Linux Security Summit Europe 2025

Bootloaders are foundational to system security, yet their attack surface often remains under-scrutinized.
This talk presents ongoing efforts to harden the security posture of the barebox bootloader when used in verified boot chains.

Topics include defining the security-critical subset of the verified boot path, applying fuzzing to core logic, and highlighting the security implications of user configurations.
The session will also cover software hardening measures, mechanisms for secure runtime unlocking and the formalization of security issue handling.

Attendees will gain insight into both the technical challenges and the roadmap to help users deploy a verified boot chain into embedded products while minimizing potential risks.