Security News > 2023 > May > Bootkit zero-day fix – is this Microsoft’s most cautious patch ever?

Bootkit zero-day fix – is this Microsoft’s most cautious patch ever?
2023-05-10 18:50

Although you'll get the patch if you perform a full Patch Tuesday download and let the update complete.

The full patch involves updating Microsoft's bootup code in your hard disk's startup partition, and then telling your motherboard not to trust the old, insecure bootup code any more.

Microsoft has built the raw materials you need for this patch into the files you'll get when you download your May 2023 Patch Tuesday update, but has quite deliberately decided against activating all the steps needed to apply the patch automatically.

Manually patch all your bootable devices so they have the new bootup code on them.

If you're worried, you can simply install the patch but do nothing else right now, which leaves your computer running the new bootup code and therefore ready to accept the revocation described above, but still able to boot with your existing recovery disks.

Presumably, all official Microsoft installation downloads will be patched by then, so even if something does go wrong you will have an official way to fetch a reliable recovery image.


News URL

https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2023/05/10/bootkit-zero-day-fix-is-this-microsofts-most-cautious-patch-ever/