Bitlocker hack is easily prevented, Microsoft says
A disk encryption system built into Windows Vista remains a viable way to protect sensitive files, according to Microsoft. In a blog posting, Russ Humphries, senior product manager for Windows Vista Security, outlined simple steps that users can take to prevent an attack laid out last week in a high-profile research report. He says the hack can be easily prevented.
The researchers demonstrated a novel way to access files that presumably were locked using Vista's BitLocker and similar disk encryption systems offered by competitors such as Apple. They showed it was possible to pilfer the encryption key needed to unlock the files by accessing a "ghost image" that remained in a computer's memory after the system entered hibernation mode. Ten minutes after machines were powered down, the researchers were still able to access the key by using compressed air to cool the memory chips.
