Microsoft prevents the drivers’ installation when Windows can’t verify software publisher

Microsoft released cumulative updates to all supported versions of Windows 10. In addition to regular repairs, the cumulative update also adds security checks to system drivers.

In the previous version of the driver certification model, some unverified drivers can be installed, and malware may use this feature to install drivers.

Based on security considerations, Microsoft has pushed a new driver certification model. If Microsoft cannot successfully verify the issuer of the driver, the system will be blocked from the drivers’ installation.

Microsoft stated that the new driver authentication model is critical to security. If Microsoft cannot successfully verify the signed certificate of the driver to be installed, an installation error will occur.

Image 6: Update device drivers

Microsoft said that if the driver installation fails, an error message will pop up. The message includes that the system cannot verify the publisher of the driver software and there is no signature in the subject.

These error messages indicate that the operating system has found an incorrectly formatted catalog file in the driver verification, and the driver will also be blocked and the installation will fail.

Microsoft reminds users that drivers issued by hardware manufacturers will be verified and automatically pushed through the Windows 10 system update service without affecting the installation.

However, if the driver downloaded from the hardware manufacturer’s website or other locations encounters an error, the user can only contact the manufacturer and ask the manufacturer to fix the driver error.

Currently, new versions of drivers released by mainstream hardware manufacturers such as Intel, AMD, and Nvidia are compatible with the Microsoft driver certification model.

Drivers issued by these manufacturers will not affect installation errors, and other mainstream hardware manufacturers such as Realtek also support driver model verification.

However, the drivers introduced by some smaller hardware manufacturers may not be compatible because these drivers change slowly and are incompatible.

For example, the drivers of peripheral devices launched by some small accessory manufacturers are not certified for compatibility, and the user may be forcibly blocked by the system during installation.

Users who encounter this type of problem cannot solve it by themselves and must contact the hardware manufacturer to re-launch a verified and compatible driver to successfully install it.