Troubleshoot (Build1803)Smartscreen can't be reached right now

[SumTingWong]

Briefly explain your current issue(s)

Smartscreen can't be reached right now

Steps taken to resolve, but have been unsuccessful

Check my internet connection

I setup my Windows 10 Build 1803 last night, and I keep getting this Smartscreen pop up every time I tried to run my software. I can check and install updates through Windows Update fine.
Smartscreen can't be reached right now. Check your internet connection. Windows Defender Smartscreen is unreachable and can't help you decide if this app is ok to run.

Do any of you guys have this smartscreen can't be reached when you download a new app and run it? I tested on my laptop, and I am getting the same result as a new clean installation on my desktop.

 

[Daniel Keller]

Actually there is a way to stop those feature updates on Windows 10. There is a little Microsoft tool. Have a look here:

Can we skip Windows 10 Feature Update ?

I have not tested it myself though, since I use the PRO version...

Link above speaks about preventing driver installation, but the linked MS Tool could also prevent windows updates:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...t-a-windows-update-from-reinstalling-in-windo

 

[Ink]

Try to install 7-Zip, and I still get this. It is very annoying.

O/T.
If you have downloaded the software from a known website and your AV is not flagging it, then how can it be annoying? Click Run.

Also I think it's been mentioned a couple times that SS won't function without an active Internet connection, or is it's down on the other end - which is the probably case here.

 

[Andy Ful]

Try to install 7-Zip, and I still get this. It is very annoying.
View attachment 188130

Do you still have problems with getting respond form SmartScreen cloud?

 

[SumTingWong]

Smarts

Do you still have problems with getting respond form SmartScreen cloud?

I can install VoodooShield without triggered Smartscreen can't be reached at all. What about yours?

 

[mekelek]

Smarts

I can install VoodooShield without triggered Smartscreen can't be reached at all. What about yours?

probably cause VS has signed installers.

 

[Andy Ful]

Smarts

I can install VoodooShield without triggered Smartscreen can't be reached at all. What about yours?

For me, SmartSreen works well.
SmartScreen for Explorer can be easily checked. First check if it is enabled and set to WARN. Next, download the application installer (EXE or MSI) to your hard disk via any browser (except Edge or IE) and run it. If you will not see any SmartScreen alert or you will see the standard SmartScreen alert, then it works.
If you will see "SmartScreen can't be reached right now" then it does not work.

 

[Andy Ful]

probably cause VS has signed installers.

SmartScreen reputation AI uses a more complicated algorithm. For example, Hard_Configurator installer executables are not signed, but they are always sent to Microsoft for manual analysis. After about one month they are whitelisted by SmartScreen.
Signing the applications will shorten the time to build a sufficient reputation.
Only the applications digitally signed with Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificate, are automatically accepted.
MS SmartScreen and Application Reputation | DigiCert Blog

 

[mekelek]

SmartScreen reputation AI uses a more complicated algorithm. For example, Hard_Configurator installer executables are not signed, but they are always sent to Microsoft for manual analysis. After about one month they are whitelisted by SmartScreen.
Signing the applications will shorten the time to build a sufficient reputation.
Only the applications digitally signed with Extended Validation (EV) Code Signing Certificate, are automatically accepted.
MS SmartScreen and Application Reputation | DigiCert Blog

newly signed stuff has to be signed with an EV cert for Windows 10 as far as i know?
or does that only apply to drivers?

 

[Andy Ful]

newly signed stuff has to be signed with an EV cert for Windows 10 as far as i know?
or does that only apply to drivers?

That is related only to the new kernel drivers when Secure Boot is set in BIOS. SmartScreen has anything in common with Driver Signing Policy introduced in Windows 10 ver. 1607.
Driver Signing Policy

 

[SumTingWong]

probably cause VS has signed installers.

Post #27. Aida64 has signed the installer, but Smartscreen can't be reached.

 

[Andy Ful]

Post #27. Aida64 has signed the installer, but Smartscreen can't be reached.

Unfortunately, that says nothing about whitelisting Aida64 by SmartScreen (because it cannot be reached). That only says that Windows recognized Aida64 as downloaded from the Internet and tried to check its reputation (unsuccessfully).
If you still can see "Smartscreen can't be reached right now" alert, then the SmartScreen cloud is unavailable from your location.
I think that it is a location problem or new system problem, because SmartScreen works well for me on Windows ver. 1709.
Did SmartScreen work well for you in the past?

 

[SumTingWong]

Unfortunately, that says nothing about whitelisting Aida64 by SmartScreen (because it cannot be reached). That only says that Windows recognized Aida64 as downloaded from the Internet and tried to check its reputation (unsuccessfully).
If you still can see "Smartscreen can't be reached right now" alert, then the SmartScreen cloud is unavailable from your location.
I think that it is a location problem or new system problem, because SmartScreen works well for me on Windows ver. 1709.
Did SmartScreen work well for you in the past?

In 1709, it works wonderful. Smartscreen can't be reached happened when I clean installed 1803 onto my desktop.

 

[Andy Ful]

In 1709, it works wonderful. Smartscreen can't be reached happened when I clean installed 1803 onto my desktop.

Thanks for reporting this. We will see If it is a bug or some other incompatibility problem.

 

[SumTingWong]

Thanks for reporting this. We will see If it is a bug or some other incompatibility problem.

Other people experience this as well. Here is one from reddit:

 

[Andy Ful]

After doing some research, I suspect that it may be the temporary Microsoft solution for a bug in Windows 10 ver. 1803.
The bug silently blocked some Universal Applications, because when executing them, the standard SmartScreen alert was invisible. So, I think that Microsoft could intentionally disable the cloud response for the machines with Windows 10 ver. 1803.
This can be easily verified if there is anybody on Windows 10 ver. 1803, who has SmartScreen for Explorer fully functional.
See the post below post how to check the file via SmartScreen for Explorer:
Need Help - (Build1803)Smartscreen can't be reached right now

 

[Andy Ful]

My system was upgraded to ver. 1803.
SmartScreen for Explorer stopped working.

 

[Andy Ful]

It seems, that SmartScreen started to work also on Windows 10 ver. 1803 (tested for 24 hours from yesterday).

 

[Sunshine-boy]

Has anyone seen such alert from SmartScreen?

it tells me that the file is malicious.as far as I know, it won't tell if a file is safe or dangerous.
@Andy Ful time to shine

 

[shmu26]

Has anyone seen such alert from SmartScreen?

View attachment 207964
it tells me that the file is malicious.as far as I know, it won't tell if a file is safe or dangerous.
@Andy Ful time to shine

I never saw that.

 

[Andy Ful]

Has anyone seen such alert from SmartScreen?

View attachment 207964
it tells me that the file is malicious.as far as I know, it won't tell if a file is safe or dangerous.
@Andy Ful time to shine

It is your duty to shine, isn't it?
When SmartScreen do not know if the file is safe or dangerous, then you will get a blue alert - the file is not in the reputation base. The red alert means that the file from your post is in the reputation base, and for some reason is recognized as malicious.
How Microsoft identifies malware and potentially unwanted applications