Article 733B5 Microsoft Gave FBI a Set of BitLocker Encryption Keys to Unlock Suspects’ Laptops

Microsoft Gave FBI a Set of BitLocker Encryption Keys to Unlock Suspects’ Laptops

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from SoylentNews on (#733B5)

AnonTechie writes:

[Source]: Microsoft Gave FBI a Set of BitLocker Encryption Keys to Unlock Suspects' Laptops

Microsoft provided the FBI with the recovery keys to unlock encrypted data on the hard drives of three laptops as part of a federal investigation, Forbes reported on Friday.

Many modern Windows computers rely on full-disk encryption, called BitLocker, which is enabled by default. This type of technology should prevent anyone except the device owner from accessing the data if the computer is locked and powered off.

But, by default, BitLocker recovery keys are uploaded to Microsoft's cloud, allowing the tech giant - and by extension law enforcement - to access them and use them to decrypt drives encrypted with BitLocker, as with the case reported by Forbes.

[...] Microsoft told Forbes that the company sometimes provides BitLocker recovery keys to authorities, having received an average of 20 such requests per year.

[Also Covered By]: TechCrunch

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