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Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

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Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#31

Post by slashdave »

cogman10 wrote: post #4

> Microsoft told Forbes that the company sometimes provides BitLocker recovery keys to authorities, having received an average of 20 such requests per year. At least they are honest about it, but a good reason to switch over to linux. Particularly if you travel. If microsoft is giving these keys out to the US government, they are almost certainly giving them to all other governments that request them.

Why take the drastic step of switching to linux (a difficult endeavor) when you can simply turn off key uploading.

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#32

Post by vik0 »

Aurornis wrote: post #5

FYI BitLocker is on by default in Windows 11. The defaults will also upload the BitLocker key to a Microsoft Account if available. This is why the FBI can compel Microsoft to provide the keys. It's possible, perhaps even likely, that the suspect didn't even know they had an encrypted laptop. Journalists love the "Microsoft gave " framing because it makes Microsoft sound like they're handing these out because they lik…

You can always count on someone coming along and defending the multi-trillion dollar corporation that just so happens to take a screenshot of your screen every few seconds (among many, many - too many other things)

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#34

Post by SilverElfin »

This is disappointing but I wonder if this is quid pro quo. Microsoft and Nadella want to appear to be cooperating with the government, so they are given more government contracts and so they don’t get regulatory problems (like on antitrust or whatever).

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#35

Post by wolvoleo »

bigyabai wrote: post #12
whalesalad wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any power users should avoid Windows entirely.

If by "power user" you mean "enemy of the state", there's a lot of software you'd be better-off avoiding.

"enemy of the state" depends a lot on the current state of the state.

Eg in England you're already an enemy of the state when you protest against Israel's actions in Gaza. In America if you don't like civilians being executed by ICE.

This is really a bad time to throw "enemy of the state" around as if this only applies to the worst people.

Current developments are the ideal time to show that these powers can be abused.

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#36

Post by paulpauper »

Aurornis wrote: post #5

FYI BitLocker is on by default in Windows 11. The defaults will also upload the BitLocker key to a Microsoft Account if available. This is why the FBI can compel Microsoft to provide the keys. It's possible, perhaps even likely, that the suspect didn't even know they had an encrypted laptop. Journalists love the "Microsoft gave " framing because it makes Microsoft sound like they're handing these out because they lik…

VeraCrypt exists for this reason or other open source programs. Why would you ever trust encryption to closed source?

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#37

Post by bigyabai »

phanimahesh wrote: post #25
bigyabai wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If by "power user" you mean "enemy of the state", there's a lot of software you'd be better-off avoiding.

That is a strange viewpoint. Are we calling everyone who wants some control over their computers enemies of the state?

It's holistic philosophy. You're not going to save yourself from FBI surveillance by avoiding Windows, I guarantee that to you.

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#38

Post by piccirello »

tokyobreakfast wrote: post #8

This is almost certainly users who elect to store their BitLocker keys in OneDrive. Don't think Apple wouldn't do the same. If you don't want other people to have access to your keys, don't give your keys to other people.

In Apple's case, starting with macOS Tahoe, Filevault saves your recovery key to your iCloud Keychain [0]. iCloud Keychain is end-to-end encrypted, and so Apple doesn't have access to the key.

As a US company, it's certainly true that given a court order Apple would have to provide these keys to law enforcement. That's why getting the architecture right is so important. Also check out iCloud Advanced Data Protection for similar protections over the rest of your iCloud data.

[0] https://sixcolors.com/post/2025/09/filevault-on-macos-tahoe-...

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#39

Post by halfmatthalfcat »

tokyobreakfast wrote: post #28
cesarb wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Any power users who prefer their own key management should follow the steps to enable Bitlocker without uploading keys to a connected Microsoft account. Once the feature exists, it's much easier to use it by accident. A finger slip, a bug in a Windows update, or even a cosmic ray flipping the "do not upload" bit in memory, could all lead to the key being accidentally uploaded. And it's a silent failure: the securit…

>even a cosmic ray flipping the "do not upload" bit in memory Stats on this very likely scenario?

It's "HN-likely" which translates to "almost never" in reality.

Re: Microsoft gave FBI set of BitLocker encryption keys to unlock suspects' laptops

#40

Post by pawelduda »

bigyabai wrote: post #12
whalesalad wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Any power users should avoid Windows entirely.

If by "power user" you mean "enemy of the state", there's a lot of software you'd be better-off avoiding.

Maybe he's just trying to avoid Candy Crush Saga
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