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// 13h agoSECURITY INCIDENT
YellowKey exploit bypasses Bitlocker on Windows 11
Security researcher Nightmare-Eclipse has released "YellowKey," a zero-day exploit that allows attackers with physical access to bypass Bitlocker encryption on Windows 11 and Server 2022/2025. The researcher alleges the vulnerability is an intentional "backdoor" hidden within the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE), as the exploit relies on specific Transactional NTFS (TxF) log handling that is only active during the recovery process.
// ANALYSIS
The claim of an intentional backdoor is the nuclear option of security disclosures, but the technical evidence of version-specific WinRE behavior is difficult to ignore.
- –The exploit triggers an elevated command prompt with the volume already decrypted by simply holding the CTRL key during a WinRE boot.
- –Windows 10 is notably unaffected, suggesting a deliberate or highly negligent architectural shift in more recent OS versions.
- –While it requires physical access, it completely ifies the "invisible" protection of TPM-only Bitlocker setups common in enterprise laptops.
- –Until Microsoft issues a patch, disabling WinRE or requiring a Bitlocker PIN are the only viable mitigations.
// TAGS
securitybitlockerwindowswindows-11exploitvulnerabilitycybersecurity
DISCOVERED
13h ago
2026-05-17
PUBLISHED
15h ago
2026-05-17
RELEVANCE
8/ 10
AUTHOR
nolok