Dual BIOS: The laptop security feature SMBs don’t know they need

Publisher excerpt From CSO Online

Every security checklist starts with the basics: strong passwords, multifactor authentication, spotting phishing, and keeping software up to date. All four protect what happens after a laptop starts. But some attackers are more focused on what happens before. That’s the domain of the BIOS, the first code that runs when a laptop powers on. It checks the hardware, then hands control to the operating system. Malware planted at this level can load before the operating system does, so it can evade antivirus tools and even survive a drive wipe or reinstall. For small and midsize businesses (SMBs), the cost of an incident goes beyond the bill to fix it. It’s also about the work that stops in the meantime. The Verizon Business 2026 Breach Impact Study (which analyzes cyber insurance claims), found that SMBs suffered losses accounting for up to 7% of their total revenue. It also identified business interruption as the fastest growing source of loss. Detection isn’t recovery Modern laptops verify their firmware before booting, so a tampered BIOS image usually fails, though attackers are increasingly exploiting flaws that enable them to slip past those checks. But even a failed attack can do damage, because a BIOS that doesn’t pass verification can leave the laptop unable to boot. Of course, not every BIOS failure is malicious. An update that’s interrupted, such as a laptop losing power before it finishes, gives the same result. Either way, a corrupted BIOS effectively bricks t…

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