• Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
MUST READ

DoNot APT is expanding scope targeting European foreign ministries

 | 

Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack

 | 

Iranian group Pay2Key.I2P ramps Up ransomware attacks against Israel and US with incentives for affiliates

 | 

Hackers weaponize Shellter red teaming tool to spread infostealers

 | 

Microsoft Patch Tuesday security updates for July 2025 fixed a zero-day

 | 

Italian police arrested a Chinese national suspected of cyberespionage on a U.S. warrant

 | 

U.S. CISA adds MRLG, PHPMailer, Rails Ruby on Rails, and Synacor Zimbra Collaboration Suite flaws to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

IT Worker arrested for selling access in $100M PIX cyber heist

 | 

New Batavia spyware targets Russian industrial enterprises

 | 

Taiwan flags security risks in popular Chinese apps after official probe

 | 

U.S. CISA adds Google Chromium V8 flaw to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog

 | 

Hunters International ransomware gang shuts down and offers free decryption keys to all victims

 | 

SECURITY AFFAIRS MALWARE NEWSLETTER ROUND 52

 | 

Security Affairs newsletter Round 531 by Pierluigi Paganini – INTERNATIONAL EDITION

 | 

North Korea-linked threat actors spread macOS NimDoor malware via fake Zoom updates

 | 

Critical Sudo bugs expose major Linux distros to local Root exploits

 | 

Google fined $314M for misusing idle Android users' data

 | 

A flaw in Catwatchful spyware exposed logins of +62,000 users

 | 

China-linked group Houken hit French organizations using zero-days

 | 

Cybercriminals Target Brazil: 248,725 Exposed in CIEE One Data Breach

 | 
  • Home
  • Cyber Crime
  • Cyber warfare
  • APT
  • Data Breach
  • Deep Web
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Hacktivism
  • Intelligence
  • Internet of Things
  • Laws and regulations
  • Malware
  • Mobile
  • Reports
  • Security
  • Social Networks
  • Terrorism
  • ICS-SCADA
  • POLICIES
  • Contact me
  • Home
  • Breaking News
  • Digital ID
  • Hacking
  • Microsoft maintains the recovery key of your new PC

Microsoft maintains the recovery key of your new PC

Pierluigi Paganini December 29, 2015

If you login to Windows 10 using your Microsoft account you have to know that your computer automatically uploaded a copy of your recovery key.

New Windows computers implement a built-in disk encryption feature that is turned on by default to protect user data in case the device is lost or stolen.

Be aware, this device encryption feature is different from the BitLocker which allows users to choose whether or not to backup their Recovery keys on Windows server.

The security feature is enabled by default in Microsoft systems since Windows 8.1, but what happen in case the user lost the encryption keys?

Microsoft maintains a copy of the Recovery Key, a circumstance that is raising a heated debate on the web because it represents a privacy violation according to many experts.

The Intercept revealed that when a user is logged into Windows 10 using his Microsoft account, the OS automatically uploads a copy of the recovery key to the Microsoft’s servers, and the bad news is that it is impossible to prevent it.

“But what is less well-known is that, if you are like most users and login to Windows 10 using your Microsoft account, your computer automatically uploaded a copy of your recovery key – which can be used to unlock your encrypted disk – to Microsoft’s servers, probably without your knowledge and without an option to opt-out.” states The Intercept.

Clearly this setting open users to a number of cyber attack, let’s think the case an attacker violates their Microsoft account, he would be able to access/copy the recovery key and delete it. A similar circumstance could occur if hackers compromise Microsoft servers and access the recovery keys of the users, or if an insider access to user recovery key.Even Law Enforcement or Spy agencies could also request Microsoft to hand over your recovery key.

Even law enforcement or intelligence agencies could force Microsoft to hand over the recovery key of a suspect.

“Your computer is now only as secure as that database of keys held by Microsoft, which means it may be vulnerable to hackers, foreign governments, and people who can extort Microsoft employees,” said Matthew Green, a cryptography professor at Johns Hopkins University.

The Intercept highlighted that storage of the recovery key on Microsoft’s servers makes the company an escrow agent, users can delete their recovery key, but they are not informed about this opportunity.

“The fact that new Windows devices require users to backup their recovery key on Microsoft’s servers is remarkably similar to a key escrow system, but with an important difference. Users can choose to delete recovery keys from their Microsoft accounts (you can skip to the bottom of this article to learn how) – something that people never had the option to do with the Clipper chip system. But they can only delete it after they’ve already uploaded it to the cloud.

How to Delete the Recovery Key from a Microsoft Account?

We said that it is not possible to prevent a new Windows computer from uploading the key at the very first time you log into your Microsoft account, you can delete the existing one from your Microsoft account and generate a new one.

Below the procedure to remove the encryption key from a Microsoft account:

  • Login in using the  Microsoft Account to the Recovery Key Website:
  • The website maintains a list of recovery keys backed up to your Microsoft Account.
  • Backup Recovery Keys locally.
  • Delete the recovery key from the Microsoft Account.

recovery key windows encryption

The Intercept highlighted that even following the above procedure there is no guarantee that the key has been removed from the Microsoft servers, the unique possibility for the user is to generate a new recovery key without uploading it to Microsoft.

“After you finish setting up your Windows computer, you can login to your Microsoft account and delete the recovery key. Is this secure enough? “If Microsoft doesn’t keep backups, maybe,” says Green. “But it’s hard to guarantee that. And for people who aren’t aware of the risk, opt-out seems risky.”

Windows Pro or Enterprise users can create a new key by decrypting the hard disk and then re-encrypt the disk, below the procedure to do it.

  1. Go to Start, type “bitlocker”, and click “Manage BitLocker.”
  2. “Turn off BitLocker,” this command will trigger the decrypt of the entire disk.
  3. Once completed, Click “Turn on BitLocker” again.
  4. The OS will request you how to backup the Recovery Key. Make sure to DO NOT SELECT “Save to your Microsoft Account.”

recovery key windows encryption 2

That’s all!

Pierluigi Paganini

(Security Affairs – encryption, Microsoft)


facebook linkedin twitter

BitLocker encryption Microsoft Recovery Key

you might also like

Pierluigi Paganini July 10, 2025
DoNot APT is expanding scope targeting European foreign ministries
Read more
Pierluigi Paganini July 09, 2025
Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack
Read more

leave a comment

newsletter

Subscribe to my email list and stay
up-to-date!

    recent articles

    DoNot APT is expanding scope targeting European foreign ministries

    APT / July 10, 2025

    Nippon Steel Solutions suffered a data breach following a zero-day attack

    Data Breach / July 09, 2025

    Iranian group Pay2Key.I2P ramps Up ransomware attacks against Israel and US with incentives for affiliates

    Malware / July 09, 2025

    Hackers weaponize Shellter red teaming tool to spread infostealers

    Malware / July 09, 2025

    Microsoft Patch Tuesday security updates for July 2025 fixed a zero-day

    Security / July 08, 2025

    To contact me write an email to:

    Pierluigi Paganini :
    pierluigi.paganini@securityaffairs.co

    LEARN MORE

    QUICK LINKS

    • Home
    • Cyber Crime
    • Cyber warfare
    • APT
    • Data Breach
    • Deep Web
    • Digital ID
    • Hacking
    • Hacktivism
    • Intelligence
    • Internet of Things
    • Laws and regulations
    • Malware
    • Mobile
    • Reports
    • Security
    • Social Networks
    • Terrorism
    • ICS-SCADA
    • POLICIES
    • Contact me

    Copyright@securityaffairs 2024

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities...
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT