There’s a critical issue with Ubuntu 17.10 that seems to have appeared a few weeks ago, where the OS can write in the BIOS of some Lenovo laptops and brick them. The exact origin of the issue is currently under investigation but it’s serious enough for Canonical to have removed the download of Ubuntu 17.10 for now.
Bug on Launchpad: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/linux/+bug/1734147
Article on OMGUbuntu: http://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2017/12/ubuntu-corrupting-lenovo-laptop-bios
Article on Phoronix: https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Ubuntu-17.10-BIOS-Corrupter
What’s the status of Ubuntu MATE on this? The issue seems to be related to a bug with a driver in the kernel, so I guess all Ubuntu variants are at risk. It might be a good idea to remove the download of Ubuntu MATE 17.10 until it is resolved.