How to Fix Fix Error 0x8007048C — Security Descriptor Invalid on Windows
Getting error 0x8007048C in Windows? Security descriptor validation failed? Access control entry invalid? File or registry permissions corrupted? Service failing with security descriptor error? Fix this security descriptor error.
Symptoms
You might be experiencing this problem if you notice:
- •Service fails to start with error 0x8007048C
- •File or folder access returns security descriptor error
- •Registry key modification blocked with this error
- •Application installation fails during permission setup
- •Windows component reports invalid security descriptor
- •Group Policy application fails with this error code
Common Causes
- ⚠File or registry security descriptor corrupted
- ⚠ACL (Access Control List) entries contain invalid SIDs
- ⚠Orphaned security identifiers from deleted user accounts
- ⚠System file permissions modified by malware or cleanup tools
- ⚠Windows upgrade left inconsistent security descriptors
- ⚠Third-party security software altered system permissions
Solutions
Solution 1: Repair System File Permissions
- 1Reset system file permissions to defaults:
- 2CMD as Admin:
- 3sfc /scannow
- 4This repairs system files AND their security descriptors
- 5If SFC reports unfixable issues:
- 6DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- 7Then run sfc /scannow again
- 8For specific file permission issues:
- 9icacls "C:\path\to\file" /reset
- 10This resets to inherited permissions
- 11For entire folders:
- 12icacls "C:\path\to\folder" /reset /T /C
- 13/T = recursive, /C = continue on errors
Solution 2: Fix Registry Security Descriptors
- 1For registry permission errors:
- 2regedit → navigate to the affected key
- 3Right-click → Permissions
- 4Click Advanced → check for entries with "Unknown SID"
- 5These are orphaned accounts — remove them
- 6Click Add → type "SYSTEM" → check names → OK
- 7Give SYSTEM Full Control
- 8Also add "Administrators" with Full Control
- 9Check "Replace all child object permissions"
- 10Click Apply → OK
- 11For service-related registry keys:
- 12HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\[ServiceName]
- 13Ensure SYSTEM has Full Control
- 14Restart the affected service
Solution 3: Reset Component Security via DISM
- 1For deep security descriptor corruption:
- 2CMD as Admin:
- 3DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
- 4This restores component store security
- 5Reset Windows Update component security:
- 6net stop wuauserv
- 7sc sdset wuauserv D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;AU)
- 8net start wuauserv
- 9For persistent issues:
- 10Use SubInACL tool from Microsoft:
- 11subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f
- 12subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=system=f
- 13Restart PC after security descriptor repairs
FIXES THIS IN 5 MINUTES
Fix Fix Error 0x8007048C — Security Descriptor Invalid Automatically
RescuePC Toolkit includes 109+ automated repairs that fix this problem with one click. No command line knowledge required.
Download Now - Free TrialNo credit card required • Works on Windows 10 & 11