[maccard]

The cheat software can report itself as any software, so that is the secret sauce. Can't say I'm privy to how exactly that is. The difference between "reports itself as X" and "reports itself as Y" are the same problem space.

[blibble]

the software actually has to interface with the operating system, which is how it's detected

the PCI card doesn't

it can be a regular perfectly functioning NIC with a different ROM chip