Every security checklist starts with the basics: strong passwords, multifactor authentication, spotting phishing, and keeping software up to date. All four protect what happens after a laptop starts. But some attackers are more focused on what happens before.
That’s the domain of the BIOS, the first code that runs when a laptop powers on. It checks the hardware, then hands control to the operating system. Malware planted at this level can load before the operating system does, so it can evade antivirus tools and even survive a drive wipe or reinstall.
For small and midsize businesses (SMBs), the cost of an incident goes beyond the bill to fix it. It’s also about the work that stops in the meantime. The Verizon Business 2026 Breach Impact Study (which analyzes cyber insurance claims), found that SMBs suffered losses accounting for up to 7% of their total revenue. It also identified business interruption as the fastest growing source of loss.
Detection isn’t recovery
Modern laptops verify their firmware before booting, so a tampered BIOS image usually fails, though attackers are increasingly exploiting flaws that enable them to slip past those checks. But even a failed attack can do damage, because a BIOS that doesn’t pass verification can leave the laptop unable to boot.
Of course, not every BIOS failure is malicious. An update that’s interrupted, such as a laptop losing power before it finishes, gives the same result. Either way, a corrupted BIOS effectively bricks the device. IT must spend time and money restoring or replacing it, and in the meantime, a remote employee can lose days of work waiting for a replacement. What’s more, if the failure was the result of a cyberattack, the business may need to reset credentials and possibly notify customers.
How a dual BIOS provides a second chance
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) frames firmware security around 3 goals: protect firmware from unauthorized changes, detect unauthorized changes, and recover quickly and securely. Recovery is the part that keeps employees working.
Some laptop manufacturers are now providing SMBs with an effective defense against compromised or corrupted firmware. A dual BIOS, sometimes called a dual ROM design, puts two firmware chips on the motherboard. The first holds the system BIOS, while the second stores a protected copy. In this way, if the primary BIOS becomes corrupted, the laptop can fail over to the backup, and employees can get back to work almost immediately. That’s because recovery doesn’t require a network connection or a call to the help desk.
Firmware resilience for small teams
Dual BIOS designs have long been common in servers, where staying available is critical, as well as in gaming PCs and higher-end enterprise machines, but few small businesses think to look for this capability. However, with so many employees working remotely and with attackers increasingly targeting firmware, a dual BIOS is rapidly becoming a necessary security capability for an SMB laptop.
The ASUS ExpertBook A7 brings dual BIOS protection to small-business laptops. If the laptop detects a BIOS integrity failure during startup, recovery begins automatically. The event is also recorded in the BIOS System Event Log, so IT can confirm what happened, and the log can flag signs of physical tampering, such as the laptop’s case being opened. The ExpertBook A7 is also powered by up to an Intel® Core™ 7 Series 3 processor to keep multitasking, communication, browsing, and content creation moving smoothly throughout the workday.
SMB laptops don’t need to be vulnerable to firmware attacks or corruption. A dual BIOS deserves a place on every SMB’s list of required laptop features.
Learn more about the ASUS ExpertBook A7.
