Microsoft to Reintroduce Hardware-Based Encryption for BitLockerWed 24th Dec, 2025Microsoft is set to reintegrate hardware-based encryption support for its BitLocker disk encryption feature in Windows, marking a significant return to a strategy previously discontinued in 2019. According to recent updates, Microsoft plans to resume support for dedicated hardware accelerators in upcoming releases of BitLocker. Microsoft cited Intel's forthcoming Core Ultra 300 series, codenamed "Panther Lake," as the first set of processors to support the renewed hardware-based encryption. Historically, BitLocker aimed to ensure that encryption and decryption had minimal impact on system performance, targeting negligible slowdowns for end users. This reintroduction of hardware-based encryption for BitLocker underscores Microsoft's commitment to providing secure, high-performance data protection solutions as cyber threats become more advanced and data transfer speeds continue to climb.

Source: The Munich Eye December 24, 2025 16:43 UTC