3.11.7.1.6 (BL) Ensure 'Choose how BitLocker-protected fixed drives can be recovered: Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored to AD DS for fixed data drives' is set to 'Enabled: False'

Information

This policy setting allows you to control how BitLocker-protected fixed data drives are recovered in the absence of the required credentials. This policy setting is applied when you turn on BitLocker.

Select the 'Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored in AD DS for fixed data drives' check box if you want to prevent users from enabling BitLocker unless the computer is connected to the domain and the backup of BitLocker recovery information to AD DS succeeds.

Note: If the 'Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored in AD DS for fixed data drives' check box is selected, a recovery password is automatically generated.

The recommended state for this setting is: Enabled: False

Administrators should always have a safe, secure way to access encrypted data in the event users cannot access their data.

Additionally, as with any authentication method, a drive can be compromised by guessing or finding the authentication information used to access the drive.

To use BitLocker, a Data Recovery Agent will need to be configured for fixed drives. To recover a drive will require highly-controlled access to the Data Recovery Agent private key.

Solution

To establish the recommended configuration via configuration profiles, set the following Settings Catalog path to Enabled: False

Administrative Templates\Windows Components\BitLocker Drive Encryption\Fixed Data Drives\Choose how BitLocker-protected fixed drives can be recovered: Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored to AD DS for fixed data drives

Impact:

None - this is the default behavior.

See Also

https://workbench.cisecurity.org/benchmarks/16852

Item Details

Category: SYSTEM AND COMMUNICATIONS PROTECTION

References: 800-53|SC-28, CSCv7|13.6

Plugin: Windows

Control ID: 1c1e8cbb929ce1fde3ecb63904d9fe60a180e489bf97ea9333e295df0c2ed286