Exploitation of these vulnerabilities could lead to the installation of stealthy bootkits, undermining security mechanisms like BitLocker.

While some vulnerabilities in U-Boot and Barebox require physical access for exploitation, GRUB2 vulnerabilities could be exploited remotely, increasing their risk.

Microsoft's AI-driven Security Copilot tool has identified 20 critical vulnerabilities in popular bootloaders, including GRUB2, U-Boot, and Barebox, which are essential for operating system initialization in Linux and embedded systems.

In February 2025, security updates were released for GRUB2, U-Boot, and Barebox, following the disclosure of 11 vulnerabilities in GRUB2 alone.

Among the vulnerabilities found in GRUB2, CVE-2025-0678 has been rated as high severity, highlighting the serious risks posed by these security flaws.

The identified vulnerabilities pose significant threats to IoT devices, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise environments that rely on Secure Boot for security and device integrity.

These vulnerabilities underscore the ongoing threat landscape, necessitating continuous monitoring and updating of security measures in bootloader implementations.

The vulnerabilities include buffer overflows and integer overflows, which could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code, potentially bypassing Secure Boot and installing persistent malware.

As AI tools evolve, both attackers and defenders are leveraging them, creating a continuous arms race in cybersecurity.

Responsible disclosure and collaborative efforts are crucial in addressing security weaknesses to enhance protection technologies across various devices and platforms.

Microsoft emphasizes the importance of information sharing and collaboration among vendors and researchers to counteract the misuse of AI by malicious actors.

Organizations are urged to enhance their vulnerability management processes to include firmware and bootloader updates as part of regular patch management strategies.