These days, many Linux users find that when they turn on their computers, they don’t start up. Instead, they are greeted with a strange message that says “Something went really wrong.” The fault lies with Microsoft, by the way.

Disaster updateAs explained by Ars Technica , the issue stems from a Microsoft update released this week. The update was intended to fix a vulnerability in GRUB, the boot loader used on many Linux-based computers and devices. The vulnerability allowed hackers to bypass secure boot and thus install firmware or malware during that boot process.

Dual boot is broken. Many users have dual (or multi) boot systems. This means that at least one Windows operating system and one Linux distribution are installed on the same computer. This last system is the one that also loads the GRUB boot loader when installed, but the update caused the following message to be displayed:

“Verification of SBAT data failed: Security Policy Violation. Something went seriously wrong: SBAT self-check failed: Security Policy Violation.”

Support and discussion forums are starting to fill up with messages from users who don’t know what to do about this.

Microsoft is working to fix the issueThe update affected multiple Linux distributions, including Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint, Zorin OS, or Puppy Linux. Microsoft stated a few hours after the issue was revealed that “We are aware that certain secondary boot situations, including using outdated Linux installers with vulnerable code, are causing issues for some customers” and that they are working with their partners to investigate and resolve the issue.

Temporary solution. While there is no official patch from Microsoft yet that fixes the issue, some users have discovered ways to bypass it. One option is to access your system’s EFI panel and disable secure boot. Another better short-term option, as some users have noted, is to delete the SBAT policy created by Microsoft with the update. The steps to complete the process were outlined by a user on the Linux Mint forum.

And meanwhile Linux continues to gain share. It’s ironic that this is happening at a time when Linux is reaching all-time highs in market share. According to StatCounter GlobalStats, as reported by OsTechnix, the operating system managed to reach a 4.45% market share in desktop operating systems (PCs and laptops) worldwide in July 2024.

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