1. Abstract

This paper provides a brief technical overview of BitLocker™ Drive Encryption, an exciting new data protection feature in Microsoft Windows Vista™. Its primary aim is to offer insight into the feature’s lifecycle for advanced users and IT administrators who want to learn what BitLocker Drive Encryption is and how it addresses a growing data protection issue: the unwanted disclosure of confidential information -- through, for example, physical loss or theft of the computer.

This paper assumes that readers understand Trusted Platform Model (TPM) technology. For background information on TPM technology, refer to the specifications and materials maintained on the Web at http://www.trustedcomputinggroup.org/.
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2. Overview

BitLocker™ Drive Encryption is a data protection feature available in Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate for client computers and in Windows Server "Longhorn". BitLocker is Microsoft’s response to one of our top customer requests: address the very real threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen or inappropriately decommissioned PC hardware with a tightly integrated solution in the Windows Operating System.
Bitlocker is a only available in versions of Vista that are targeted to those who are either being administered or have an administrative skill set (enterprise and ultimate). Hopefully in both cases the keys are backed up. Ideally since both products are intended to be used with AD the administrators have the Group Policy set so that if BitLocker is enabled all passwords and keys are being stored in AD.

You should be able to use the devices password to mount the dodgy drive to another machine and pull data off. Since Bitlocker is only encrypting the file structure you shouldn't have to do any extra steps like naming the machine you are attempting to recover from the same as the name as the machine you are recovering (like we currently have to do with Compusec).