Microsoft has confirmed that a known issue preventing some Windows 11 devices from shutting down also affects Windows 10 systems with Virtual Secure Mode (VSM) enabled.

VSM is a Windows security feature that creates an isolated, protected memory region separate from the normal operating system (known as the “secure kernel”), using hardware virtualization that is extremely difficult for malware to access, even after a system compromise.

It protects sensitive credentials, encryption keys, and security tokens from kernel-level malware and pass-the-hash attacks, and it enables security features such as Credential Guard, Device Guard, and Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity in Windows 10/11 Enterprise editions.