Have you ever encountered the error code 52 (Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature) After installing the latest windows updates or upgrade to windows 10 1809? Due to this error, You won’t be able to install drivers for the device, and it might just as well stop functioning. A number of users report this issue on the Microsoft forum
USB device stop functioning, checking Device Manager display error message: Windows cannot verify the digital signature for the drivers required for this device. A recent hardware or software change might have installed a file that is signed incorrectly or damaged, or that might be malicious software from an unknown source. (Code 52)
What is Windows Digital Signatures
As Microsoft explains their support document, Digital signature is Implemented to verify the identity of the software publisher or the hardware (driver) vendor in order to protect your system from been infected with malware rootkits, that are able to run on the lowest level of Operating System. This means that all drivers and programs must be digitally signed (verified) in order to be installed and run on latest Windows Operating Systems.
Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature Code 52
Well, there is no particular cause for this error (Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature) but a number of reasons are responsible such as Corrupted Drivers, Secure boot, Integrity check, problematic filters for USB etc. If you are struggling from this error 52, here some solutions you may apply.
Delete USB UpperFilter and LowerFilter Registry Entries
- Press Windows + R, type regedit and ok to open Windows registry editor.
- First backup Registry database, then navigate to the following path.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\{36FC9E60-C465-11CF-8056-444553540000} - Here look for Dwordkey named Upperfilter and LowerFilter.
- Right click on them and select Delete.
- Reboot your PC to take effect the changes.
Note: This registry fixes the effective if you are facing “Windows Digital Signatures” for a specific device driver. But if due to Windows Digital Signatures error windows fails to start “Windows cannot verify the digital signature for this file 0xc0000428“. That cause you need to disable driver signature enforcement by following steps below.
Disable Driver Signature Enforcement
We need to access advanced options, where Disable the Driver signature enforcement. But as windows fail to start, We need to boot from an installation media to access advanced options. (If you don’t have, check how to create Windows 10 bootable USB/DVD).
- Insert the installation media, and restart windows.
- Use (Del, F12, F2) key to access BIOS screen And set it to boot from installation media.
- Press F10 to save changes, and press any key to boot from CD, DVD/USB
- skip the first installation screen, on next screen select “repair your computer”
Next open Troubleshoot > Advanced options > Startup settings > Restart.
Once you click Restart your PC will restart and you will see a blue screen with a list of options make sure to press the number key (F7) next to the option which says “Disable driver signature enforcement.“
- That’s all, you have successfully disabled driver signature enforcement, let’s try to update the drivers from the Device Manager.
- Press Windows + R, type devmgmt.msc and ok to open device manager.
- Find the problematic device. You will recognize it by the yellow exclamation mark next to its name.
- Right-click the device and choose Update Driver Software. Follow the wizard until the driver is installed, and reboot your device if necessary.
- Repeat this process for every device you see an exclamation mark next to.
Disable Integrity Checks
Here another method suggested on Microsoft forum, Users report As issue appears when Windows tries to verify the digital signature and integrity of a device Disable this option Checks help them to resolve the issue. To do this.
Type cmd on start menu search right click on command prompt select run as administrator.
Then perform command below.
- bcdedit -set loadoptions DDISABLE_INTEGRITY_CHECKS
- bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING ON
If this didn’t work then try the following command
- cdedit /deletevalue loadoptions
- bcdedit -set TESTSIGNING OFF
Reboot your PC to take effect the changes. Did this helps to “fix USB error code 52, Windows Cannot Verify the Digital Signature“. let us know on comments below, also read Printer in Error State? Here how to fix printer problems on windows 10.