Question

What component of uefi helps to prevent malware from hijacking a system during or before the operating system load?

Answer 1

Secure boot. Old PCs have a BIOS that tend to just boot anything from the boot order in the BIOS settings. It looks through the boot order and boots from whatever hardware is at the top of the boot order without checking to see if the boot loader Information has Microsoft signatures. Rootkits and other malware often exploit this vulnerability and would boot as the operating system loads. New Windows PCs with UEFI firmwares ship with Microsoft's certificates ( Secure boot) stored in the BIOS settings that checks and ensures the boot loader is signed by Microsoft before it launches. These prevent Rootkits, malware, and other Trojan horse from hijacking the boot process and disguising as operating system processes or files.

Answer 2

UEFI has a security system called Secure Boot, it helps to prevent malware from hijacking a system during or before the operating system load. Windows and UEFI work together to ensure that no unsecured device driver, application, or OS component is loaded.