Microsoft Lifts Hood on Windows Recall's Security Guardrails -- Redmondmag.com
With Windows Recall's preview release imminent, Microsoft is sharing details about the feature's architecture to offset lingering security concerns.
Recall is a new feature for new Microsoft Copilot+ PCs. First announced in May at the Build conference, Recall uses AI to take snapshots of users' interactions with their Copilot+ PCs, creating a searchable record of their user history.
Microsoft originally planned to release a preview of Recall with the earliest wave of Copilot+ PCs, which went on sale in June. However, the feature was immediately beset by security and privacy concerns, prompting Microsoft to postpone the preview's release until October.
In the meantime, Microsoft took steps to buttress Recall against potential misuse. The feature is now opt-in-only, with added encryption layers, and requires Windows Hello for access.
On Friday, Microsoft took the additional step of detailing how it keeps Recall snapshots secure using virtualization-based security (VBS) enclaves. A VBS enclave acts like a safe that can only be unlocked by Windows Hello, explained David Weston, Microsoft's head of enterprise and OS security, in a blog post.
