Do my files still safe when I unlock bitlocker?

Question

hello,
When I'm unlocking my bitlocker drive and access my files, can others (potentially hackers) access it as well? Or are they protected and accessible only to me?

Thank You

Answer 1

Hello,

I understand your question.

You mean that you have encrypted your drives with BitLocker and you could access them normally after login system, so you worry about the hackers who can also login your system then they can access to your drive either, is that so?
If so, I need to say that your worry is correct.
BitLocker encryption is an offline partition protection. For example, if your computer lost or stolen by someone, thief can’t access to your BitLocker encryption drive because he doesn’t have your BitLocker password or recovery key, no one can access to your drive data offline, even if they insert your disk into another working computer. That’s meaning of offline protection.
However, if you have logged on system by your BitLocker password and system password, then hacker remote control your computer, this is an online state, he can now access to your drive data despite you have enabled BitLocker, the best way to protect your data is shutdown or cut off Internet immediately, then full scan or clean install.
Hope my clarification is clear.

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Answer 2

Hi @h x ,

if you you disable Bitlocker Drive Encryption the files stored on the drive are not encrypted anymore.

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 3

Hi @h x ,

you don't need to decrypt the disk/files manually. The OS is taking care for encrypting/decrypting the files.
The Bitlocker encryption is "transparent" for the user after the computer ist started and user login.
Some more information about Bitlocker:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/bitlocker/bitlocker-device-encryption-overview-windows-10
https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-experts-guide-everything-you-need-to-know-about-bitlocker/

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten

Answer 4

Hi @h x ,

if the computer is started the files are encrypted for everyone with access to the computer via network or in a user session.
This means file access is possible for malware running in the session of the logged-in user.

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(If the reply was helpful please don't forget to upvote and/or accept as answer, thank you)

Regards
Andreas Baumgarten