ARC Raiders "A Disallowed Tool Was Detected" error (fix)
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Last checked
September 25, 2026
The game crashes to desktop or refuses to launch with a message reading "A disallowed tool is running" or "A disallowed tool was detected," even though the player has no cheat software installed.
Also appears as: a disallowed tool was detected, a disallowed tool is running, forbidden tool running arc raiders, arav8011, fatal error cheat software detected
This is Embark's own wording for the "Forbidden Tool Running" family of ARAV anti-cheat codes (suffixes -009/-011, e.g. ARAV8011) — a separate trigger from the file-integrity check behind ARAV8007. Embark's official Help Center says plainly this isn't a ban, but the flagged process has to be closed or "disciplinary action" follows for continuing to play with it open.
A 34-reply Steam Discussions thread on this exact message names the usual culprits: YoloMouse (a cursor customizer), AutoHotkey-style macro tools, and in one case the Windows debugger WinDbg — a player wrote that closing WinDbg immediately stopped the crash and let them log in normally. None of these are actual cheats; Easy Anti-Cheat's disallowed-software list is broader than "hacks."
Fix it, step by step
Open Task Manager and close the flagged process
Open Task Manager (
Ctrl+Shift+Esc) and end the process named in the error dialog, if it shows a path — this is Embark's own official fix for a "Fatal Error: Cheat Software Detected" message, and it's what cleared the crash for a player who had the same issue with WinDbg running.Close YoloMouse, AutoHotkey and similar tools before launching
If the dialog doesn't show a path, close common culprits named by other players on the same Steam Discussions thread before relaunching: YoloMouse, AutoHotkey or other macro/scripting software, and any cursor or overlay customizer.
- NoteReported
If you don't recognize any flagged software and the error keeps recurring, contact Embark Support through the Help Center — this isn't a ban, but repeated triggers without addressing the flagged process can lead to one.
Sorted. Glad that worked.
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What people are saying
Notes from players who've hit this one — no time limit, an answer from months ago is still an answer.
- Nothing reported here yet.
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