Good Reason to Delete Windows, Not Dual-Boot, and Call Out the Microsofters Who Worked to Impose 'Secure' Boot, Undermining Antitrust Complaints

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 21, 2024,
updated Sep 03, 2024

• 'Something Has Gone Seriously Wrong,' Dual-Boot Systems Warn After Microsoft Update

  With Microsoft maintaining radio silence, those affected by the glitch have been forced to find their own remedies. One option is to access their EFI panel and turn off secure boot. Depending on the security needs of the user, that option may not be acceptable. A better short-term option is to delete the SBAT Microsoft pushed out last Tuesday. This means users will still receive some of the benefits of Secure Boot even if they remain vulnerable to attacks that exploit CVE-2022-2601.

• Windows aug. 13 update broke my Ubuntu system!

  Yesterday (aug. 13) I updated Windows 10 on my 8 year old MSI laptop. After a reboot I was presented with a black screen with a very tiny text saying:

  "Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation Something has gone serously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation" Note the wrong spelling (seriously) was in the message, not me!

  The only way to resort this was to disable secure boot. Is there a way to fix this without reinstalling my Ubuntu system and enable secure boot?

  Note: Windows and Ubuntu are on separate SSD:s. I've seen some answers on the web, but I did not understand how to go further. I'm 74 years old with two strokes behind me so any explanations have to be simple. If it's possible :-)

• “Something has gone seriously wrong,” dual-boot systems warn after Microsoft update

  Last Tuesday, loads of Linux users—many running packages released as early as this year—started reporting their devices were failing to boot. Instead, they received a cryptic error message that included the phrase: “Something has gone seriously wrong.”

  The cause: an update Microsoft issued as part of its monthly patch release. It was intended to close a 2-year-old vulnerability in GRUB, an open source boot loader used to start up many Linux devices. The vulnerability, with a severity rating of 8.6 out of 10, made it possible for hackers to bypass secure boot, the industry standard for ensuring that devices running Windows or other operating systems don’t load malicious firmware or software during the bootup process. CVE-2022-2601 was discovered in 2022, but for unclear reasons, Microsoft patched it only last Tuesday.

  [...]

  The incident is the latest to underscore what a mess Secure Boot has become, or possibly always was. Over the past 18 months, researchers have unearthed at least four vulnerabilities that can be exploited to completely neuter the security mechanism.

ZDNet:

• Windows update breaks Linux dual boot - but there is a fix for some users | ZDNET

  Recently, Microsoft released a Windows update that accidentally crashed a wrecking ball into systems that dual-boot Linux. This wasn't supposed to happen but Linux users who dual-boot Linux and Windows are seeing "Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation" and "Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation" errors.

  This issue is affecting Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, and Puppy Linux.

The Verge:

• Microsoft’s latest security update has ruined dual-boot Windows and Linux PCs

  Microsoft’s latest monthly security update is wreaking havoc on dual-boot Windows and Linux systems. The software giant issued a security patch last week to fix a two-year-old vulnerability in the GRUB open-source boot loader used by lots of Linux devices. Microsoft’s patch wasn’t supposed to hit dual-boot devices, but many have found it has and it’s now stopping their Linux installs from booting properly.

  Ars Technica reports that multiple Linux dual-boot users are seeing “security policy violation” messages, along with “something has gone seriously wrong” errors. There are reports of issues across Reddit, Ubuntu forums, and elsewhere. Distributions including Ubuntu, Debian, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, and Puppy Linux have all been affected by Microsoft’s patch.

Liam Dawe:

• Microsoft breaks some Linux dual-boots in a recent Windows update

  Do you dual-boot Windows and Linux? Well, a recent Windows update seems to have been a bit messy and may have broken the ability to boot into Linux. Causing an alarming message to display of "Something has gone seriously wrong".

Six More Updates:

• Microsoft update knocks out Linux computers – Computerworld

  Last week, Microsoft released a security patch that is supposed to fix CVE-2022-2601, a two-year-old vulnerability in the GRUB bootloader.

  However, something went wrong with the update and as a result, Linux-based systems refuse to boot on computers with dual operating systems.

  When users try to boot the system, they get an error message saying “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”

  According to Microsoft, the bug only affects older versions of Linux-based operating systems, but apparently it has also affected the latest versions of Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS and Puppy Linux.

• Dual Booting Windows and Linux No Longer Available After Microsoft’s Security Update—Why? | Tech Times

  Dual booting Windows and Linux has long been an enjoyable experience for users who want the best of both worlds, but a recent security update from Microsoft seems to have broken it. Users who have the dual-boot system on their computers are no longer accessible, with users getting new messages from their systems claiming that booting Linux is a violation.

• A Windows security update leaves dual-boot computers unable to load Linux - Liliputing

  Last week Microsoft released out a security update meant to address a vulnerability in the GRUB open source bootloader that could allow a malicious actor to bypass secure boot. But many users who had set up their computers to dual-boot Windows and Linux report that after installing the update, they’re unable to boot into Linux at all.

  Ars Technica has spotted evidence that users running popular GNU/Linux distributions including Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and others have been hit by the problem.

• An update made to fix a vulnerability broke dual-boot Windows-Linux PCs - Neowin

  Last week was the monthly Patch Tuesday event for Microsoft's supported Windows operating systems. However, a patch that was meant to fix a vulnerability ended up causing problems with a number of dual-boot PCs with Windows and various versions of Linux.

  Ars Technica reports that the update in question was to fix the vulnerability known as CVE-2022-2601. It was first discovered in 2022, and would allow hackers to access GRUB, an open source boot loader, so they could get around the Secure Boot feature. Microsoft finally released a patch for this issue last week as part of Patch Tuesday.

  The patch was not meant to be installed on dual-boot PCs with Windows and forms of Linux. However, for reasons unknown at the moment, the patch was indeed sent out to owners of those PCs. As a result, they could not boot into Linux with Secure Boot enabled.

  Instead, those PCs showed an error message that said, "Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”

• Microsoft’s Latest Update Bricks Linux Dual-Boot Systems: How to Fix the Issue - Techopedia

  An update Microsoft sent out earlier this month bricked machines with Windows and Linux installed in a dual-boot configuration, preventing users from logging into either operating system.

  The security update was released as part of Microsoft’s monthly patch in response to a high-risk vulnerability published in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), a public database for leading organizations in the IT industry to track and patch security issues.

  The update was directed at fixing a vulnerability, listed as CVE-2022-2601 in the CVE records, in GRUB2, a popular bootloader or tool that allows you to choose which operating system to start when booting your machine. The vulnerability was first identified in August 2022. It would allow hackers to bypass secure boot, a mechanism that prevents malicious code from being injected into the system before an operating system boots up.

  In the security update, Microsoft noted, “Windows will apply a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) update to block vulnerable Linux bootloaders that could impact Windows security.”

  Microsoft explicitly noted that the update excludes systems running both Windows and Linux in dual-boot configurations. Despite the notice, several users on online forums reported being unable to log into their machines. Instead, they were greeted with an error message: “Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”

• Caught in Boot Loop: You Should Avoid This Windows 11 Update

  Last week, Microsoft released a security update for Windows 11 to fix a problem with the GRUB bootloader. It is a key part of many Linux distributions. The GRUB bootloader helps manage the startup process, especially on computers that run multiple operating systems like Windows and Linux. The update aimed to improve security by fixing a specific issue with GRUB.

  However, instead of simply improving security, the update has caused problems for people who use both Windows 11 and Linux on the same machine. Many users have found that after installing the update, they can no longer access their Linux operating systems.

More Coverage Here:

• Windows update makes dual booting with Linux impossible - GIGAZINE

  The Windows Update distributed on August 14, 2024 included a patch for the vulnerability ' CVE-2022-2601 ', which could allow the Secure Boot mechanism to be bypassed.

  Microsoft explained the patch as follows: 'To address this security issue, we are applying the Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) update to block vulnerable Linux boot loaders that could affect Windows security. Please note that the SBAT update does not apply to and does not affect dual-boot systems that boot both Windows and Linux.'

  However, some users have reported that after the update, they are no longer able to boot up their Linux distributions.

• Windows patch prevents Linux from booting on dual-boot systems - Techzine Global

  Users of a wide variety of Linux distributions are reporting the error. It seems to occur with the distros Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS and Puppy Linux, reports Ars Technica.

  The patch Microsoft put out during the latest Patch Tuesday fixes a vulnerability in bootloader GRUB that allowed malicious actors to bypass Secure Boot. The vulnerability in question was CVE-2022-260, which dates back to 2022 but has only now been fixed.

  However, an unintended side effect of the patch seems to be that users of dual-boot systems can no longer boot Linux. The full error message that appears on the screen reads “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation”. After that, the device shuts itself down.

• Microsoft's Latest Security Update Causes Problems On Dual-boot Windows, Linux Systems | Nasdaq

  Microsoft (MSFT) released updates to fix a vulnerability that unintentionally caused problems for dual-boot PCs running Windows and various Linux distributions during its latest Patch Tuesday event.

  According to Ars Technica, the update was designed to address the GRUB2 Secure Boot bypass vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-2601, which posed potential risks to Windows security. Discovered in 2022, this vulnerability could enable hackers to manipulate GRUB, an open-source boot loader, thereby circumventing the Secure Boot feature.

I Missed These Two:

• Microsoft update breaks dual-boot systems running Linux and Windows | Windows Central

  As the saying goes, two is better than one. That's the case in many areas, and for some people, it's true for operating systems on a computer. Dual booting Windows and Linux is relatively common, but those who have PCs that dual boot may run into an issue at the moment. Due to a mistake by Microsoft, dual-boot systems are unable to boot and show an error message that reads "something has gone seriously wrong."

  That error message appeared last week on affected systems after Microsoft's monthly security update rolled out. The update fixed a vulnerability in GRUB, which is an open source boot loader used on many Linux systems. That issue was two years old when fixed, and it's not clear why it took so long to address. The update was not supposed to be sent out to dual-boot systems running Windows and Linux, but it did ship to those machines, seemingly by mistake.

• Microsoft security update breaks dual-boot Linux systems using Secure Boot | TechSpot

  Microsoft's Patch Tuesday for August 2024 includes a fix for a security vulnerability in the Grub2 boot loader, which is used by many Linux operating systems. Tracked as CVE-2022-2601, this flaw, discovered in 2022, could lead to an out-of-bounds write with a potential bypass of Secure Boot protection.

  The Grub2 boot loader provides compatibility with the Secure Boot technology on PCs running Linux systems. After installing the new patch, Windows applies a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) policy to block vulnerable Linux boot loaders that could compromise OS security.

  Microsoft explained that the SBAT value would not be applied to dual-boot systems with both Windows and Linux on the boot drive, so the patch was expected not to impact these systems. However, many users with dual-boot configurations have reported that the CVE-2022-2601 update still rendered booting into a Linux OS impossible.

It's FOSS:

• Oh, no! Windows Security Update Breaks Dual-Boot Linux Systems

  Microsoft is known for their signature, “my way or the highway” approach when it comes to their offerings, with the Windows operating system being the most prominent one among those.

  Many in the FOSS community disagree with that approach, with a strong rejection of such practices, suggesting people go for more open options for their operating systems and applications, and I agree with them.

  Unfortunately, that same approach has now affected many Linux distribution users, who were sent scampering searching for a fix to a problem caused by a Windows update (who would've expected that?).

The Register:

• Microsoft investigates a patch breaking dual-boot PCs

  According to numerous forums, however, the patch did apply to these dual-boot systems and then didn't allow Linux distros to boot. As one person posted the day after the update: [...]

More Updates Are Coming:

• Dual booters, beware: the latest Windows update can make a mess of your setup

  If you're using a dual-boot PC with Windows and Linux, you may want to hold off on the newest Windows update. Reports began trickling in stating that people who used a Windows and Linux dual boot setup encountered a strange error message while trying to access the Linux partition. Now, Microsoft has broken the silence and stated that, yes, a recent Windows update has broken things, and the culprit is a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) setting.

• A Windows Update is Breaking Dual-booting PCs

  an error message that reads “Something has gone seriously wrong.” Microsoft has investigated the issue and released a statement.

  GRUB is a popular bootloader (a program that boots up operating systems) for Linux. Two years ago, a vulnerability was found in GRUB that lets threat actors bypass Secure Boot and install malware on the system level. It’s this vulnerability that Microsoft tried to patch with the recent update titled Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (or SBAT).

  It was only supposed to target Windows-only devices, and Microsoft warned that some older Linux installations might be affected. The patch description reads, “The SBAT value is not applied to dual-boot systems that boot both Windows and Linux and should not affect these systems. You might find that older Linux distribution ISOs will not boot. If this occurs, work with your Linux vendor to get an update.” But according to Ars Technica, this update was installed on Windows devices dual-booting with new releases of Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, and others. Booting from ISO files loaded on bootable drives is failing too.

Ed: Even LWN recognises that MJG uses bad language like harsh swear words in articles about work for Microsoft. So we know what puts off women and keep them off of FOSS: people like MJG who code for "sexual favour" and keep saying harsh swear words in everything, even not related to sex. Later this charlatan speaks about why obscene language in code is bad? Microsoft attracts the world's worst perverts.

Additional one:

• Microsoft’s latest security update has ruined dual-boot Windows and Linux PCs

  Microsoft’s latest monthly security update is wreaking havoc on dual-boot Windows and Linux systems. The software giant issued a security patch last week to fix a two-year-old vulnerability in the GRUB open-source boot loader used by lots of Linux devices. Microsoft’s patch wasn’t supposed to hit dual-boot devices, but many have found it has and it’s now stopping their Linux installs from booting properly.

• Windows update breaks Linux dual-boot setups with ominous message

  Many PC users with Windows-and-Linux dual-boot setups woke up to a scary message this week: “Something has gone seriously wrong.”

  Apparently, the latest patch to Windows 10 and Windows 11 seems to damage secondary Linux installations when the Secure Boot feature is enabled. Affected users are able to get Windows up and running, but their Linux installations are left inoperable.

• Patch Tuesday not Done ’til LINUX Won’t Run?

  Many dual-boot Linux PCs have been failing—and it’s Microsoft’s fault. The problem is caused by an errant Secure Boot bugfix in last week’s Patch Tuesday security rollup.

  But, as we revealed last month, Secure Boot is basically broken, anyway. In today’s SB  Blogwatch, we might as well turn it off.

  Your humble blog­watcher curated these bloggy bits for your enter­tain­ment. Not to mention:  Waymo chaos.

• 'Something has gone seriously wrong': Microsoft's update breaks Linux PCs

  A recent update from Microsoft has caused significant booting issues for numerous Linux users. The problem began last Tuesday when users reported their devices failing to start up, and instead displaying an error message stating: "Something has gone seriously wrong." This issue was traced back to an update that Microsoft released as part of its monthly patch release.

Techradar:

• “Something has gone seriously wrong” — Dual-boot Windows and Linux systems get worrying warning following Microsoft update

  Linux users running dual-boot systems with Windows have reported their devices suddenly failed to boot, displaying a worrying “Something went seriously wrong” message.

  It has since been confirmed that a dodgy security update from Microsoft was to blame for the problem, which was designed to address CVE-2022-2601 as part of the company’s monthly patch release.

  Consequentially, those with dual-boot systems – machines configured to run both Windows and Linux – found themselves unable to boot into Linux.

SN discussion: "Microsoft Security [sic] Update Breaks Dual-Boot Linux Systems Using Secure Boot"

Notebookcheck:

• August Windows patch breaks some dual-boot systems: how to fix

  Microsoft recently pushed out a security update to Windows users that breaks some dual-boot configurations. Users with some older Linux distributions, or any that use GRUB 2, may find their system unable to boot. This article goes over the cause of that, and how to fix it.

Microsoft admits the sabotage:

• Microsoft confirms August Patch Tuesday updates break dual-boot in backdoored Windows 11 and 10

  Microsoft has now confirmed that the August 2024 Patch Tuesday update for backdoored Windows 11 and 10 throws a wrench into dual-boot systems with backdoored Windows and GNU/Linux operating systems installed side-by-side.

Also here:

• Cybersecurity News: Japanese auto security, Feds tap encrypted messages, Microsoft breaks Linux dual-booting

Microsoft has a history of breaking WSL and not bothering to fix it for nearly a week.

More here, but late:

• Facepalm: Microsoft's August Security Update Breaks Dual Booting Windows And Linux PCs

  Microsoft’s latest set of updates delivered during patch Tuesday is causing headaches for users who are dual booting Linux alongside Windows. One of the updates issued was supposed to address a vulnerability found in the GRUB2 boot loader used by several versions of Linux, which could allow attackers to bypass secure boot. Now, several users running a dual boot configuration are reporting not being able to boot their machines.

  After applying the update, users got a rather ominous error message when trying to boot into their Linux installs, which says “Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.” This has left users scrambling to try and find their own solution so they can get back into their systems.

Microsofters:

• Microsoft’s Latest Update Causes Crashes on Dual-Boot Windows and Linux Devices

  Microsoft is currently investigating a critical issue that is causing crashes on select dual-boot Windows and Linux machines. The company detailed on the Windows Health dashboard that the problem stems from the August 2024 Patch Tuesday updates and impacts systems running Windows 11, Windows 10, and Windows Server.

  Last week, Microsoft issued a security update to address a two-year-old vulnerability in the GRUB open-source bootloader, which is critical for the startup of many Linux devices. The flaw, identified as CVE-2022-2601 and rated 8.6 out of 10 on the CVSS scale, could allow hackers to bypass secure boot protections and inject malicious code during the system’s startup process.

The Microsoft PR:

• Microsoft shares more info on fixing broken dual-boot after August Patch Tuesday updates

  Microsoft has published more information about the recent bug that broke Windows-Linux dual-boot systems, offering more workarounds and fixes.

The vandal paints itself as saviour:

• Microsoft shares temp fix for Linux boot issues on dual-boot systems

  ​Microsoft has provided a workaround to temporarily fix a known issue that is blocking Linux from booting on dual-boot systems with Secure Boot enabled.

  The company says this temporary fix can help Linux users revive unbootable systems displaying "Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation" errors after installing the August 2024 Windows security updates.

  Many Linux users confirmed they were affected by this known issue following this month's Patch Tuesday, as BleepingComputer reported on Tuesday.

Microsoft confirms it is culpable for the Microsoft sabotage:

• Microsoft confirms August updates break Linux boot in dual-boot systems

  Microsoft has confirmed the August 2024 Windows security updates are causing Linux booting issues on dual-boot systems with Secure Boot enabled.

  The issue is caused by a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) update applied to block Linux boot loaders unpatched against the CVE-2022-2601 GRUB2 Secure Boot bypass vulnerability.

  "Resulting from this issue, your device might fail to boot Linux and show the error message 'Verifying shim SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something has gone seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation,'" Microsoft explained.

  "The August 2024 Windows security update applies a Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) setting to devices that run Windows to block old, vulnerable boot managers."

UbuntuPit:

• Microsoft’s Latest Windows Update Breaks Linux Dual-Boot Systems, Leaves Users Frustrated

  It’s definitely not a good week for many Linux enthusiasts who use dual-booting in Windows.

  This Tuesday, Microsoft released a Windows security update, which caused an error message on the Linux login screen. Many users are now confused and trying to find solutions to access their system ASAP. So, what exactly happened in the update?

The Belated Christine Hall:

• What Microsoft’s Borking of Grub Says About Redmond’s ‘Love’ of Linux - FOSS Force

  This is pretty much the substance of the aha moment I had when reading about Microsoft’s unfortunate accident last week that conveniently only interfered with its customers ability to run desktop Linux. While I’ll concede that this borking of dual booted Linux wasn’t exactly intentional on Microsoft’s part, it’s also obvious that despite its claims to the contrary, the company didn’t bother to do proper testing to make sure its patch wouldn’t do harm to users who were dual booting Windows and Linux.

  I’m also pretty sure that now that the damage is done, nobody in Redmond — other than perhaps a few overworked PR hacks — has lost sleep over the problems their little mistake caused for the small percentage of Windows users that also run Linux.

  In truth, while Microsoft truly loves Linux running on it customers’ servers in the cloud, it would like nothing more than for Linux on the desktop to just disappear and quit threatening the near monopoly that Windows holds on desktop computing. As Bill Clinton might put it, when Microsoft says it loves Linux, it all depends on what your definition of “Linux” is.

OMG Ubuntu belated reaction:

• August Windows Update Breaks Linux Dual-Boots - OMG! Ubuntu

  Microsoft’s mid-August drop of security updates to Windows 10 and Windows 11 includes a security patch to address an exploit targeting GRUB2 Secure Boot bypassing.

  The Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) update nixes the vulnerability by preventing ‘old, vulnerable boot managers’ from being able to boot.

  Prior to release, Microsoft said this update would not be applied to systems where an active dual-boot was detected, thus ensuring existing multi-OS systems continued to work as expected.

  But, as BleepingComputer reported, and later picked up by The Verge (amongst others), this detection failed. Windows updater applied the SBAT update on scores of systems where, according to Microsoft, it should not have been.

  The impact was immediate.

Very late coverage:

• Upcoming Garmin Watches, Windows Update, and Expected iPhone 16 Pricing

  Microsoft’s latest Windows update has turned out to be quite problematic for those who run Linux systems alongside Windows in a dual-boot setup. The update has caused Linux to become unbootable, leading to frustration for users who rely on both operating systems. Fortunately, there is a workaround to resolve the issue, though it’s an inconvenience that many would have preferred to avoid.