What Does “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” Mean?
The “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” means the game’s anti-cheat system cannot verify its security certificate. This error occurs when EasyAntiCheat fails to confirm if the game files are authentic and safe. The certificate acts as a digital signature that proves the game files are original and unmodified.
Common causes include outdated EasyAntiCheat software, corrupted game files, incorrect system time settings, or firewall restrictions blocking the verification process. Players can fix this by reinstalling EasyAntiCheat, verifying game files, checking system time, or temporarily disabling firewall settings.
The error prevents games from starting until the certificate validation issue is resolved.
What Causes the EasyAntiCheat Certificate Error?
Before jumping into the fixes, let’s first understand what causes this error in the first place.
The “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” occurs because of a few possible reasons:
- Corrupt or missing EasyAntiCheat files. Essential anticheat files may have gone missing or become corrupted.
- Outdated EasyAntiCheat software. If you haven’t updated EasyAntiCheat recently, the error could stem from running an outdated version.
- System file corruption. Important Windows system files associated with security and certificates could be damaged.
- Antivirus conflicts. Overzealous antivirus software may sometimes incorrectly flag parts of EasyAntiCheat as suspicious.
- Driver issues. Outdated or corrupt drivers, especially graphics drivers, can sometimes trigger this error.
In most cases, the error is caused by missing or damaged EasyAntiCheat certificate files on your system. The good news is that you can fix this by repairing, updating, or reinstalling EasyAntiCheat.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Fix the “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” [10 Easy Steps]
Here are the detailed steps to troubleshoot and fix the “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” error:
- Update Your Graphics Drivers
- Update or Reinstall EasyAntiCheat
- Refresh Windows Certificate Store
- Run SFC and DISM System File Checks
- Temporarily Disable Antivirus
- Clean Install or Roll Back Graphics Drivers
- Reset TCP/IP Stack
- Create an Exception in Your Firewall
- Update Windows
- Contact Game or EasyAntiCheat Support
1. Update Your Graphics Drivers
Outdated graphics drivers can sometimes trigger certificate errors with gaming anticheat software.
So it’s good practice to keep your drivers updated:
- For NVIDIA cards, open the GeForce Experience app to download the latest GPU drivers.
- For AMD cards, use the Radeon Software app to update your graphics drivers.
- For Intel integrated graphics, visit the Intel Driver & Support website for the newest drivers.
Once updated, restart your PC and see if the EasyAntiCheat error persists. Updating drivers often resolves anticheat certificate issues.
2. Update or Reinstall EasyAntiCheat
If driver updates didn’t fix the issue, the next step is to update the EasyAntiCheat client itself:
- Open the EasyAntiCheat app from your system tray or start menu.
- Click the Settings cog icon at the top right.
- On the General tab, click “Check for Updates” and install any available updates.
- Alternatively, uninstall EasyAntiCheat using Windows Apps & Features.
- Then, visit the game’s store page or website to reinstall the latest EasyAntiCheat client.
This will replace any corrupt EasyAntiCheat files that could be causing certificate errors. Be sure to restart your system after updating or reinstalling the anticheat software.
3. Refresh Windows Certificate Store
Corrupted Windows certificate store files can also sometimes trigger the “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” issue. Here’s how to refresh the certificate store:
- Open the Run dialog by pressing Windows + R
- Type “certmgr.msc” and press Enter to open the Certificates console.
- Under the Trusted Root Certification Authorities tab, right-click certificates and select All Tasks > Rebuild.
- Repeat the rebuild process for the Intermediate Certification Authorities and Personal tabs.
- Finally, restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
Rebuilding the certificate store will replace any corrupted certificate files with a fresh copy, which should resolve the error.
4. Run SFC and DISM System File Checks
System file corruption is another leading cause of EasyAntiCheat certificate validation errors. You can scan for corrupted system files using the System File Checker (SFC) and Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) utilities:
- Open an elevated Command Prompt by searching “cmd” in the Start menu, right-clicking it, and selecting Run as Administrator.
- In the Command Prompt, run the SFC scan by typing “sfc /scannow” and pressing Enter.
- Once the SFC scan finishes, run the DISM scan by typing “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth” and pressing Enter.
- Restart your PC after both scans reach 100% complete to replace any damaged system files.
Running SFC and DISM scans can fix system file corruption that may be interfering with EasyAntiCheat’s code signing certificate validation.
5. Temporarily Disable Antivirus
In some cases, overprotective antivirus software can wrongly detect legitimate EasyAntiCheat files as suspicious and block them from running properly. You can try temporarily disabling your antivirus as a workaround:
- Open the Windows Security app.
- Click Virus & Threat Protection settings.
- Under Virus & threat protection settings, toggle off Real-time protection.
- Try launching the game that triggers the error again with antivirus real-time protection disabled.
If the game now works, you’ll need to add exceptions for your game files and EasyAntiCheat folder within your antivirus program. This will stop the antivirus from incorrectly blocking the anticheat software.
6. Clean Install or Roll Back Graphics Drivers
If you have already updated your graphics drivers but still see the error, you can try clean installing or rolling back your GPU drivers:
- For NVIDIA cards, use Display Driver Uninstaller (DDU) for a clean driver reinstallation.
- For AMD cards, use AMDCleanupUtility to remove graphics drivers before reinstalling the latest ones.
- Alternatively, roll back your graphics drivers from Device Manager: Right-click your GPU > Properties > Driver tab > Roll Back Driver.
This will install a fresh driver, which can resolve EasyAntiCheat certificate issues caused by faulty driver installations. Make sure to reboot your PC after reinstalling graphics drivers.
7. Reset TCP/IP Stack
Resetting the TCP/IP stack will reinitialize TCP/IP parameters and refresh network adapters. This can fix certificate errors in some cases:
- Open an elevated Command Prompt window.
- Type “netsh int ip reset c:\resetlog.txt” and press Enter to reset TCP/IP settings.
- Now, type “ipconfig /flushdns” to flush the DNS cache.
- Restart your PC for the changes to take effect.
Now check if the EasyAntiCheat certificate validation error is resolved. Resetting TCP/IP can resolve networking issues interfering with the anticheat client.
8. Create an Exception in Your Firewall
Aggressive firewall software blocking EasyAntiCheat could also be the culprit behind the certificate error. Try creating exceptions for EasyAntiCheat and your games:
- Open Windows Defender Firewall settings.
- Click Allow an app or feature through the firewall.
- Click Change settings to modify permissions.
- Click Allow another app and add exceptions for EasyAntiCheat and game launchers like Steam or Origin.
- Launch your game again to check if the firewall was blocking EasyAntiCheat files.
Adding firewall exceptions will stop the firewall from incorrectly blocking legitimate EasyAntiCheat processes and files.
9. Update Windows
Outdated versions of Windows can cause compatibility issues with EasyAntiCheat’s latest certificate files.
It’s recommended to keep your Windows version updated:
- Go to Settings > Windows Update.
- Click Check for updates. Install all available important and optional updates.
- If any major Windows versions are available, like a 20H2 or 21H1 update, install them too.
Updating Windows can resolve OS-level compatibility bugs that may be interfering with EasyAntiCheat’s certificate validation.
10. Contact Game or EasyAntiCheat Support
If none of the above solutions work, there may be deeper issues that require further troubleshooting by the game developers or EasyAntiCheat support:
- Check the official forums or support page for others facing the “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” issue.
- Visit the developer’s Twitter or announcements page for updates on known EasyAntiCheat
- If the issue is widespread, developers usually release a hotfix patch after updates.
- Contact EasyAntiCheat support for troubleshooting and reporting the issue.
- Provide details like game name, EasyAntiCheat version, OS version, and attempted fixes.
Getting help from game or anticheat developers is recommended if the error still persists after trying all standard troubleshooting steps.
Final Thoughts
The “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” can undoubtedly be frustrating, but it can usually be resolved with basic troubleshooting. The problem is generally caused by outdated or corrupt anti-cheat files, driver issues, antivirus conflicts, or damaged system files.
Following the solutions outlined, such as updating drivers, reinstalling EasyAntiCheat, running SFC/DISM scans, creating firewall exceptions, and more, should help you get rid of this error for good. Don’t hesitate to contact customer support if the issue proves persistent.
FAQs About the Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate Issue:
Here are some frequently asked questions about troubleshooting the “Error Validating EasyAntiCheat Code Signing Certificate” problem:
What games does EasyAntiCheat affect?
Some popular games using EasyAntiCheat include Apex Legends, Elden Ring, Dead by Daylight, Hunt: Showdown, Paladins, Rainbow Six Siege, and Rust, among 100+ others.
Why do I get the error even after reinstalling the game?
This is likely because corrupt EasyAntiCheat files remain on your system even after you uninstall the game. You’ll need to completely remove EasyAntiCheat using the uninstaller in Apps & Features or a clean-up utility like CCleaner.
Does restarting the PC fix the EasyAntiCheat certificate error?
Restarting your PC is an important step after making changes like updating drivers, reinstalling EasyAntiCheat, or editing Windows services. This allows changes to take effect. But a simple restart alone doesn’t fix the underlying issue.
What PC specs are required to run EasyAntiCheat games smoothly?
EasyAntiCheat has minimal system requirements. But the games themselves may require decent specs for smooth gameplay. For most major titles, you’ll need a gaming PC with a modern quad-core processor, 8GB RAM, SSD storage, and a dedicated Nvidia/AMD GPU.
Can third-party antivirus software cause issues with EasyAntiCheat?
Yes, many users face EasyAntiCheat errors due to conflicts with third-party antivirus programs like Avast, AVG, Malwarebytes, etc. You may need to add exclusions for the anticheat software within your antivirus. Disabling real-time protection temporarily can also help diagnose such conflicts.
Should I delete old EasyAntiCheat folders before reinstalling games?
Deleting any leftover EasyAntiCheat folders before reinstalling an EasyAntiCheat-protected game can prevent conflicting with old, corrupt files. Use the uninstall utility first, then delete any remaining EasyAntiCheat folders and registry entries using CCleaner or manual deletion before reinstalling.
Priya Mervana
Verified Web Security Experts
Priya Mervana is working at SSLInsights.com as a web security expert with over 10 years of experience writing about encryption, SSL certificates, and online privacy. She aims to make complex security topics easily understandable for everyday internet users.
