Score:0

What is "Platform is in setup mode" mean? SecureBoot disabled although TPM is enabled

np flag

I had to wipe my HDD clean and re-installed both Windows 10 and Ubuntu in dual boot setup. I have three main partitions, one of windows (plus three Microsoft related partitions, EFI and linux swap) and one as ubuntu root partition and last one as separate home partition.

In the UEFI, the TPM is enabled (and I can't find a dedicated secure boot setting). However, mokutil --sb-state shows:

    SecureBoot disabled
    Platform is in Setup Mode

And, running mokutil -l list two key/certificates, one issued by canonical and the other is ubuntu secure boot module signature key. I have following questions:

  • Is TPM enabled has nothing to do with secure boot?
  • How to I enable it if that's the case?
  • And What does Platform is in Setup Mode mean? Is it good or bad?

P.S. My Laptop Model: HP da0102tu (intel i3 7th gen, 4gb ram)

ChanganAuto avatar
us flag
TPM already existed in BIOS many years before Secure Boot (and UEFI, of course, since Secure Boot only exists in UEFI). You don't want to enable Secure Boot and it doesn't seem to be a problem in your question, only confusion. A quick google search should be enough.
Hiro avatar
np flag
@ChanganAuto okay. However I can't find anything about "Platform is in Setup Mode".
ChanganAuto avatar
us flag
This is the first result for me: https://blog.hansenpartnership.com/the-meaning-of-all-the-uefi-keys/
user598527 avatar
mp flag
this document has essentially an entire paragraph about the 'setup mode': https://www.static.linuxfound.org/sites/main/files/lf_uefi_secure_boot_open_platforms.pdf
Score:2
bd flag

As far as I understand it, this means that your system doesn't have any secure boot keys in memory right now and awaits those keys, so the factory keys probably got deleted by accident.

In the setup mode, secure boot is just disabled and awaits these keys.

Going into Setup Mode is useful for people that want to verify and sign boot software for their own, so that secure boot only allows their signed efi's (e.g. the firmware, bootloader, OS) to load.

This is a very advanced option and is usually used just by agencies and companies with a very high security standard. Signing everything yourself, including updates, gets very tedious, so I wouldn't recommend it for the average user.

Usually one of the manufacturer's keys or Microsoft's key (PK) is on there, which only loads Microsoft/manufacturer signed efis (eg. Windows, some Linux Bootloaders, commercial Recovery Mediums, etc.). Unfortunately, some binary's Microsoft signed have been shown to be vulnerable to allow hackers to circumvent secure boot and while Microsoft does add them to the blacklist (dbx), PC's have to be updated to no longer be accepted by the UEFI. So, secure boot has it's problems if you let someone else do the verification. Putting in your own key protects you against that, but you shouldn't worry if you're not targeted directly by hackers.

So there's no immediate danger or anything, there should be "restore factory keys" or "restore secure boot keys" option which will put the original keys back in place and will enable secure boot again.

Hope that helps other people that come across a similar issue, for a very deep dive into the topic, consider reading this article: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/windows-secure-boot-key-creation-and-management-guidance?view=windows-11

Hiro avatar
np flag
This all makes sense in my head now. Thanks!
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