Security researchers have uncovered Bootkitty, the first UEFI bootkit targeted specifically at Linux systems. This bootkit is currently in the form of a proof-of-concept (PoC) and has not yet been exploited in the wild. It was first uploaded to VirusTotal on November 5, 2024, and is also tracked as IranuKit. The bootkit's primary function is to disable the Linux kernel's signature verification and preload two unknown ELF binaries during the system's startup via the Linux init process. This marks a significant development in the UEFI threat landscape, as UEFI bootkits have typically been associated with Windows systems. Bootkitty is signed using a self-signed certificate, meaning it cannot run on systems with UEFI Secure Boot enabled unless an attacker installs a rogue certificate. Once bypassing Secure Boot (or without it), the bootkit manipulates the kernel’s integrity checks by hooking into UEFI authentication functions and patching the GRUB bootloader to avoid integrity verification. In addition, Bootkitty interferes with the Linux kernel’s decompression process to load malicious modules and modifies the LD_PRELOAD variable to inject two ELF shared objects (`/opt/injector.so` and `/init`) during the init process. Further investigation also revealed a related unsigned kernel module, BCDropper, which deploys another ELF binary, BCObserver. This module has rootkit capabilities, including hiding files and processes. While no direct connection to the ALPHV/BlackCat ransomware group has been found, this development signals a growing threat to Linux systems.
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