Microsoft Recall fails to filter sensitive data in screenshots
Microsoft's Recall feature, which captures screenshots for searchable retrieval, reportedly still captures sensitive data including passwords, credit card numbers, and Social Security numbers despite having built-in filters. Testing found the feature's safeguards fail in multiple scenarios even after a relaunch.
What happened
Microsoft's Windows 11 Recall feature, which takes screenshots of user activity to enable search and retrieval, reportedly fails to filter sensitive information despite built-in safeguards.
Testing by The Register found that Recall's filter mechanism fails in multiple scenarios and continues to capture credit card numbers, passwords, and Social Security numbers even after the feature's relaunch.
Reported impact
Users relying on Recall's promised privacy protections remain vulnerable to exposure of sensitive financial and personal data stored in the system's screenshots.
Index analysis
The sensitive data filter was designed to prevent capture of information like payment details and credentials but has proven ineffective in practice across various use cases.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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