Security News

Raspberry Pi Pico cracks BitLocker in under a minute
2024-02-07 15:30

We're very familiar with the many projects in which Raspberry Pi hardware is used, from giving old computers a new lease of life through to running the animated displays so beloved by retailers. The technique was published in a YouTube video over the weekend and demonstrated how a Raspberry Pi Pico can be used to gain access to a BitLocker-secured device in under a minute, provided you have physical access to the device.

Microsoft shares script to update Windows 10 WinRE with BitLocker fixes
2024-01-11 18:32

Microsoft has released a PowerShell script to automate updating the Windows Recovery Environment partition in order to fix CVE-2024-20666, a vulnerability that allowed for BitLocker encryption bypass. As Microsoft explains, this happens because instead of displaying a CBS E INSUFFICIENT DISK SPACE error when the WinRE partition is not large enough, Windows Update incorrectly says the generic "0x80070643 - ERROR INSTALL FAILURE" error message instead. ?This happens because the WinRE image file deployed when installing the KB5034441 security update is too large for the recovery partition.

Microsoft warns of incorrect BitLocker encryption errors
2023-10-10 21:47

Microsoft warned customers this week of incorrect BitLocker drive encryption errors being shown in some managed Windows environments. The issue also only impacts environments where drive encryption is enforced for OS and fixed drives.

Microsoft shares script to fix WinRE BitLocker bypass flaw
2023-03-17 06:03

Microsoft has released a script to make it easier to patch a BitLocker bypass security vulnerability in the Windows Recovery Environment. This PowerShell script simplifies the process of securing WinRE images against attempts to exploit the CVE-2022-41099 flaw that enables attackers to bypass the BitLocker Device Encryption feature system storage devices.

Microsoft: Iranian hackers encrypt Windows systems using BitLocker
2022-09-08 15:30

Microsoft says an Iranian state-sponsored threat group it tracks as DEV-0270 has been abusing the BitLocker Windows feature in attacks to encrypt victims' systems. This aligns with Microsoft's findings that DEV-0270 uses BitLocker, a data protection feature that provides full volume encryption on devices running Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2016 and above.

Windows KB5012170 update causing BitLocker recovery screens, boot issues
2022-08-16 23:05

Windows users who have installed a new KB5012170 security update for Secure Boot have encountered various issues, ranging from boots failing with BitLocker Recovery prompts to performance issues. During the August 2022 Patch Tuesday, Microsoft released the standalone KB5012170 'Security update for Secure Boot DBX' to resolve vulnerabilities found in various UEFI bootloaders that threat actors could use to bypass the Windows Secure Boot feature and execute unsigned code.

Iranian Hackers Leveraging BitLocker and DiskCryptor in Ransomware Attacks
2022-05-13 22:22

A ransomware group with an Iranian operational connection has been linked to a string of file-encrypting malware attacks targeting organizations in Israel, the U.S., Europe, and Australia. Cybersecurity firm Secureworks attributed the intrusions to a threat actor it tracks under the moniker Cobalt Mirage, which it said is linked to an Iranian hacking crew dubbed Cobalt Illusion.

Top Russian meat producer hit with Windows BitLocker encryption attack
2022-03-22 12:43

Moscow-based meat producer and distributor Miratorg Agribusiness Holding has suffered a major cyberattack that encrypted its IT systems, according to a report from Rosselkhoznadzor - the Russian federal veterinary and phytosanitary supervision service. The announcement notes that the attackers leveraged the Windows BitLocker feature to encrypt files, essentially performing a ransomware attack.

Windows 11 adds a BitLocker exclusion policy for USB drives
2022-03-18 20:36

Microsoft has released a new Windows 11 build with a long list of changes, improvements, and fixes for known issues, available for all Windows Insiders that will install the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22579 pushed to the Dev Channel. The build's highlight is a new policy for Windows admins who want to exclude USB removable drives from BitLocker encryption.

Windows 10 Secure Boot update triggers BitLocker key recovery
2021-02-16 17:38

Microsoft has acknowledged an issue affecting Windows 10 customers who have installed the KB4535680 security update that addresses a security feature bypass vulnerability in Secure Boot. Windows versions affected by this vulnerability include multiple Windows 10 releases, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012.