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Short answer: SourceMod anti-cheat (SMAC) works on Source 1 servers such as Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. Install MetaMod:Source first, install SourceMod on top of it, verify both with meta version and sm version, then place SMAC’s core and detector modules in cstrike/addons/sourcemod/plugins. The smac.smx core supplies shared functions but performs no detection by itself; the separate modules provide the checks. SourceMod does not currently have a production Source 2 build for Counter-Strike 2, so this procedure is not a CS2 installation guide.
Check your game engine before installing
SourceMod and SMAC in this guide target Valve’s Source 1 engine. They are used on dedicated servers for Counter-Strike: Source, Team Fortress 2 and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. The installation pages for MetaMod:Source and SourceMod explicitly describe Source 1 layouts and do not apply to Source 2.
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| Game or engine | Does this SMAC procedure apply? | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| Counter-Strike: Source | Yes | MetaMod:Source, SourceMod and SMAC modules |
| Team Fortress 2 | Yes | MetaMod:Source, SourceMod and SMAC modules |
| Counter-Strike: Global Offensive | Yes, on a Source 1 server installation | MetaMod:Source, SourceMod and SMAC modules |
| Counter-Strike 2 (Source 2) | No production SourceMod build is identified by the current sources | A Source 2 framework such as MetaMod:Source v2 with CounterStrikeSharp; follow a current CS2-specific guide instead |
A 2026 hosting wiki reports that SourceMod still has no production CS2 build; its overview is available at this CS2 SourceMod compatibility note. The AlliedModders MetaMod installation page also warns that its instructions are not for Source 2: Installing MetaMod:Source. If your server is CS2, stop here rather than copying Source 1 files into it.
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Prepare the server and obtain compatible files
What you need
- File access to the dedicated server’s main game directory through a control panel, FTP/SFTP or a local shell.
- Permission to stop and restart the server and to edit its files.
- A full backup of the game directory’s
cfgfolder, especiallycfg/sourcemod, before installing or updating. - The correct builds of MetaMod:Source, SourceMod and SMAC for your game and operating system.
Stop the server before replacing binaries or plugin files. Identify the directory that contains folders such as addons, cfg, maps and the game-specific cstrike content. On a Counter-Strike: Source server, this is commonly the directory in which you will find cstrike/addons; other Source 1 games use their own game folder name.
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Use a trustworthy download source
Use the current AlliedModders installation documentation for the two dependencies: MetaMod:Source installation and SourceMod installation. SMAC packages and module names have changed over time. The search material did not establish a current official SMAC version number or a single current download page, so check the official AlliedModders SMAC discussion area before downloading. An older archive thread is useful for historical context but should not be treated as proof that an old package is current: AlliedModders SourceMod Anti-Cheat archive.
A mirrored page lists module priorities, but it is a third-party mirror rather than an AlliedModders page: mirrored SMAC module list. Likewise, srcdslab/sm-plugin-SMAC is a community fork. Treat either as a reference and verify the files against the current package you obtain from the official SMAC community before putting them on a public server.
Install MetaMod:Source first
SourceMod depends on MetaMod:Source. Installing the plugins in the opposite order leaves SourceMod without the loader it needs.
- Download a MetaMod:Source build that matches the server’s platform and Source 1 game.
- Extract the package locally. Preserve its directory structure; do not place individual files randomly.
- Copy the package’s
addons/folder into the server’s main game directory. Merge folders when your file manager asks; do not delete existing game files. - Confirm that MetaMod’s
metamod.vdffile is present in the server’saddons/directory. A missing or misplaced VDF prevents the game from loading MetaMod. - Restart the server completely. A map change alone is not a substitute for the first restart after installing the loader.
The directory copy and VDF check follow the AlliedModders installation procedure. Keep the original archive until verification succeeds so you can restore a clean copy if the server fails to start.
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Install SourceMod and verify both dependencies
- Download a SourceMod build intended for the same Source 1 environment and platform as MetaMod:Source.
- Extract it while retaining the package’s folder tree.
- Copy the SourceMod
addons/andcfg/folders into the game’s main directory. Allow the folders to merge with the ones installed by MetaMod:Source. - Restart the server.
- Open the server console and run
meta version. A valid MetaMod installation should return version information rather than an unknown-command error. - Run
sm version. SourceMod should print its version and build information.
The expected verification sequence is therefore meta version, followed by sm version. The installation steps are also documented in AlliedModders’ simple SourceMod guide.
When sm version says “unknown command”
An unknown-command response generally means SourceMod did not load, not that the command syntax changed. Work through these checks in order:
- Run
meta version. If it is also unknown, repair MetaMod:Source first. - Check that
metamod.vdfis directly inside the game’saddonsdirectory, not inside a second nestedaddonsfolder created by extraction. - Confirm that the SourceMod
addonsandcfgdirectories were copied into the active game directory, rather than the server root or a different game’s folder. - Make sure the files match the server’s operating system and Source 1 game version.
- Stop and start the server again after correcting the paths; do not rely on a hot reload for a missing loader.
Only proceed to SMAC after both commands work. Installing anti-cheat plugins before the loader is healthy makes later errors difficult to interpret.
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Place plugin files in the loading directory
On a Counter-Strike: Source layout, copy SMAC’s compiled plugin files (.smx) into cstrike/addons/sourcemod/plugins. Use the equivalent game directory for TF2 or CS:GO. SourceMod loads every .smx file in that directory when it starts. To disable a plugin without deleting it, move the file into plugins/disabled.
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The core file is named smac.smx. Copy it together with the detector modules from the same compatible package. Do not mix a core from one release with modules from an unrelated release unless the package documentation explicitly says they are compatible.
Understand what the core does
smac.smx is required, but it is not an anti-cheat check by itself. It exposes natives and forwards that the detector modules consume. If you install only the core, the framework can load while performing no aimbot, trigger, convar, wallhack or speed checks. Detection comes from the separate module files.
Let SourceMod create the configuration files
After the first successful run, SMAC creates its configuration files under cfg/sourcemod. Start with a map change or a fresh server restart, then inspect that directory. Edit only settings documented by the package you installed; module names and available cvars can differ between old and newer distributions. Keep a copy of the generated files before making changes so you can identify which edits caused a behavior change.
Choose the SMAC modules you actually need
The mirrored SMAC wiki groups the modules into required, recommended and optional tiers. The table below preserves that classification while explaining the role implied by each module name. It is a coverage checklist, not a claim that any module catches every cheat.
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| Priority | File | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Required | smac.smx |
Core natives and forwards used by the other modules; no standalone detection. |
| Recommended | smac_aimbot.smx |
Aimbot detector. |
| Recommended | smac_autotrigger.smx |
Automatic trigger or firing-behavior detector. |
| Recommended | smac_client.smx |
Client-protection checks. |
| Recommended | smac_commands.smx |
Command monitoring. |
| Recommended | smac_cvars.smx |
ConVar checking. |
| Recommended | smac_eyetest.smx |
Eye-angle or view-angle tests. |
| Recommended | smac_rcon.smx |
RCON-locking protection. |
| Recommended | smac_speedhack.smx |
Speed-hack detection. |
| Optional | smac_wallhack.smx |
Anti-wallhack checks. |
| Optional | smac_spinhack.smx |
Spin-hack detection. |
Module names and priorities are listed on the mirrored SMAC wiki page. Because that page is not hosted by AlliedModders and some SMAC references date from 2012, compare the filenames in your current package with the current official community documentation before enabling a module.
A practical first deployment
For a cautious first deployment, install the required core and the recommended modules that exist in your verified package. Add optional wallhack and spinhack modules only after confirming that their files match the core and that your server can observe their configuration and log behavior. There is no published effectiveness statistic in the available material, so do not promise a percentage reduction in cheating or treat a clean log as proof that every cheat is detected.
Start, test and configure without breaking dependencies
- With MetaMod:Source and SourceMod already verified, stop the server and copy
smac.smxplus the selected modules into the activepluginsdirectory. - Start the server and allow a complete map load. This gives SourceMod a clean initialization point.
- Confirm that the expected configuration files appear in
cfg/sourcemod. - Open those files and change only documented values. Save a backup of the original generated configuration before each change.
- Join with a test account or use a private test server to check that normal movement, aiming and commands are not being blocked unexpectedly.
- When you change a module or its configuration, prefer a map change or full restart rather than repeatedly unloading and reloading the core.
SMAC modules depend on the forwards and natives supplied by smac.smx. A forum report warns that reloading the core during a map can leave modules without their dependency and stop detection. Schedule core changes for a map transition or restart instead of using a mid-map reload. The relevant discussion is archived in the AlliedModders SMAC core thread.
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The plugin appears in the folder but does not work
- Check that the file is in the active game’s
addons/sourcemod/pluginsdirectory, notplugins/disabledor another game directory. - Verify that
smac.smxand the module came from compatible package versions. - Restart or change the map so SourceMod loads the file cleanly.
- Confirm that SourceMod itself still answers
sm version. A loader failure affects every plugin, not just SMAC.
smac.smx was updated and modules report a missing native
One archived forum report describes an updater downgrading smac.smx while leaving newer modules in place. The resulting error included a missing SMAC_LogAction native from smac_autotrigger.smx. This is a version-mismatch symptom, not evidence that the detector is independently broken.
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- Stop automatic updates or remove the mismatched files from the active plugins directory.
- Restore a known-compatible core and module set from your backup or from the same verified release package.
- Restart the server or change the map so the dependency graph is rebuilt cleanly.
- Check that the error disappears before re-enabling additional modules.
Keep the cfg backup made before the update. A hosting guide cautions that one-click mod-manager updates can overwrite configuration files; that warning has not been independently confirmed for every control panel, so treat it as a reason to maintain your own backup rather than as a guaranteed behavior.
Only some modules load
First compare the filenames with the package’s module list. A missing optional file is not necessarily an error, while a missing required smac.smx prevents dependent modules from functioning. Do not download a similarly named file from an unverified fork simply to fill a gap; the community fork at this GitHub repository is not the official module distribution.
The server is running CS2
Do not attempt to solve a CS2 problem by copying Source 1 addons and cfg folders into the CS2 installation. The current sources identify no production SourceMod build for Source 2. Use a maintained Source 2 framework and a CS2-specific anti-cheat plugin instead.
Update and maintenance checklist
- Record the game, operating system, MetaMod:Source build, SourceMod build and SMAC package date before changing anything.
- Back up
cfg, includingcfg/sourcemod, and retain a copy of the currently working plugin files. - Update MetaMod:Source and SourceMod according to their current AlliedModders instructions, then verify
meta versionandsm versionbefore touching SMAC. - Update the SMAC core and modules as one matched set whenever possible.
- Apply changes during a maintenance window and use a map change or restart for dependency-sensitive updates.
- Review newly generated configuration files rather than assuming older cvars still exist.
- If an update introduces a missing-native error, roll back to the last known-compatible set instead of mixing individual files.
For installation cross-checks, the community guide at modcommunity’s SourceMod and MetaMod procedure and the AlliedModders wiki are useful references. Always give precedence to the live official documentation and the package’s own readme when their instructions differ.
What this setup can and cannot tell you
This procedure establishes a working Source 1 plugin framework and loads the SMAC modules you select. It does not establish that every cheat will be detected, nor does the available documentation provide a current effectiveness statistic. Module coverage, false positives, game updates and the age of a particular SMAC build all affect real-world results. Treat SMAC as one server-control layer, keep administrators involved in reviewing actions, and test configuration changes before applying them to a populated public server.
The most important operational rules are simple: identify the engine first, install MetaMod:Source before SourceMod, verify both commands, install the core with its modules as a matched set, and never reload smac.smx mid-map when the modules depend on it.
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