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Windows Protected Memory Access Blocked from WinSAT.exe, Should I be worried?

Kaloyan Iliev 25 Reputation points
2025-11-26T22:57:14.96+00:00

To whoever it may concern,
I was recently reviewing my defender settings because I was concerned that I might have a virus. I checked my protection history and saw that I had 1 protection that seemed odd. When I opened it, it said "Protected Memory Access Blocked." An application called WinSAT.exe had apparently tried to open something in "\Device\CdRom0." I'm unsure if this is just a false positive or if it's something I should be worried about. I've been kind of paranoid lately. Any help is greatly appreciated!
Screenshot 2025-11-26 145631

Microsoft Security | Microsoft Defender | Other
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  1. Catherine Kyalo 3,100 Reputation points Microsoft Employee
    2026-03-27T10:44:21.06+00:00

    Hi Kaloyan Iliev,

    From the picture shared, this alert comes from controlled Folder Access (CFA) protections. The scenario is that Defender prevented WinSAT from accessing a protected device path before anything could happen. WinSAT.exe is Microsoft‑signed, It resides in the Windows system directory, Defender itself generated the alert and blocked the behavior. Therefore, No follow‑up detections occurred, Defender is working as intended by being cautious.

    You’d only need to investigate further if any of these were true:

    • Multiple repeated alerts involving unknown executables
    • WinSAT.exe located outside C:\Windows\System32
    • Additional Defender detections or quarantines
    • System instability tied to unknown processes

    If the above response helps answer your question, remember to "Accept Answer" so that others in the community facing similar issues can easily find the solution. Your contribution is highly appreciated.

     

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