Microsoft has officially confirmed a serious bug in recent Windows 11 version 24H2 updates, which causes widespread “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD) occurrences, accompanied by the error code “SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR” (0x18B).
See also: New Windows 11 trick allows Microsoft Account bypass
The issue, which was first reported by Windows Latest in March 2025, has now worsened after the release of the April 2025 Patch Tuesday update, affecting thousands of users worldwide. The BSOD error affects the three most recent Windows 11 24H2 updates
- KB5053598 (March 11, Patch Tuesday)
- KB5053656 (March 27, optional update)
- KB5055523 (April 8, Patch Tuesday)
After installing any of these updates and rebooting the system, affected computers may crash with the error message “SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR,” which in some cases leads to a continuous cycle of errors and reboots or even a complete inability to boot the system. The error is related to a failure of the “Secure Kernel” — a critical Windows subsystem responsible for core security and virtualization functions .
When the first incidents were reported in March, Microsoft didn't immediately acknowledge the issue, as it seemed to be limited in scope. However, as user reports increased significantly after the April update, the company discreetly updated its support documentation, confirming the existence of the bug, and launched an investigation to identify the root cause.
See also: Windows 11 – Testing the new Quick Machine Recovery tool
Beyond the BSOD error, the same updates have also caused other problems, such as:
- Windows Hello failures: Users cannot sign in with facial recognition or PIN.
- Game and software compatibility issues: Particularly on ARM-based devices, Roblox fails to launch, while some Citrix software installations fail.
Microsoft reacted immediately, implementing a Known Issue Rollback (KIR) — a server-side mechanism that remotely disables problematic code introduced by updates.
This fix is automatically pushed to all affected consumer and business devices via Windows Update. However, the KIR can take up to 24 hours to propagate to all systems. Users are advised to:
- They keep their device connected to the internet
- They restart their computer several times to speed up the application of the fix
See also: Microsoft: BIOS update for ASUS BSOD issue
Based on the above, it is clear that the recent Windows 11 24H2 updates have caused serious impacts on the stability and functionality of many systems, which raises concerns about the reliability of major functional upgrades. The fact that the Known Issue Rollback (KIR) mechanism was required to be activated demonstrates the severity of the error, as this is an emergency measure used in crisis situations.
Source: cybersecuritynews
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