SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR (0x18B)
What is this error?
An error occurred in the secure kernel (VBS/HVCI). Related to virtualization-based security features.
Common causes
- incompatible driver with HVCI
- VBS configuration error
- hypervisor conflict
- BIOS virtualization settings
How to fix it
- Disable HVCI/VBS if not needed
- update drivers for HVCI compatibility
- check BIOS virtualization settings
Too many steps? Crashless can diagnose this automatically — checks your drivers, temps, VRAM, and 400+ known error patterns.
Get free AI diagnosis Detailed analysis
Bug check 0x0000018B (SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR) occurs in the Secure Kernel, which runs when Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) or Hypervisor-Enforced Code Integrity (HVCI) is enabled. Some older drivers are not compatible with HVCI because they use executable memory pools that HVCI blocks. This is increasingly common as Windows 11 enables HVCI by default. Fixes:
- Check Windows Security → Device Security → Core Isolation → Memory Integrity to see if HVCI is enabled,
- If HVCI causes crashes: disable it (may improve gaming performance by 5-10% anyway),
- Update all drivers to HVCI-compatible versions,
- Check Windows Security for incompatible driver warnings,
- If running a hypervisor (VMware, VirtualBox): update to the latest version for compatibility.
When to seek help
If this error keeps happening after trying the fixes above, it may point to a deeper hardware or system issue. Consider professional help if:
- The crash occurs across multiple games or applications
- You see the same error after a clean Windows install
- Your PC is less than a year old (could be a warranty issue)
- You smell burning or hear unusual sounds from your PC
Or let Crashless do the deep analysis for you -- our AI checks drivers, temps, event logs, and 400+ known patterns automatically.
Chat with AI about SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR (0x18B)
Describe your setup and get a personalized diagnosis in seconds. Free, no signup needed.
Get AI diagnosis Chat with AI about this error
Describe your setup and what you were doing when the crash happened. Our AI checks against 400+ known crash patterns — free, no download needed.
Let Crashless handle it
The desktop app scans your drivers, temps, VRAM, event logs, and 400+ known patterns — then walks you through the fix step by step.
