Hey everyone! I just noticed that the Microsoft SecureBoot signing certificate expires today, September 11, 2025. In my research for a client, I found this expiration on various devices, which could potentially prevent them from booting up starting today. I've consulted Microsoft Support, and it seems like those who haven't updated might experience issues booting. There's a fix available, but it's risky and dependent on having the latest updates and firmware installed. I'm curious if anyone else has observed this or if their systems are still booting despite the certificate's expiration.
5 Answers
The certificate expiration is a bit of a concern, but it doesn't affect firmware that's already been signed with a timestamp. Essentially, as long as the firmware or drivers were signed while the certificate was valid, they should continue to operate without issues. New firmware updates may need a new certificate, though!
I was thinking the same! If the signing date is what matters, then tracking installation times might be more crucial.
I checked a few systems and contrary to some articles online, the real expiry date isn't until later next year. I think this might just be a miscommunication about which certificate is expiring.
I found that too! The confusion seems to stem from different types of certificates. Mine is up in June 2026.
You're right; what you're referencing sounds like a root certificate, not the signing certificate for the SecureBoot database.
According to the Microsoft's article, the enforcement phase for the certificate revocation won’t actually begin until January 2026. So even if your certificate expired today, you should still be okay for a while unless you jump the gun on updates that require a renewal.
Good point! I think as long as you haven’t applied problematic updates yet, your system might still boot without issues.
That makes it a bit less scary! But it feels like they should really keep us more informed about these updates.
Even if the certificate expired, it seems like most systems are still booting and everything works fine as well. The key is checking to ensure you haven't installed any updates that might require the new cert. So far, I haven’t noticed any issues. Just be cautious!
Glad to hear you’re not having issues! I just hope it stays that way for all of us.
Right? I ran my checks today and it’s still running for now. Keep an eye out for any updates, though!
I’m with you on worrying about systems not starting tomorrow. It feels like a ticking time bomb! But I also did my updates and they seem fine so far. Just hoping for smooth sailing!
Sounds like you'll be enjoying your vacation while everyone else stress tests their systems!
Just so you know, applying the latest security updates seemed to renew my certificate too, so that could help!
That makes sense! But what happens if we try to install new firmware after the expiration date? Will that cause problems?