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Windows 8 Secure Boot Defeated

Posted by samzenpus on from the what-took-so-long? dept.

jhigh writes "An Austrian security researcher is scheduled to release the first 'bootkit' for Windows 8 at the upcoming MalCon in Mumbai. This exploit loads in the MBR and stays memory resident until Windows loads, resulting in root access to the system. This allegedly defeats the new secure boot features in Windows 8's bootloader."

3 of 205 comments (clear)

  1. Secure boot is UEFI by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Secure Boot is a UEFI feature, not Windows one. The article makes no reference to UEFI whatsoever - and it offers no explanation either for what mechanic was actually defeated. I do doubt the integrity of the article ARS is using.

  2. UEFI doesn't have MBR by Manip · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Uhh UEFI literally has no MBR, it doesn't exist. So please explain to me how this exploit functions when the MBR doesn't exist? I think he is booting his drives in the wrong mode, which is to say legacy MBR mode instead of ADAPI/UEFI mode.

  3. Re:Could open your system up to malware like Linux by hairyfeet · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Actually it doesn't have a damned thing to do with linux and everything to do with pirates. if you look on any BT site you'll find "Windows 7 all versions pre activated" which passes WGA and has for nearly two years. it does this by running a bootloader that fakes an OEM signature so MSFT would have to kill the keys for the major OEMs thus causing more than a little shitstorm from all those that bought win 7 PCs and suddenly were told they are pirates.

    So despite all the bullshit from MSFT that it was about security, and despite all the FOSSies screaming "Its a plot to kill Linux!" in actuality it was just MSFT playing whack a mole with the pirates and yet again losing.

    . The sad part was they HAD the cure for piracy in the west, I saw with my own two eyes as many pirates which had NEVER paid for Windows suddenly were running legit. i'm of course talking about the Win 7 HP $50 upgrade. When they killed that suddenly the local CL was filled with $100 PCs with $300 Windows installs. Just more proof Ballmer is as shitty a CEO as the Pepsi guy was for Apple.

    --
    ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.