By Microsoft is prepared to release its contentious Recall function from beta after a protracted delay due to security concerns. As part of the feature update that is being released today, it is only available on Copilot+ Windows 11 PCs.
The purpose of Recall is to make it easy for users to retrieve previously closed or lost folders, emails, or browser tabs. However, because it captures and saves screenshots of your computer activities, Recall was compared to spyware after it was released last year. This is a powerful target for hackers and even governments since it might be used to spy on users if it falls into the wrong hands.
Because of these security and privacy concerns, Microsoft postponed Recall and created a number of measures to stop such misuse. Before its general release today, it solicited feedback from real users and made Recall available as a beta feature to Windows 11 Insiders.
According to David Weston, Microsoft’s VP for security, Recall is “the most secure experience in Windows.” It is optional, and the Windows 11 Copilot+ OS allows you to uninstall it.
Microsoft added the uninstall option because “people might have been worried that someone could turn it on covertly,” Weston adds. Later on, it can be re-enabled, but only if the user signs up for Windows Hello—the company’s fingerprint or facial scan login method—can it be fully configured and active.
“You have to biometrically prove that you are the logged-in user the first time you go to enable Recall,” Weston continues. To stop malware from leveraging the PC’s camera to counterfeit a user’s face scan, the business is also utilizing an “advanced version” of Windows Hello.
Encryption is another important security measure. Microsoft created Recall to function as “end-to-end encrypted” to shield Recall files from hackers and even from Microsoft itself. Furthermore, none of Recall’s data is ever transmitted to the business; instead, it stays on the user’s computer.
By transferring Recall’s encryption keys and screenshot data from the Windows 11 operating system to the security-focused TPM chip, Redmond strengthened the security even more. According to Weston, “everything that is done around this is done in a separate virtual machine.” “What that means is even in the event you got malware, your main system was compromised, that encrypted information never touches the main system.”
Recall’s ability to save passwords and other private information that appears on your computer is another issue. Weston responds that Microsoft has been implementing “application filters” that claim to be able to identify information, including SSNs, and prevent screenshots from capturing it. “We’re dedicated to continuously updating our initial set of filters in order to improve,” he states.
Recall’s “eye icon” on the system tray is one of the “visual indicators” that let users know if Recall is enabled. Microsoft further defends the release of Recall in a blog post, stating that “it’s now more important than ever to help customers find the right info that they are looking for,” as 69% of consumers feel overwhelmed by too much information.
