—one wrong setting could make game crashes the least of your problems.
Source: sigortahaber.com Resolving Valorant's Secure Boot Error in Windows 11 | Sigorta Haber