Microsoft is working on a patch for ‘YellowKey’ attack on Bitlocker, offers temporary fix
Microsoft says it is considering a patch for a zero-day vulnerability, dubbed YellowKey, that allows attackers with access to a Windows device to bypass Bitlocker encryption protection and read and write files. The flaw was disclosed last week, and there is already a public proof of concept available. The company issued an advisory Tuesday saying that companies should act to mitigate the issue, tracked as CVE-2026-45585, while it examines the possibility of a patch. In its advisory, it provided the immediate steps that companies should take. A key defense against possible attack is to limit access to vulnerable devices, as physical access is required for exploit. “Organizations should start by auditing their environment for the conditions that exist that leave them vulnerable to YellowKey,” said Eric Grenier, senior director analyst at Gartner. “They should also have a clear understanding of their risk acceptance in the case of a lost/stolen device and, based on that acceptance (or non