SBC - Simple Block Codes: A Lightweight Anti-Cheat for Minecraft Servers
Keeping a Minecraft server fair and fun often means walking a tightrope between allowing quality-of-life mods and blocking outright cheats. If you have ever wished for a plugin that quietly handles the most common client-side hack tools without lag, complex commands, or constant monitoring, SBC - Simple Block Codes might be exactly what you need. This tiny but powerful anti-cheat plugin uses a clever trick hidden inside the game’s own join messages to disable cheat features in popular mods like CJB’s, Zombe’s, and Rei’s Minimap, all while staying invisible to honest players.
What Exactly Are Block Codes?
Block codes sound technical, but the idea is wonderfully simple. When a player joins a Minecraft server, the server can send a special string of invisible characters—often color symbols and control characters—inside the join message. Certain client mods, including CJB’s Modpack, Zombe’s Modpack, and Rei’s Minimap, actively scan this join message for specific sequences. If those sequences are present, the mod automatically disables or enables certain cheat functions like X-ray, fly hacks, or cave finders. In chat, these control messages are completely invisible or appear as an empty line, so regular players never notice a thing. SBC automates this entire process, sending the right block codes to the right players based on nothing more than permissions.
How SBC Keeps Cheats at Bay
SBC operates on a strict permissions-only basis. By default, if a player has no defined permission, all block codes are sent to their client, effectively disabling every supported cheat feature. Server administrators can then selectively grant permissions to allow specific functions for trusted players. This means you can let your builders use Schematica’s printer mode while still blocking X-ray for everyone else, all without installing a single client-side mod on your players’ machines. The plugin was originally separated from the MCCity MonsterFix project and has been refined to be as lightweight and focused as possible.
Supported Mods and Cheat Features
SBC covers a wide range of popular client mods. Here are just a few of the tools it can neutralize:
- CJB’s Modpack – X-ray, fly, minimap radar
- Zombe’s Modpack – Z-cheat, noclip, fly
- Rei’s Minimap – Cave mode, entity radar
- Minecraft Automap – Ore detection, indoor/cave mapping, radar
- Smart Moving – Climbing, swimming, crawling, sliding, alternative flying, and advanced jumping
- Schematica – Printer, save, and load functionality
Because the plugin uses configurable block codes, you can even add support for any other mod that responds to these hidden strings. Simply edit the config.yml file to include new sequences, and SBC will handle the rest.
Installation and First Steps
Setting up SBC is refreshingly straightforward. Just drop the SBC.jar file into your server’s plugins folder and restart. On first run, the plugin creates a /plugins/SBC/config.yml file containing the default permission groups and block-code mappings. By default, every player who joins will receive all block codes, meaning all supported cheat features are blocked unless you explicitly grant permissions. If you manage multiple servers and want a smoother way to handle plugin updates, you might explore a modern launcher like foxygame.net, which lets you download mods and plugins right from its menu, keeping your setup flexible and up-to-date without juggling files manually. Still, for SBC, the classic drag-and-drop approach works perfectly and takes seconds.
Understanding Permissions
Permissions are the heart of SBC’s control. Each cheat function has its own node, and you can assign them to players or groups as needed. Here is the full list of supported permissions:
- sbc.cheats.zmbzcheat – allows Zombe’s Z-cheat
- sbc.cheats.zmbnoclip – allows Zombe’s noclip
- sbc.cheats.cjbxray – allows CJB’s X-ray
- sbc.cheats.reicave – allows Rei’s Minimap cave mode
- sbc.fly.zmbfly – allows Zombe’s fly
- sbc.fly.cjbfly – allows CJB’s fly
- sbc.radar.reiradar – allows Rei’s Minimap entity and player radar
- sbc.radar.cjbradar – allows CJB’s player radar
- sbc.cheats.automap-ore – allows Minecraft Automap ore detection
- sbc.cheats.automap-cave – allows Minecraft Automap indoor/cave mapping
- sbc.radar.automap-radar – allows Minecraft Automap entity and player radar
- sbc.cheats.smart-climb – allows Smart Moving climbing
- sbc.cheats.smart-swim – allows Smart Moving swimming and diving
- sbc.cheats.smart-crawl – allows Smart Moving crawling
- sbc.cheats.smart-slide – allows Smart Moving sliding
- sbc.cheats.smart-fly – allows Smart Moving alternative flying
- sbc.cheats.smart-jump – allows Smart Moving jumping (including charged, head, side, and back jumps)
- sbc.schematica.printer – enables Schematica printer functionality
- sbc.schematica.load – enables Schematica save functionality
- sbc.schematica.save – enables Schematica load functionality
Grouped permissions from earlier versions are still supported, and you can freely edit or reorganize everything inside config.yml to match your server’s rank system.
Customizing Block Codes and Join Messages
One of SBC’s hidden strengths is its flexibility. If you discover a new cheat mod that reacts to block codes, you can add the necessary sequence to config.yml without waiting for a plugin update. The configuration file also lets you define custom on-join messages that are sent only to players with certain permissions—perfect for welcoming staff or donors with a subtle, automated greeting. Normally, you will not need to touch the config at all unless you are expanding the plugin’s reach.
Upgrading from a Previous Version
Upgrading is painless. Delete the old config.yml file, replace the SBC.jar with the new version, and restart the server. The plugin will generate a fresh configuration file with any new default settings. After that, you can reapply your custom permissions or block codes if you had any. Because SBC has no commands to remember and no database to maintain, version bumps are about as simple as it gets.
Why SBC Fits Your Server
SBC - Simple Block Codes is the definition of set-and-forget anti-cheat. It does not scan player movements, does not lag the server with constant checks, and does not require players to install anything extra. By leveraging a clever mechanic that modded clients already obey, it quietly shuts down the most common cheats while letting you grant exceptions to those you trust. Whether you run a small survival world or a large minigame network, adding this plugin to your toolkit gives you powerful, invisible protection that respects both performance and player experience.