Microsoft Defender Flags DigiCert Certificates as Trojan
Microsoft Defender is currently flagging legitimate DigiCert root certificates as Trojan:Win32/Cerdigent.A!dha. BleepingComputer reports that this false positive is not only generating widespread alerts but, in some instances, is also leading to the removal of these critical certificates from Windows systems.
This isn’t a minor annoyance; it’s a critical operational disruption. When legitimate root certificates are removed, it breaks trust chains, impacting everything from secure website access to application functionality and internal network communications. Organizations relying on these certificates for their infrastructure or applications are seeing unexpected outages and security warnings.
Attackers thrive on chaos and weakened trust. While this is a false positive, the disruption it causes for defenders is very real. It wastes SOC time, introduces uncertainty, and creates an environment where actual threats could be missed amidst the noise.
What This Means For You
- If your organization uses Windows systems with Microsoft Defender, you need to be checking for `Trojan:Win32/Cerdigent.A!dha` alerts. Prioritize validating if these detections are indeed false positives targeting DigiCert certificates. Do not automatically quarantine or remove, as this will break critical system functionality. Be ready to restore certificates and implement exclusions if Microsoft doesn't push a fix rapidly.
Written by SCW Research
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