[Solved] Secure Boot detected an invalid signature.

Updated By

Tracy King 

Written By

Linda 

Last Updated on May 13, 2024

Many computer manufacturers, such as Asus, enable Secure Boot by default on their machines as an extra line of defense against viruses or malware. This feature can, however, lead to unexpected problems.

Secure Boot Violation

If you're seeing the Secure Boot Violation error with the message Invalid signature detected. Check Secure Boot Policy in Setup, don't panic! The tools available in this guide will help you quickly resolve the issue and get your computer fixed on your own.

How to Resolve Secure Boot Violation Issues

To resolve the Secure Boot Violation error, try any of these four methods.

1. Solution 1: Disable Secure Boot
2. Solution 2: Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
3. Solution 3: Repair Boot with Partition Master Tool
4. Solution 4: Install/Uninstall Windows Updates

Solution 1: Disable Secure Boot

Since this issue is often caused by an incompatibility between the motherboard and certain versions of Windows, which is quite common on ASUS desktops and laptops, the first simple solution you can try is to disable the Secure Boot option in your BIOS settings.

Some users might wonder if disabling Secure Boot is safe. This shouldn't harm your system, but if you have viruses or malware on your PC, they could prevent your computer from starting up because they attack the system boot loader.

Step 1. Press the BIOS key (usually “F1,” “F2,” “F10,” “Delete,” or “Esc”) while your computer is booting up to enter the BIOS.

Step 2: Use the arrow keys to navigate to and modify the following settings. (Locations vary by computer.)

#1. Enter “Boot” > “Secure Boot”

Then, for “Operating System Type,” select “Other OS” to disable Secure Boot. (Windows in UEFI mode indicates that Secure Boot is enabled.)

#2. Go to Settings > Secure Boot.

Next, select “Secure Boot Control” and set it to “Disabled” to disable Secure Boot.

This is the "Secure Boot Control" interface on an ASUS computer.

Step 3: Press "F10" to save and exit, then your computer will restart.

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Fix 2: Disable Driver Signature Enforcement

The "Secure Boot Violation" issue might occur due to a conflict between an unsigned device driver and the system protection module. Hence, you can try disabling the enforcement of digital driver signing to resolve this problem.

Step 1: Click on the Start menu, and then open Settings.

Step 2: In the Settings window, go to Update & Security / System > Recovery.

Step 3. Look for the “Advanced startup” section and click on “Restart now” to access the advanced startup options.

Step 4. In the Choose an option window, go to Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup Settings.

Step 5: Highlight the option for “Disable driver signature enforcement.” Press “7” or “F7” to disable this feature.

Step 6: Press the Enter key to return to the Windows operating system and check if the problem has been resolved.

Fix 3: Perform a boot repair with AOMEI Partition Assistant

If both methods above fail to work, you can turn to professional third-party software for help. One of the best boot repair tools is Partition Master Professional, which provides a Boot Repair feature especially for various boot problems on Windows computers.

Equipped with advanced algorithms, it will be able to detect and fix any errors it encounters automatically and quickly.

Step 1. Connect the external hard drive/USB to the PC and launch AOMEI Partition Assistant. Click "Create Bootable Media" and then click "Create Now".

Create Bootable Disk with Partition Master Tools Partition Hard Disk

Step 2: Choose a USB drive or CD/DVD that you have available, then click "Create." You can also burn the Windows ISO file to your media.

Create Bootable Disk

Step 3. Connect the bootable drive to the new computer and press F2 or Del to enter BIOS. Set the WinPE bootable drive as the boot disk, then press F10 to exit.

Step 4. Restart your computer and enter the WinPE environment. Then, open Partition Master and click on “Boot Repair” under “Toolbox”.

Step 5: Select the system you want to fix, then click Repair.

Click on “Repair your computer”.

Step 6: Wait for the process to finish. You will receive a message that the system was successfully repaired. Click “OK” to finish the startup repair process.

You can share this powerful, time-saving tool with friends who have also had trouble starting up.

Fix 4: Install/uninstall Windows updates

Users of Windows have reported the Secure Boot Violation error since Windows 7. Although Microsoft has released some updates to address this issue, it still persists in both Windows 10 and 11. Thus, resolving the problem might involve updating or downgrading your Windows version.

Step 1: Install Windows updates

Step 1: Click on the Start menu, and then open Settings.

Step 2. Go to “Update & Security” (> “Windows Update”), and click “Check for updates.”

Step 3: If an update is available, install it.

Method 2: Uninstall a Windows Update

Step 1. Search for and open Control Panel in the taskbar search box.

Step 2: In the Control Panel window, click on "Programs" then "Uninstall a program".

Step 3: Click on “View installed updates” in the left-hand panel.

Step 4: A list of installed Windows updates will appear on the screen. Select the problematic update and click “Uninstall” at the top. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to complete the uninstallation process.

Related article:

Why do I get a Secure Boot Violation error during startup?

There can be several reasons for encountering the "Secure Boot Violation" and "An invalid signature was detected. Please check your Secure Boot policy in the settings" message on startup. Here are two of the most likely causes:

• Certain versions of Windows are incompatible with the Secure Boot technology on ASUS motherboards.
• Enforcing digital driver signatures during a check might prevent your computer from starting up.

Don't forget to share this article to help more users dealing with the Secure Boot Violation error.

Conclusions

This article offers four solutions to address the Secure Boot Violation - Invalid signature detected issue. This error typically occurs on ASUS computers, as their Secure Boot technology might be incompatible with certain versions of Windows.

However, if you can't fix the problem in this way because your computer is of another brand or the universal method doesn't work at all, then you can turn to Partition Master. With its powerful Bootable CD/USB feature, you can easily fix various boot errors without effort.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Secure Boot Violations

If you have more questions about Secure Boot Violation, check the FAQ below – your answer might be there.

1. What is Secure Boot on a PC?

Secure Boot is a security feature designed to help users boot their computers using only software that the manufacturer trusts. It is supported on many systems, including various versions of Windows, Linux distributions, and BSD variants.

2. Is Secure Boot good or bad?

In most cases, Secure Boot is good because it verifies the digital signature of executable files, protecting your system from viruses and malware. However, there are also some downsides to having Secure Boot enabled, as reported by some users.

Does Secure Boot slow down my computer?

No, enabling Secure Boot should not have a noticeable impact on your computer's performance. If you want to disable Secure Boot, simply enter your UEFI/BIOS settings and disable Secure Boot there.