Is Kernel access equivalent to Command and Control capability?

[OpenSource Ghost]

When one agrees to run whichever anti-cheating software that requires Windows OS kernel access, does one basically agree to allow whichever anti-cheating software to have full access to one's device? I am not concerned about information collection, but control. Does kernel access alone provide full command and control capabilities?

 

[uOpt]

All anti-cheat has full access to your system.

Set up a separate gaming PC, or at least a separate OS install.

 

[OpenSource Ghost]

Steam VAC doesn't get kernel access. That is why I am asking about kernels.

I can just not mount drives or containers with sensitive data while running Steam. That should do it. But that wouldn't prevent anti-cheat software with kernel access, would it? Can kernel access read drive decryption keys stored in RAM? Passwords stored in clipboard?

 

[Mchart]

Steam VAC doesn't get kernel access. That is why I am asking about kernels.

I can just not mount drives or containers with sensitive data while running Steam. That should do it. But that wouldn't prevent anti-cheat software with kernel access, would it? Can kernel access read drive decryption keys stored in RAM? Passwords stored in clipboard?

Who are you correcting? uOpt is correct, he never mentioned steam VAC.

Anything like Easy Anti-Cheat, Punkbuster, etc all have functional Super User permissions within Windows, and can do direct reads of process memory blocks, etc. This means - Yes, anything stored in memory could be copied.

Not that this is the main reason I don't do any real work on my gaming pc, but it's one of them.