What is secdrv.sys? Is secdrv.sys spyware or a virus?

How to fix secdrv.sys related problems?
1. Run Security Task Manager to check your secdrv process
2. Run SpeedUpMyPC to fix related speed issues
3. Run Spyware Doctor to remove persistent malware


This device driver is part of Macrovision's SafeDisc copy protection scheme. SafeDisc is designed to prevent the piracy of PC games, but has been controversial since its introduction because of problems it causes on many computers. It poses a potential security risk because it grants ring 0 (kernel) access to the programs it works with. Note that terminating the process may cause the game it was installed with to stop functioning.http://www.neuber.com/taskmanager/process/secdrv.sys.html 

If you want a detailed security rating about your secdrv.sys (and all other running background processes) read the following user opinions, and download the free trial version of Security Task Manager.

Note: Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection! Check it out!


Click to Run a Free Scan for secdrv.sys speed issues.


Users Opinions

Average user rating of secdrv.sys: 2.5 based on 92 votes. Read also the 84 reviews.

2136 users ask for this file. 22 users rated it as not dangerous. 3 users rated it as not so dangerous. 17 users rated it as neutral. 25 users rated it as little bit dangerous. 25 users rated it as dangerous. 5 users didn't rate it ("don't know").


All comments about secdrv.sys:
rate3 part of SafeDisc CD protection scheme (some games use it)   GP
rate1 It get's loaded with win/xp not dangerous  
rate1 SafeDisk Driver (used by games to authenticate CD)  See also: Link   Chad
rate0 it's a SafeDisc disc protection file   Paul
rate1 Appeared with the installation of NHL 2004   Solitaire
rate1 somehow related to securom (3?) cd protection  
rate1 this file is anti-burning protection for game CD  
rate5 This is a driver that is used by some new games as copyright protection, games such as Brothers In Arms.. ETC use these products to prevent copying, however sometimes it will break your CD-Burner. As far as I can tell, it acts as a barrier between your CD-Burning program and the API and makes sure you arent burning copyright content... however this is buggy.  See also: Link   Travis Biehn
rate3 The Sims uses this file, if it dose not load then the sims dose not load. "happend to me"   God311
rate2 Part Of SafeDisc Copy Protection, Not Dangerous like Starforce, does not interfere with programs.   Chris.
rate0 How to get around it  
rate4 It arrived with either Need for Speed Underground or Superbike 2000,( EA games )   Tony Taraldsoy. IT consultant
rate0 safedisc file, if removed, i think it is easier to bypass protection  
rate4 It provides no info about its origin, version, etc. I think this is suspicious and have renamed it pending more informatuion.   qwa
rate3 SafeDisk Kopierschutzdatei   Tihocan
rate5 I had to did around to find this installed on my computer, without my consent or knowledge. How can that be good? I rate it as dangerous because it does nothing to help out my PC, on the contrary, it may cause issues and possibly crate security vunerabilities.   Lord EOD
rate4 Scans CD/DVD content immediatly after disk insert. Slow down disk recognition time. Prevents access to entire disk if part of it unreadable.   Nikolas
rate4 game protection on some new game cds such as Prince of Persia (Sands of Time ) on disc 2   Billie
rate5 cause WinXP Pro repeatedly crash on "THREAD_STUCK_IN_DRIVER"   Alex
rate1 Driver used for Ring0 access in Safedisc. Totally harmless, and nothing like what Travis Biehn has written.   Tobias Karlsson
rate1 safedisk. comes w/ daemontools so they can emulate sd images   jj
rate1 use daemon tools!  
rate4 Malware - even though installed by a legitimate company (game copy protection), it does so without asking, and reappears, virus-like, whenever you uninstall it. This is unacceptable. Its also interfering with my ability to burn minidvd's   Vek
rate5 SafeDisc 3.x driver : security risk (breaks system security policies); potential spyware activities (see C07ft5Y)   foo
rate4 Mocrovision's Safedisk driver   Kha
rate1 It may-be a bit of a nag, but not dangerous   Anacho
rate5 SafeDisc Copy Protection - does not interfere with programs but...when u have to copy a legal cd...NERO SUCHS..   BIMBOMIX
rate1 Comes with MYST IV   Digitus_Impudicus
rate4 older securom driver  
rate4 Security driver running under kernel protection. Any driver hooking other drivers on this level is regarded to be seen with caution, because it can interfere with your system. Causes several security issues and incompatibilities. Does *not* break your burner, but can interfere with storage systems and prevent cd-software from working. Removing this file can render programs unusable, especially games, that install this driver without warning you. EA relies on this copy protection, as well as several other companies.   Frank
rate4 Well It will cause genital cancer if left on your system.Please wear lead underpants if you have "secdrv" on your PC.If you don't and you are a guy your nuts will swell up turn purple and fall off within a matter of weeks.   Doctor P.Enis
rate1 not affecting my system when i deleted it   Jaap
rate3 if this files,it is possible read it from an executable, what?   Carlos Manuel_Venezuela
rate3 causes my system to reboot continuously if a disk is left in the drive. I removed the disk, and the system was ok.  
rate2 This program is crap.... if its supposed to prevent bootleg games from running, it dosent work cause, i play copywrighted games, and i use virtual drives. although, i have performance issues, and i cant tell if it is causing problems or not.   Manik1013
rate1 Macrovision software that loads Kernel memory driver - Real annoying!  
rate4 Was installed with WIN-XP SP 1a   H K
rate1 its a root reg key driver, witch diables the use of nocd cracks and physical copies of a game. loading the game cd with deamon tools v4.* while a no cd crack is placed is a way to bypass this sneaky little program ----- remove the file in the game install directory and remove auto start up in the program tweakall to detroy this driver activity destroys any change of running the game uses a constant 1 MB of your ram, on disk insert no delay if you have a 3.6MHz CPU  See also: Link Link   bill clinton :p
rate5 Its a virus   Joejoe
rate3 Sims 2 (& all subsequent Expansion packs) dvd copy protection. Disable it & the Sims will just reinstall it when it next runs! pretty harmless.   Rubus
rate5 Its preventing all read/write access to my cdrom!   modster
rate4 It caused a memory dump/crash when I tried to stop it in device manager having looked at this forum thread and deciding it had to go!   Dunc
rate1 No SafeDisc driver or anything else. No virus or spyware. Secdrv.sys is a Security driver who prevent kernel debugger like SoftIce access to kernel-mode memory. Used by Microsoft to protect their work.  See also: Link   MilwOrm
rate3 it is the damn driver from game using safedisc protection, however its not danger like starforce driver, it just wasting disk space (if u dont use original game/using crack) so just delete it from ur disk, everything is clean :)   vivian
rate1 Ring 0driver for copy protection. Could come from Daemon tools or from a game install.   Tosse
rate5 Causes blue screen of death on my XP machine, can't think of it as safe. On the contrary it must be regarded as malignant.   Chopper
rate4 SafeDisc DRM driver. Grants itself Ring 0 access, which means if it's not 100% airtight it can be exploited to compromise your system. If you have it and need it for games, complain to the game companies that you want an explicit warning that such a thing will be installed. If you can, remove it.  See also: Link   BobF
rate2 Like all copy-protection schemes, it won't come with copied games, but will give you lots of troubles and issues if you have purchased a game that comes with it legally.   Daniel
rate4 Doesn't enable anything to work, was installed without my knowledge or consent, yet another unwanted PC slowing down "driver" so is at best bad & at worst adds to instability.   Greenbandit
rate4 Legitimate Windows Driver, however is prone to being infected with trojans.   Phoenixzeus
rate3 Used for Securom. Normal Size is 26.7KB. If it is 8KB theres a good chance its infected with a trojan.   Phoenixzeus
rate1 this file comes with Ubisoft Prince of Persia  
rate5 Create open doors for Trojan. As it is not an essential part of WinXP I recommend to delete it and clean the registry out of it   NicoRouf
rate5 This file can be used as a backdoor for trojan. It lays deep inside the registry (legacy key) and is very hard to remove so it will keep on re-installing on your machine once deleted and let your computer wide open for trojan intrusions. I don't think this was intended (at the beginning) and I presume it is merely the target of malware/Rootkits that replace it with a fake version. As this is not a key component for your PC, if you have you anti-virus that complains about it KILL IT IMMEDIATELY!!!!   NicoRouf
rate5 backdoor.generic7.USL virus   muzza
rate5 this is one of macrovision stupid (the most hated company in the software world) program. like flexnet installshield bullshit, it just keep you from total control your system. MUST UNINSTALL EVERYTHING FROM MACROVISION!  
rate5 Very Dangerous because it can be used by a local user in a privledge escalation attack.  See also: Link   Hiphopopotamus
rate4 Has a major flaw, allows arbitrary code execution as Ring0  See also: Link   Sean
rate4 It runs in ring 0 and can be used to completely bypass security to run as SYSTEM  See also: Link   gollux
rate4 I dont want to install company to install and test drivers whit me. I dont know if itīs cause performance or inestability problemes and I will not because i moved it to "quarentine". If a original game doesnt work because of this get a nocd crack.   Cano
rate5 Potential security risk was detected on October 18th that allows to get more rights on Windows XP or Windows 2003 by a buffer overflow. Also, tries to read CDs and DVDs while not being a DVD device driver. Is known as copy protection driver but may be potential spyware. It's unknown to me if it saves data, though.  See also: Link   SH
rate5 It let my DVD writer unable to write DVDs and thus letting me without ways to do my hard drive backup.  
rate0 Prevents some USB drives from being recognized in WinXp  
rate5 Macrovision secdrv.sys Local Privilege Escalation.... security breach.  See also: Link   Kode Kyk
rate5 part of SafeDisc. And it DOES mess with your burner. People denying this must be paid. Was left after incomplete deinstallation and made every CD/DVD unreadable in other drives, until I found and removed it.  See also: Link   jo
rate5 File is currently being updated because of security issues.   Sidelobe
rate3 Part of Safedisc as noted. I set the driver to demand (manual) in Device manager so it doesn't run by default.   Spike
rate5 Basically, that file is the Driver for the SafeDisc protection scheme from macrovision. It DOES come from Microsoft, and it is needed for SafeDisc games to run correctly. A problem, though, has been found, and an exploit for it has been discovered recently.  
rate5 has flaw with 0 day exploit  See also: Link   Vlady
rate5 secdrv.sys has a security vulnerability in that hackers can gain SYSTEM level access to your entire system!  See also: Link   Stin, Wakefield, UK
rate4 Part of SafeDisc CD copy protection. Many Electronic Arts games circa 2000-2004 install it and it is a system driver. Known to cause blue screens and CD-ROM drive instability.   Wayne H
rate3 The file is shipped with Windows XP but is not critical to the OS if you want it gone badly enough use Sysinternals Autoruns to disable it and delete it.   No more DRM
rate4 Has been registered by Microsoft as potentially dangerous (spyware and trojans can use if for privildge escalation)   Phillip
rate0 This is not a security risk for home PCs as they are all logged on as admin anyway   R2fishal
rate3 New verison isntall with Wolfenstein, cause computer stutters, put on demand in Device manager to aviod problem   Kyu
rate4 SafeDisc crap. has security holes and is a general pain   foo
rate4 securom driver, digs deep into your system and compromises stability  See also: Link   TheRealFoo
rate4 it is added with some EA games (i found the file on the installation CD!!!)  
rate5 It did came as a result of game instalation and yeah it is part of the safe disk cd protection sys rated it dangerous because for some reason it doesn't alow my avast 5 to properly start (starts with all real time protection disabled)   grraf
rate1 It's a standard shipping component from XP onwards and it's basically a shim to make Macrovision's SafeDisc system work with these OSes. It is not unsafe, per se, a vulnerability which exploited it (and required logon access anyway) has long since been fixed and it doesn't interfere with your system beyond being part of 'protecting' certain software.   Gaidheal
rate3 Macrovision-Malware  See also: Link   uwe
rate3 Macrovison is NOT safedisc. Guys need to get their facts straigt. Macrovision is a DRM driver that prevents playback and recording of copyrighted movies on analog video devices via computer.  
rate3 The driver, secdrv.sys, is used by games which use Macrovision SafeDisc. The driver validates the authenticity of games that are protected with SafeDisc and prohibits unauthorized copies of such games to play on Windows. The secdrv.sys is included with Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista to increase compatibility of the games on Windows. Without the driver, games with SafeDisc protection would be unable to play on Windows. SafeDisc remains inactive until invoked by a game for authorization to play on Windows.  See also: Link   What is secdrv.sys?
rate4 On Windows 7 Forums i had learned this. It is a file for authenticating games and is a known cause of Blue Screens.   RingAnimated

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Is secdrv.sys spyware or a virus, trojans, adware or worm? Is there a known secdrv.sys error?


Other Processes

secdrv.sys [all processes]