Automatically suspend bitlocker on restart?

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kenkeniff

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#142594 18-Mar-2014 11:49

What's the easiest way to automatically suspend bitlocker protection on both system and user initiated restart?

Currently I can go to C>Manage Bitlocker>Suspend Protection then Restart and I won't re prompted for Bitlocker password on the first restart but after that it's automatically re-enabled however it does help for automatic restarts (after installing updates etc).

In other words I only want Bitlocker to prompt for a password after shutdown or forced power off.

Any ideas (Windows 2012)?

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#1007992 18-Mar-2014 11:57

What is "Windows 2012"?

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gjm

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#1007995 18-Mar-2014 12:02

how about using a usb key and keeping it in the system until you shut it down...then just remove usb key and take with you?

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kenkeniff

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#1008012 18-Mar-2014 12:07

gjm: how about using a usb key and keeping it in the system until you shut it down...then just remove usb key and take with you?

Problem is the server is located in a datacentre 2000km away, I'm after more of a "something I can add to my reboot script" solution (if that's a thing in Windows!)

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#1008018 18-Mar-2014 12:25

Sideface: What is "Windows 2012"?

Windows Server.

kenkeniff: What's the easiest way to automatically suspend bitlocker protection on both system and user initiated restart?

I don't understand. You want the system to ask for the Bitlocker key every time you restart the system? I am not in front of Windows Server or my laptop Windows 8 but have you tried right-click on the drive to see options for Bitlocker for that individual drive?

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kenkeniff

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#1008024 18-Mar-2014 12:32

freitasm:
I don't understand. You want the system to ask for the Bitlocker key every time you restart the system? I am not in front of Windows Server or my laptop Windows 8 but have you tried right-click on the drive to see options for Bitlocker for that individual drive?

No, not correct. As it is a server I want it to be able to reboot freely (either system or user initiated) without having to enter the Bitlocker drive password (otherwise I have to fire up KVM-over-IP in order to enter the PW at boot time).

The only time I want to have to enter the password is if I perform a shutdown or there is a power failure.

I know how to do this one-time using the Bitlocker manager however looking to automate it on every restart.

(There is no onboard or network TPM available)

kenkeniff

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#1008049 18-Mar-2014 12:48

I guess another question would be; How do you set a PowerShell command to run during every reboot (both system and user initiated) as Administrator?

The command would be something like:

PS C:\> Suspend-BitLocker -MountPoint "C:" -RebootCount 1

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nathan

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#1008072 18-Mar-2014 13:34

on my system when I suspend it, its suspended until I reenable it

Also, if you don't want to use a PIN, why not just remove the PIN then it won't hang at the Bitlocker screen asking for the PIN

kenkeniff

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#1008092 18-Mar-2014 13:53

nathan: on my system when I suspend it, its suspended until I reenable it

Also, if you don't want to use a PIN, why not just remove the PIN then it won't hang at the Bitlocker screen asking for the PIN

Wah? What would be the point of that?

My primary concern for using Bitlocker drive encryption is that I'm using leased / managed hardware and don't have control over what happens to the physical disks (i.e. if upgraded, faulty, disposed of etc).

By using Bitlocker, the data on my disks are safe if they somehow fall into the wrong hands (or are just left as is when the next customer takes over the server).

When the system performs a reboot I want it to automatically "Suspend Bitlocker" > Reboot > "Resume Bitlocker".

Sure it's technically possible that;
- if someone knew I had my server configured that way
- and also knew how Bitlocker wrote it's temporary encryption keys to disk (when using "Suspend")
- and also had physical access to my server whilst running;
they could perform a reboot, interrupt it part way and steal my data + temp key. However that is very unlikely.

(Note "Suspending" Bitlocker doesn't decrypt the data)

nathan

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#1008372 18-Mar-2014 20:06

you don't need to use a PIN for your data to be encrypted as you point out

if you're using a strong password you're all good

kenkeniff

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#1008521 18-Mar-2014 22:29

nathan: you don't need to use a PIN for your data to be encrypted as you point out

if you're using a strong password you're all good

Are you able to elaborate? As it seems we may be talking about different thing here..

I don't profess to be an expert in Bitlocker however I have a good understanding of encryption so have a good idea about how it *should* work...

In my case; Bitlocker encrypts the entire C drive except for a small boot loader that accepts the Bitlocker password (or "key" or "PIN" as you seem to be calling it) at boot time and proceeds to decrypt the rest of the drive.

I some cases the password can be automatically be provided to the boot loader by a Trusted Platform Module on the motherboard, a smart card or USB, or another server on the network so it may seem that no password is required however it actually is.

When you "suspend" Bitlocker, the drive is not decrypted but the Bitlocker password is written temporarily to the hard drive (essentially in plain text) so the boot loader can read it directly on it's next boot without prompting for it, and should be deleted from the hard drive when Bitlocker is resumed.

Windows also separately allows for encrypted user accounts which are secured by the Windows account password but don't protect the entire boot volume (registry, system & programs files etc).

nathan

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#1008598 18-Mar-2014 23:50

Do you not have a TPM?

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kenkeniff

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#1008639 19-Mar-2014 07:19

nathan: Do you not have a TPM?

No, that's the problem.

kenkeniff: (There is no onboard or network TPM available)