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LogoFAIL is a family of vulnerabilities in UEFI firmware image parsers—not a flaw in Windows or Linux. An affected laptop, desktop, workstation, or server may process a malicious boot-logo image before the operating system and its security tools start. The practical fix is a model-specific firmware update from the device or motherboard manufacturer.
The “almost every device” description reflects the reach of shared UEFI code from vendors such as AMI, Insyde, and Phoenix. It is not a measured claim that nearly every Windows or Linux computer is vulnerable. Your exposure depends on the exact firmware build and parser used by your machine.
LogoFAIL in one minute
- What it is: Multiple bugs in UEFI code that parses boot-logo image files.
- Who may be affected: Devices whose firmware includes a vulnerable parser and implementation.
- What an attacker usually needs: Local administrator-level access, physical access, or control of a firmware-update path.
- What to do: Identify the exact model and firmware version, then install the latest official OEM firmware and review Secure Boot compatibility.
- What is not enough: Updating only Windows or a Linux distribution does not guarantee that motherboard firmware is fixed.
LogoFAIL was publicly coordinated by CERT/CC on December 6, 2023. The record associates the issue with CVE-2023-39539, CVE-2023-40238, and CVE-2023-5058. CERT/CC’s page was last revised September 23, 2025; vendor status can change, so a current model-specific advisory remains decisive: CERT/CC VU#811862.
What LogoFAIL actually attacks
“Logo” refers to the manufacturer or customized picture shown during early startup. “FAIL” describes failures in the firmware libraries that decode image formats such as PNG and other formats, depending on the implementation. These libraries run inside UEFI firmware, commonly while Driver Execution Environment (DXE) components initialize hardware and boot services.
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This is not a bug in the Windows kernel, Linux kernel, GRUB, or a normal desktop image viewer. It is a collection of parser vulnerabilities in pre-boot code. One implementation may have an out-of-bounds read; another may have memory corruption or inadequate validation of image structures. A single universal exploit should not be assumed.
Where the attack sits in the boot sequence
Power on ↓ UEFI firmware and DXE drivers ↓ Boot-logo image parsing ← LogoFAIL attack surface ↓ Windows Boot Manager, GRUB, or another bootloader ↓ Operating system ↓ Antivirus and EDR
A malformed image can influence code running before ordinary operating-system defenses initialize. Depending on the affected component and exploit path, that may enable altered boot behavior, pre-boot execution, or persistence that is difficult for normal endpoint tools to observe.
Why the headline sounded so broad
Many computer brands build products around a smaller set of independent BIOS vendors. A defect in shared reference code can therefore appear across numerous laptop, desktop, and server brands. CERT/CC lists AMI as affected for CVE-2023-39539, Insyde as affected in certain customized OEM products for CVE-2023-40238, and Phoenix customer products and extensions as affected for CVE-2023-5058 while noting that its base product could not be reproduced as affected.
The same CERT/CC table lists Fujitsu as reporting affected AMI and Insyde firmware and making server updates available. Intel was listed as affected, although no vendor statement had been recorded at that point. Microsoft and ARM were recorded as not affected for specific entries. Acer, ASUS, Amazon, Cisco, Qualcomm, VAIO, and other entries were listed as unknown—not proof of safety or vulnerability. Treat that table as coordination history, not a universal inventory.
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Neither Windows nor Linux is inherently more exposed. Both can boot through the same UEFI layer, and a dual-boot installation still relies on the motherboard’s firmware. The operating system is incidental to the parser vulnerability.
What an attacker must already control
| Scenario | Likely prerequisite | Practical meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Changing an EFI System Partition file or setting | Local administrator or equivalent privileged access | Usually follows an earlier endpoint compromise; not a drive-by attack for an unprivileged user. |
| Physical manipulation | Physical access to the computer | Relevant to stolen, unattended, or high-value systems. |
| Malicious firmware package | Control of an update process or privileged firmware-update payload | A supply-chain and enterprise-management concern. |
| Unauthenticated remote attack only | Not established by the core LogoFAIL description | Do not treat LogoFAIL as a typical internet worm. |
CERT/CC describes local privileged access as an attack route and notes that malicious content could potentially be introduced through a bundled firmware update. Exploitation therefore remains serious for already-compromised endpoints, administrators, supply chains, and machines exposed to physical tampering, but it generally requires more than sending a file to an ordinary user.
What exploitation could do
- Execute attacker-controlled code during pre-boot.
- Change boot behavior or load a malicious boot component.
- Establish persistence outside the normal operating-system filesystem.
- Potentially weaken or bypass Secure Boot in configurations where the vulnerable code is on the relevant path.
- Run before antivirus and EDR services initialize.
- Survive an operating-system reinstall if the malicious state remains in firmware or another protected boot-related location.
These are capabilities and demonstrated security consequences of affected paths, not evidence that every LogoFAIL bug grants full remote compromise. The authoritative records supplied for this article do not establish widespread in-the-wild exploitation against ordinary consumers.
How to determine whether your device is affected
There is no universal “LogoFAIL status” command. Use this checklist:
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- Record the exact laptop, desktop, server, or motherboard model and revision.
- Record the current BIOS/UEFI version.
- Identify whether the machine uses a customized boot logo, dual boot, custom Secure Boot keys, or a nonstandard bootloader.
- Read the manufacturer’s security advisory and release notes for that exact model. Look for LogoFAIL or the relevant CVE identifiers.
- Check whether the model is end-of-life or explicitly unsupported.
- Identify the update channel: OEM flashing utility, Windows Update, LVFS/`fwupd`, or an enterprise firmware-management system.
Windows checks
Open Settings → System → About for the model. To reach firmware settings where supported, use Settings → System → Recovery → Advanced startup → Restart now → Troubleshoot → Advanced options → UEFI Firmware Settings. Menu names vary by edition and OEM.
Alternatively, run msinfo32 and inspect BIOS Version/Date and Secure Boot State. PowerShell can report Secure Boot state:
Confirm-SecureBootUEFITrue or False tells you about Secure Boot, not LogoFAIL exposure. Compare the BIOS version with the official support page, and never flash a file intended for a similar-looking model or another motherboard revision.
Linux checks
On supported hardware, Linux Vendor Firmware Service (LVFS) and fwupd can discover and install vendor packages:
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fwupdmgr get-devices
fwupdmgr refresh
fwupdmgr get-updates
fwupdmgr updatefwupdmgr only covers vendors that publish compatible metadata and packages. “No updates available” can mean that the machine is unsupported by LVFS, not that its firmware is safe. An OEM bootable updater or manual flashing procedure may be required.
How to update safely
- Download firmware only from the device or motherboard manufacturer, or from LVFS when the vendor supports it.
- Back up important data and save BitLocker or other disk-encryption recovery keys.
- Review release notes, model/revision restrictions, and required power conditions.
- Connect reliable AC power and do not interrupt the flash process.
- After reboot, confirm the new firmware version.
- Recheck Secure Boot, TPM settings, boot order, virtualization options, custom keys, and disk-encryption status.
- Verify that Windows, Linux, recovery media, and any dual-boot loader still start.
A firmware update may reset settings or trigger BitLocker recovery. Automatic deployment is convenient but less transparent for enterprise testing; manual flashing provides control but increases the chance of selecting the wrong image or interrupting the process.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Secure Boot: helpful, but not a universal shield
Secure Boot validates trusted boot components, while LogoFAIL can attack firmware parsing before or around the normal operating-system trust chain. Secure Boot therefore does not universally block a vulnerable parser. It may still prevent later payloads, depending on where malicious data is stored, which component is vulnerable, whether the modified object is signed, and how the platform’s keys and revocation databases are configured.
Keep firmware and the Secure Boot Forbidden Signature Database (DBX) current when the vendor directs you to do so. DBX changes can revoke vulnerable boot binaries but may also break older recovery media, custom Linux bootloaders, or unsupported configurations. Test enterprise deployments and confirm required DB entries before applying changes. See CERT/CC VU#806555 and CERT/CC VU#455367.
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What Windows and Linux updates can—and cannot—do
Windows Update or a Linux distribution update may improve boot-chain protections, update a bootloader, or deliver firmware through an OEM-supported mechanism. Neither guarantees that the motherboard’s image parser is corrected. Firmware remediation normally comes from the laptop, motherboard, server, or system manufacturer.
Microsoft’s Secure Boot certificate and boot-manager guidance concerns trust databases and revocations, not a universal LogoFAIL fix: certificate guidance and boot-manager revocation guidance.
If no firmware fix exists
- Keep the operating system, bootloader, and security software patched.
- Restrict local administrator rights.
- Protect physical access and use measured boot, TPM-backed attestation, and firmware-change telemetry where available.
- Monitor EFI System Partition and firmware changes.
- Ask the OEM security-response team for a model-specific determination.
- Replace unsupported systems in high-assurance environments.
These controls reduce attack opportunities but do not repair a vulnerable parser. If compromise is suspected, treat firmware updating as remediation—not proof that the device was never infected. High-assurance organizations may need out-of-band validation, incident response, and a controlled reflash or replacement.
Related early-boot issues are not the same vulnerability
PKfail, vulnerable signed UEFI applications, BlackLotus/CVE-2023-24932, DBX revocations, and Secure Boot certificate-expiration work all concern the broader early-boot trust chain. They should not be conflated with LogoFAIL. Each has its own affected components, update path, and compatibility risks.
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Bottom line
The decisive question is not whether a computer runs Windows or Linux. It is: What exact UEFI firmware is installed, and has that model’s manufacturer fixed the affected parser? Identify the model and BIOS version, consult the current OEM advisory, install the official firmware update when available, and validate Secure Boot, encryption, and bootloader settings afterward. For unsupported or unverified systems, reduce privileges and physical exposure, then plan replacement or a specialist firmware assessment.
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