When 'Secure Boot' Doesn't Mean 'Secure'

Eclypsium Researchers Find UEFI Weakness in Framework Laptops and Desktops Pooja Tikekar (@PoojaTikekar) • October 15, 2025

Roughly 200,000 laptops and desktops made by modular sensation Framework contain a firmware vulnerability allowing attackers to disable Secure Boot and run unsigned code, say security researchers.

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Framework over roughly two decades has established itself as a darling of computer enthusiasts who want to design, repair and extend their laptops. But like practically every other manufacturer, it relies on the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface firmware standard for hardware initialization before the Windows or Linux operating system kicks in.

Secure Boot treats all Microsoft-signed binaries as trusted and such components can execute even on systems from original equipment manufacturers and independent BIOS vendors. "This trust model works beautifully - until it doesn't," wrote researchers at hardware security firm Eclypsium.

When they ...