Locked Out of the Crate: Microsoft’s “Smart” Security Cripples ASUS ROG Ally

Microsoft Defender’s Smart App Control has flagged ASUS Armoury Crate, rendering the Armoury Crate and ROG Ally users unable to access key hardware controls. The false positive has left RGB lighting, thermal fan curves and dedicated Armoury and Control Center keys unresponsive, as the software fails to verify the signing of the driver related to ASUS updates.

The article notes that Smart App Control operates without a user-managed allow-list, meaning users cannot manually authorise Armoury Crate and must either wait for a patch or disable the feature entirely. It adds that once Smart App Control is decommissioned, reactivating it requires a full operating system reinstall, reflecting the zero-trust approach underpinning the tool. Discussion on Reddit suggests a period of functional limitation until Microsoft issues a refined definition update. Jan 29, 2026. according to Microsoft Defender.