After much backlash around privacy, Microsoft finally improvised Windows Recall, rolling it as an opt-in feature. Users may now choose what information they share while interacting with Recall.
Microsoft Recall Now Available As An Opt-In Feature With Improved Privacy
Microsoft recently shared insights about its much-anticipated (and somewhat infamous) Windows Recall feature.
In a recent post, David Weston, Vice President, Enterprise and OS Security at Microsoft, shed light on Recall’s architecture. Apart from the technical aspects, the tech giant also elaborated on the privacy measures Recall implements.
At first, Microsoft clarified that Recall will be available as an opt-in feature for users. If users choose Recall, they will allow the tool to take snapshots. Otherwise, this feature will remain turned off and take no snapshots. Yet, for privacy freaks, Microsoft allows removing Recall from Windows via the optional feature settings.
Besides, Microsoft ensures security for Recall users by implementing TPM-protected encryption. Accessing the encryption keys will require a Windows Hello sign-in and will only be done within the Virtualization-based Security Enclave (VBS Enclave). Moreover, the feature also implements rate-limiting, tamper-proof, and anti-hammering measures to prevent malware attacks.
Microsoft also elaborated that Recall does not share data or snapshots with Microsoft or any third parties. Users don’t have to worry about sharing data with different users on the same device.
Once enabled, users may choose when to stop Recall from taking snapshots, delete any stored snapshots, and customize the disk space for snapshot storage. Furthermore, Recall will generate notifications with a visible system tray when taking snapshots to alert users.
This AI-powered feature gained traction earlier this year when the security community raised privacy concerns about Recall’s data access. The community feared that Recall would start logging user activities, breaching their privacy. However, the recent update from Microsoft hints at marked improvements with the tool, enhancing user experience by making it an opt-in feature.
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