Researchers at security firm ESET said Wednesday that they found the first UEFI bootkit for Linux. The discovery may portend that UEFI bootkits that have targeted Windows systems in recent years may soon target Linux too.

"Bootkitty" is a new and concerning malware that targets Linux systems. Eset analysts recently discovered the bootkit in a previously unknown UEFI application (bootkit.efi) that someone

The first UEFI bootkit specifically targeting Linux systems has been discovered, marking a shift in stealthy and hard-to-remove bootkit threats that previously focused on Windows.

Dubbed Bootkitty by its creators who go by the name BlackCat, the bootkit is assessed to be a proof-of-concept (PoC) and there is no evidence that it has been put to use in real-world attacks. Also tracked as IranuKit, it was uploaded to the VirusTotal platform on November 5, 2024.

This appears to be the first UEFI bootkit that goes beyond Windows and targets Linux machines, according to ESET security researchers.

ESET's discovery of the first UEFI bootkit designed for Linux sendss an important message: UEFI bootkits are no longer confined to Windows systems alone.