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BleepingComputer
Microsoft fixes known issue causing Windows Defender crashes
Microsoft has identified and fixed a bug that was causing Windows Defender, the built-in antivirus software for Windows, to crash and display error codes like 0xc0000005. Users began reporting issues after a recent security update, which led to error messages indicating that the threat service had stopped. Some users resorted to reinstalling their operating systems due to the severity of the issues. Microsoft has advised users to apply the latest signature update to resolve these problems and ensure the software is functioning correctly.
Act nowConfidence: HighImmediate horizon
Published 19 Aug 2026, 12:50 UTC2 min read
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Summary
TL;DR
- Windows Defender crashes were linked to a recent security update.
- Users received 'Threat service has stopped' error messages.
- Microsoft has rolled out a fix in the latest signature update.
- Affected users can apply updates via Windows Update.
- Past incidents involving false positives and outages were noted.
Interesting facts
- The bug led some users to reinstall their operating systems.
- There were previous issues with false-positive alerts involving DigiCert certificates.
What changed