I learned that I have the option to do hardware encryption in addition to software encryption, and I can do hardware acceleration with Hardware Encryption. How it can be? Does BitLocker Support Hardware Acceleration?
Yes, BitLocker supports hardware acceleration to maximize encryption and decryption speed while maintaining system performance. As BitLocker affect the performance of SSDs, using BitLocker Hardware Encryption can increase the hardware speed.
BitLocker, by default, utilizes software-based encryption to protect data stored on Windows volumes. However, you can also use certain hardware encryption configurations can enable hardware acceleration.
Whether BitLocker uses hardware acceleration depends on your device's hardware capabilities. Modern CPUs often integrate Advanced Encryption Standard New Instructions (AES-NI), which accelerate encryption processes. BitLocker can leverage these instructions if supported by your CPU, providing faster encryption and decryption speeds.
Enabling hardware Encryption for BitLocker involves several steps to ensure your system can leverage hardware capabilities effectively:
Step 1 Verify if your device's CPU supports AES-NI or similar encryption acceleration technologies.
Most modern processors from Intel (since Westmere architecture) and AMD (since Bulldozer architecture) include AES-NI.
Step 2 Ensure TPM is enabled in your BIOS settings. TPM is a hardware-based security feature that enhances BitLocker's capabilities, including BitLocker key protection and authentication.
Step 3 Open Group Policy Editor ("gpedit.msc") to configure Group Policy settings.
Step 4Navigate to:
Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> BitLocker Drive Encryption -> Fixed Data Drives.
Step 5 Enable the policy "Configure use of hardware-based encryption for fixed data drives". Uncheck "Use BitLocker software-based encyrption when hardware encryption is not available" to forcibly enable BitLocker Hardware-based drive encryption.
Step 6 Enable BitLocker with Hardware Encryption: Right-click on the drive in File Explorer. Select "Turn on BitLocker" and follow the prompts to encrypt the drive.
Step 7 Verify Hardware Acceleration Usage: Open an elevated Command Prompt. Run the command:
manage-bde -status
Look for the line "Hardware Encryption" under the "Protection Status" section, indicating whether hardware encryption is in use.
BitLocker hardware acceleration offers a significant performance boost by leveraging specialized hardware for encryption tasks. By understanding its benefits and configuring your system appropriately, you can enhance both the security and efficiency of data protection on Windows devices.
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