Hi all,

Someone who's been hacking me repeatedly since some months ago managed to screw my BIOS while I was on Windows 10 (this is a UEFI system, Asus R510V). Now, when I enter in the BIOS setup, I can see all the options, but I can't move up and down on some screens.

In addition, some functions (like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth) are disabled, so I cannot enable them, since I can't move up and down on some screens.

Is there a way to fix or reset (or even upgrade) the BIOS from Linux on a UEFI system?

Thanks for your help!

When you are in the BIOS/UEFI, no operating system is running at that point so to answer your question, no. I would suggest a reset of the BIOS/UEFI back to factory settings if possible. You will have to read your motherboard manufacturer's instructions on how to do that.

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Most motherboard manufacturers now provide BIOS updates you can put on a USB stick and install from BIOS itself.
For the record I highly doubt anyone was able to "hack" your BIOS remotely so unless other people have physical access to your computer it is likelly either you are missing a BIOS setting which changes which functions are available or you9r motherboard is faulty. I would bet on the former.

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What evidence do you have to support that?

Sorry, but it sounds very unlikely to me that someone is going to target your BIOS, of all things to target.

In any case, while there maybe some generic tools available for Linux for resetting/flashing BIOS's; I've not seen a lot of manufacturers offer Linux versions of their own tools for resetting/flashing BIOS's. They are usually only available as a program you boot your machine from to perform the BIOS reset/flash without Windows or Linux running, or a BIOS option to use the BIOS program itself to reset and/or flash it.

Also, this "someone has hacked me" is becoming quite a theme with your threads. As you seem to have started a number of threads about "someone hacking you". So I assume it's your ISP at it again ?

https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...ut-4175654073/
https://www.linuxquestions.org/quest...nt-4175657629/

Agree with other posters: hackers (blackhats) rarely target individuals. No point to it.

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Believe it or not, but someone is definitely obsessed in hacking and has been doing it repeatedly for the last 9 months, at least. (Long story, but it's related to hate crimes).

And yes, this person definitely hacked my BIOS somehow. The arrow keys didn't work on some BIOS screens like they should, and the reset to factory defaults key didn't work either. (I've done it several times before).

I finally used Winflash from Win 10 to flash an upgraded BIOS version. It's back to normal now, so I'm marking this as solved.

Update: flashing the new BIOS version didn't work. I thought it had worked because some functions (like wifi and Bluetooth that I had disabled on the BIOS) started working on Windows again. However, when I enter in the BIOS, some keys (like arrow keys and other keys) don't work, so I guess the motherboard is definitely faulty in this case.

I disassembled the laptop and removed the BIOS battery, but it didn't work either. What would you think is the best option in this case? Does sending it to repair guarantee it will work, or is it better to just buy a new laptop?

As for the hacker issue, yes it definitely has been happening as well (believe it or not, but there are people stupid/hateful enough to be obsessed in harming another person). Anyway, that's a totally different issue.

then...

Since "didn't work" doesn't tell us much if anything; then what do you expect us to suggest ?

What's the best option? I'd say to seek professional help (for yourself)...

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Did you bother to read my post? It didn't work since some keys don't work on the BIOS as they should (read again). I'll do just as you say: seek professional help (for myself), since you (singular pronoun) are not being helpful at all. Thank you anyway.

Given what PBS (or was it 60 minutes?) claimed about what the CIA has done to the power grid in Iraq and/or Syria, I'm inclined to believe this kind of hacking is somehow possible. My baby brother certainly does - to extreme. He claims two different PC BIOS of his were hacked and went so far as to buy new BIOS chips for two of them from the motherboard manufacturers. That's just for starters. He also filed police reports based on claims various wireless devices he owned were rendered useless by hackers, his email account passwords were changed, and money was taken from his bank accounts. He spent something like over $300 for one year of some sort of personal information security service advertised on TV. He yelled at me for talking about his finances in front of his more than 10 year old Samsung plasma TV (with no microphone, receiving ATSC OTA via a rabbit ears antenna), claiming the hackers were listening to him via the TV (speakers?), and this after he terminated phone, cable and internet service with Spectrum. I know all this sounds insanely extreme, but he brought his PCs to my house for me to wipe his disks and install his operating systems, which he now keeps either here or in his van. Then he either uses library computers, or drives to some remote location with a hotspot, connects a power inverter to his van, and uses a PC there. For longer period needs, he returns here, which is over an hour's drive away. He was tested. The hospital had him on Baker Act for over a month, and released him as mentally sane, even though I'm sure his doctors heard the same crazy stories.

jazzy_mood, have you tried any other keyboards, preferably not wireless? Have you tried using the TAB key or F5 or F6 when you expect to need up or down keys? R510V is a laptop, right? Up and down don't work in my laptop's BIOS either, only F5/F6 for up/down.

I'm sure jazzy_mood is very much a high value intelligence target of the CIA...

...as for your baby brother; tell him to buy as much tinfoil as he can, wrap his van in it, and make sure there are no gaps...

FWIW, I think your point about jazzy_mood's keyboard is likely the reason/solution for/to their problems

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At last someone who understands. I'll try an external keyboard to see how it works. Thank you for the suggestion!

When did I mention the CIA? Haven't you know about people obsessed in hacking someone for whatever reason? (personal reasons, hate crimes, etc.). This is the case. By the way, I don't see the point in "helping" this way. If you don't have anything to say, just refrain to make clueless posts. This is a technical help forum after all, isn't it? And YES, I have been hacked repeatedly for the last 10 months at least, and YES people from my previous ISP is involved.

Something that makes me think someone hacked my BIOS (if someone can give any clue about this) is that a few months ago I booted from a Linux Mint live CD and some commands (dd and ifconfig) didn't work. A few weeks later, I booted again from the same live CD, and they did work. The only logical explanation for this is some low-level malware, and this is what makes me think the idiot who has been hacking me hacked my BIOS.

I think the point of the post made by jsbjsb001 is that individuals in their homes/home networks are RARELY the targets of hackers. I know this because I am one, but on the other side (good side) of the fence. No hacker cares about individuals because you aren't worth anything.

Yes, people do hack IoT devices and mess with people but a BIOS hack requires physical access or the insertion of a tainted USB device. A tainted BIOS file from the motherboard manufacturer would also be another attack vector.

Just saying it is highly unlikely you are being singled out, especially by your ISP.

Not trying to ridicule you, just relaying my experience.

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