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

Post by cyberax » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 8:36 PM UTC

shakna wrote: post #235

shawnz wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why would you need to create a local account? You can just not choose to store the keys in your Microsoft account during BitLocker setup: https://www.diskpart.com/screenshot/en/others/windows-11/win... Admittedly, the risks of choosing this option are not clearly laid out, but the way you are framing it also isn't accurate

All "Global Reader" accounts have "microsoft.directory/bitlockerKeys/key/read" permission. Whether you opt in, or not, if you connect your account to Microsoft, then they do have the ability fetch the bitlocker key, if the account is not local only. [0] Global Reader is builtin to everything +365. [0] https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/entra-docs/commit/2364d8da9...

Post by deejaaymac » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 8:38 PM UTC

estimator7292 wrote: post #233

My Linux drives are all encrypted, and one of the wonderful features of this is that there is no entity or force on this planet that can decrypt them. What happens if I forget my keys? Same thing that happens if my computer gets struck by a meteor. New drive, new key, restore contents from backups. It's simple, secure, set-and-forget, and absolutely nobody but me and your favored deity have any idea what's on my driv…

Post by plagiarist » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 8:39 PM UTC

armada651 wrote: post #110

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…

> If your company has data that the police want and they can get a warrant, you have no choice but to give it to them. They can fight the warrant, if you don't at least object to it then "giving the keys away" is not an incorrect characterization.

Post by hparadiz » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 8:42 PM UTC

jollyllama wrote: post #101

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…

There's a lot of sibling comments to mine here that are reading this literally, but instead, I would suggest the following reading: "I never selected that option!" "Huh, must have been a cosmic ray that uploaded your keys ;) Modern OS updates never obliterate user-chosen configurations"

Post by taberiand » Fri, Jan 23, 2026, 8:43 PM UTC

SmellTheGlove wrote: post #169

matheusmoreira wrote: post #164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Power users should stop bothering with Windows nonsense and install Linux instead so that they can actually have control over their system. It's 2026. The abuses of corporations are well documented. Anyone who still chooses Windows of their own volition is quite literally asking for it and they deserve everything that happens to them.

I’ll bite. What Linux distro currently has the nicest desktop experience? I work on a MacBook but my desktop is a windows PC that I use for gaming and personal projects. I hear Proton has made the former pretty good now, and the latter is mostly in WSL for me anyway. Maybe a good time to try. What do you suggest? I’ll try it in a VM or live usb.