diff --git a/src/runtime/moduleobject.cs b/src/runtime/moduleobject.cs
index e683026f9..4accb1531 100644
--- a/src/runtime/moduleobject.cs
+++ b/src/runtime/moduleobject.cs
@@ -395,6 +395,14 @@ public static Assembly AddReference(string name)
             {
                 assembly = AssemblyManager.LoadAssemblyFullPath(name);
             }
+            if (System.IO.File.Exists(name))
+            {
+                var zone = System.Security.Policy.Zone.CreateFromUrl(name);
+                if (zone.SecurityZone != System.Security.SecurityZone.MyComputer)
+                {
+                     throw new Exception($"File is blocked (NTFS Security)");
+                }
+            }
             if (assembly == null)
             {
                 throw new FileNotFoundException($"Unable to find assembly '{name}'.");