A cheap Raspberry Pi can break BitLocker, but not this way

It is possible to break BitLocker encryption for Windows using a cheap Raspberry Pi. The attack requires physical access to the device.

Windows BitLocker encryption is not foolproof. It has been previously proven that it can negatively affect the performance of your laptop. It has now been shown that the hacker can decrypt with the help of Raspberry Pi Pico. The vulnerability takes advantage of the fact that the TPM chip, which holds the key, shares that key unencrypted with the central processing unit (CPU) when your computer is deemed secure and unhackable. In principle, this is not a problem: the hacker does not have access to the shared key.

Inhalation with devices

The criminal could try to get the key Sniff When it is passed. This is not self-evident, however Destroying the stack He achieved it. This is shown in detail in a video on YouTube. Sniffing is done through a connector on the motherboard of the laptop to be hacked. By carrying a cheap Raspberry Pi that can read electrical signals against him, he can steal the switch when the laptop is turned on. It is then possible to remove the SSD from the laptop and read the data with the help of the stolen key.

You don't need a lot of materials for the attack: you can start with a Raspberry Pi pico and self-soldering pogo pins. Hacking requires time and unlimited access to a laptop. So you don't have to worry about hackers accessing your BitLocker key over the Internet or even your local network.

Targeted physical attack

The attack only works if the TPM and CPU on the laptop are not integrated. Stacksmashing started working with one Lenovo device, but some laptops from other manufacturers are also vulnerable. This method could be problematic in a scenario where professional gangs steal an encrypted laptop with the data on it.