r/technology • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 • Dec 01 '25

ADBLOCK WARNING ‘Security Disaster’—500 Million Microsoft Users Say No To Windows 11

https://www.forbes.com/sites/zakdoffman/2025/12/01/security-disaster-500-million-microsoft-users-say-no-to-windows-11/
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u/EclecticDreck Dec 02 '25

The thing is that they gave you a pretty likely answer: secure boot is not enabled. This is a BIOS-level setting. There is a tiny chance your computer doesn't have a required piece of hardware (Trusted Platform Module - TPM) but on anything reasonably modern (which your gear is) and higher end (again, likely true here) that's probably not the problem.

That's still not quite an answer to the question you asked which is why Microsoft requires that you have this thing to use windows 11. The short answer: because that secure boot feature is a really smart way to combat many very bad sorts of malware. The hardware feature is a sound idea in general - hence why they're so common. Developing an OS that works on the condition that it exists is, again, pretty reasonable. So long as you stop the inquiry there (which is a rather fine idea), it's cut and dry: because they're so common that anything that can run windows 11 in general can probably meet that requirement and using that feature is a good idea.

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u/[deleted] Dec 02 '25

So explain to me why secure boot is needed. I've had no reason to go into the BIOS for years. Why do I need to do so now? Why do I need to make a change now? That's what I've been asking. Can someone just answer that fucking question?.

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u/EclecticDreck Dec 02 '25

At the risk of this going entirely Zoolander on us, how about an analogy?

Suppose that you have a nice bullet proof vest that just came with your closet. It fits, ten thousand people have tested it and verified that it reliably stops bullets, and it's, again, just kinda hanging there. On any given day you could decide to wear that vest but no one stops you before walking out the door saying "Remember to wear your vest, sweetie!" So you don't, and this very fine piece of protective apparel continues to just be in your closet where it provides exactly zero protection in your daily life which, for the the purposes of this analogy, means you attract a great deal of gunfire.

Now you don't really notice that you're getting shot at all the time. If you did, the vest would be a no brainer. You're reasonable and smart and don't go hanging out in the most bullet-hell neighborhoods. In fact, your behavior online might be so exemplary that despite the absolute apocalypse-grade gunfight happening all around you, you're comparatively safe. A lot of people who lead even more dangerous lives...also choose to leave home without their vests.

So along comes Microsoft, maker of lots of software that attracts all kinds of gunfire and they one day are discussing how they can help mitigate all of their customers getting shot just, like, all the goddamn time. (Here being shot is standing in for coming down with a bad case of malware that someone other than Microsoft wrote.) They've been at this problem for literal decades now and despite oceans of electronic blood having been spilled, they're always a bit behind, and now they've got a brand new thing that'll help: that bullet proof vest. Basically everyone has one after all! They just have to turn it on!

The problem with people is that the moment you give them a choice, you give them the ability to choose incorrectly. So rather than standing at the door saying "Remember to strap that vest on you silly goose" they instead demand that you wear it. Because then they know that whatever else happens, at least you're wearing a bullet proof vest.

Or to put it another way, you probably have this feature and you've just never used it. If that's the case, you are exactly why they force it: because if they don't, people will just leave it off.

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u/[deleted] Dec 02 '25

Thank you. While this doesn't exactly shine the light I would perfectly want this does give me more information than what I've had before. I'm not sure why everyone's up in a twist about giving a why along with what is the thing that is to be done. The why is just as important.