Windows 11 security update could lock you out of your own PC

pcgamesn.com:

Every new Windows 11 security update is designed to keep bad actors from accessing your PC, but this doesn’t mean that Microsoft’s work in the name of protection is foolproof. In fact, the latest patch recently pushed out by the company could leave you locked out of your system if you don’t have your BitLocker key handy.

Improvements to Secure Boot DBX via the ‘KB5012170‘ Windows 11 security update aim to resolve vulnerabilities that allow an attacker to potentially “bypass secure boot and load untrusted software.” This is, I’m sure we can all agree, something that should be rightly fixed.

Unfortunately, it appears that the changes Microsoft has made have inadvertently led to some PCs entering BitLocker Recovery mode following a system restart (via PC Gamer). If you’ve not got your key to hand, you’ll need to find it by logging into your Microsoft account on another device and following the company’s instructions here.

If you’ve already installed the Windows 11 update, and haven’t been greeted with a surprising demand for a BitLocker Key after restarting twice or more, then your gaming PC is thankfully unaffected by this bug.