Critical Vulnerabilities in Gigabyte Motherboards: UEFI Malware Bypasses Secure Boot

TL;DR

Dozens of Gigabyte motherboard models are vulnerable to UEFI malware that can bypass Secure Boot, plant invisible bootkit malware, and survive OS reinstalls. This critical security issue highlights the importance of firmware updates and robust cybersecurity measures.

Main Content

Dozens of Gigabyte motherboard models are vulnerable to UEFI firmware security issues, allowing malicious actors to plant bootkit malware that remains invisible to the operating system and can survive reinstalls¹. This vulnerability poses a significant threat to system security, as it enables attackers to bypass Secure Boot, a critical security feature designed to prevent unauthorized software from running during the system startup process.

Understanding the Vulnerability

UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) firmware is essential for the initialisation of hardware components and the boot process of modern computers. The discovered vulnerabilities in Gigabyte motherboards allow attackers to exploit weaknesses in the UEFI firmware, enabling them to install malware that operates beneath the operating system level. This type of malware, known as a bootkit, can persist even after the operating system is reinstalled, making it extremely difficult to detect and remove.

Implications for Cybersecurity

The ability of this malware to bypass Secure Boot underscores the critical importance of firmware security. Secure Boot is a fundamental security feature that ensures only trusted software is executed during the boot process. By circumventing this protection, attackers can gain control over the system at its most foundational level, compromising the integrity and confidentiality of data.

Mitigation Strategies

To mitigate these risks, users and organisations are advised to:

• Keep Firmware Updated: Regularly update the UEFI firmware to the latest version provided by the manufacturer.
• Enable Secure Boot: Ensure Secure Boot is enabled and properly configured to prevent unauthorised software from running during startup.
• Implement Robust Security Measures: Use comprehensive security solutions that include firmware scanning and advanced threat detection capabilities.

References

1. BleepingComputer (2025-07-14). “Gigabyte motherboards vulnerable to UEFI malware bypassing Secure Boot”. BleepingComputer. Retrieved 2025-07-14. ↩︎