Could this be the end of BIOS-locked laptops? AI tweaker deploys Claude to unlock and change settings for good
AI helps patch a signature check to always say "yes" on a specific HP laptop using a hardware flasher.
A Redditor claims that an AI called Claude Code was able to unlock and modify the BIOS settings on their HP 15-dw1036ne laptop. The process involved reverse-engineering the firmware, patching the RSA-2048 signature check, and exposing 55 hidden setup fields and four configuration tabs. Claude Code did not break the RSA-2048 cryptographic algorithm but instead manipulated the verification routine to always return a success message.
The technique is not new and relies on bypassing the BIOS signature check, which is a common modding approach. Claude Code assisted the user by providing disassembly, extracting firmware volumes, and emulating the check outside the real machine. The unlock process is model- and version-specific and requires physical access via a hardware flash programmer.
While the method has security implications, it also provides a potential solution to certain types of e-waste by making it easier to "rescue" locked or disabled laptops that would otherwise become obsolete. However, the success of this approach on different HP models is uncertain, and users attempting it should be aware of the risks of bricking the machine.
Written by urgent.news from TechRadar's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
