"Early last year, the FBI served Microsoft with a search warrant, asking it to provide recovery keys to unlock encrypted data stored on three laptops. Federal investigators in Guam believed the devices held evidence that would help prove individuals handling the island's Covid unemployment assistance program were part of a plot to steal funds. The data was protected with BitLocker, software that's automatically enabled on many modern Windows PCs to safeguard all the data on the computer's hard drive."
"It's possible for users to store those keys on a device they own, but Microsoft also recommends BitLocker users store their keys on its servers for convenience. While that means someone can access their data if they forget their password, or if repeated failed attempts to login lock the device, it also makes them vulnerable to law enforcement subpoenas and warrants. In the Guam case, it handed over the encryption keys to investigators."
The FBI served Microsoft with a search warrant seeking BitLocker recovery keys for three laptops linked to a Guam investigation. Investigators believed the devices contained evidence of a plot to steal Covid unemployment assistance funds. BitLocker encrypts entire hard drives on many modern Windows PCs so only key holders can decode data. Users can keep recovery keys locally, but Microsoft recommends storing keys on its servers for convenience. Storing keys on Microsoft's servers enables recovery after password loss or lockout and also exposes keys to law enforcement subpoenas and warrants. Microsoft provided the keys in the Guam case.
Read at DataBreaches.Net
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]