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138: Disk Encryption (Bitlocker)

Implementation Effort: Medium — BitLocker settings are easy to assign, but prerequisite validation and recovery processes require planning.

User Impact: Low to Medium — most users experience little disruption, but startup authentication changes and recovery events can create support calls.

Overview​

BitLocker remains a foundational Windows data-protection control for Zero Trust. It reduces the impact of lost or stolen devices by protecting data at rest, and it works best when encryption policy, recovery-key backup, local admin governance, and compliance reporting are all managed centrally. In Microsoft Intune, administrators can deploy BitLocker settings by using endpoint security disk encryption policy or targeted configuration settings, then rely on Microsoft Entra ID-backed recovery workflows and reporting.

Implementation Guidance​

  • Inventory device readiness before rollout, including TPM presence, firmware mode, current encryption products, and whether any legacy tooling must be removed first.
  • Prefer a managed Intune deployment model that enforces encryption and requires recovery keys to be backed up to Microsoft Entra ID before protection is considered complete.
  • Standardize key settings such as startup authentication, silent enablement behavior, fixed or removable drive treatment, and recovery options so support teams know exactly what to expect.
  • Pilot across representative hardware models and remote-worker scenarios, because firmware settings, suspend or resume workflows, and OEM tools can affect enablement outcomes.
  • Use compliance reporting and operational monitoring to identify devices that failed to encrypt, failed to escrow a recovery key, or drifted out of policy.
  • Document recovery-key retrieval, break-glass access, and legal or privacy handling for help desk staff before broad rollout.

Reference​