Will Bitlocker's Security Flaw Remain in Windows 8?

I write a lot about security, and about Microsoft's Bitlocker drive encryption technology. Frankly I really like Bitlocker because it is easy to deploy and because its tied to a TPM (Trusted Platform Module) chip on a computer's motherboard, it's very secure. It does have a flaw however and with Windows 8 now upon us this is beginning to concern me. First of all let me explain what Bitlocker is in a bit more detail. This system is a full-disc encryption technology. It will completely encrypt a computer's, or more commonly a laptop's hard disk(s) and store the encryption key on the TPM chip. This is different from the Bitlocker To Go feature used to encrypt external USB hard disk and Pen Drives which doesn't require the TPM.
When I've written about Bitlocker before I've highlighted all the times we've heard, and speculated on all the times we haven't heard about laptops being left on buses, in the backs of taxis, on trains, in coffee shops and so on. These laptops usually belong to businesses and can contain very sensitive and precious data. Worldwide thousands of laptops are lost or stolen every single day. Top this off with the number of government laptops that are left laying around and lost and the picture gets very concerning indeed.
This flaw, which is more of a design and coding fault than anything else, stores the encryption key on memory when the computer is being used. If a laptop is placed in hibernation the contents of memory are written to a hibernation file and stored until you wake the computer next. This hibernation file also contains the encryption key, uncoded, and any hacker who knows what he's doing, or any industrious person with the correct cracking software, can read the file and get the unlock code. It is because of this that security experts recommend that you disable hibernation if you use Bitlocker.
But what about Windows 8? You can still disable hibernation and, presumably this security problem will still go away. But Windows 8 hibernates the computer every time you shut it down. It does this so that it can provide quick startup times, and they are very quick. Unfortunately there's been no word yet on whether the Bitlocker hiberfile flaw has been rectified or, if hibernation is manually disabled, some type of hibernation still occurs when the computer is shut down.
These are questions that businesses and governments will need answers to before they make any decision on whether or not to upgrade to Windows 8. The simple fact remains though that Bitlocker will protect the vast majority of computers and should be used anyway. The chances that a random government laptop will be left in a taxi containing very sensitive data, and the person finding it will know about the flaw and how to circumvent it, or even be interested in the laptop's contents and infinitesimally small. Theft is the problem here where specific people, and specific computers would be targeted deliberately.
So don't let this put you off using Bitlocker or encrypting your data. In any business it's important to do so if only to maintain compliance with data protection laws and regulations. Microsoft need to reassure us all though if Bitlocker isn't going to be resigned to the bin of great computing ideas.
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What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help