# Microsoft Strives to Ensure Recall is “Secure and Trusted” Following Security Issues
During the summer of 2024, Microsoft launched its **Copilot+ AI PC initiative**, a collection of capabilities aimed at boosting user productivity and optimizing PC operation. A notable element of this initiative was **Recall**, which tracks months of a user’s PC activities, including a chronological series of screenshots and a searchable text database. Recall aimed to assist users in recollecting their previous actions and quickly finding information. Nevertheless, the feature soon attracted controversy due to considerable security issues.
## The Initial Security Vulnerabilities
Upon its debut in preliminary versions of Windows, Recall encountered immediate criticism. The feature stored all information in **plaintext**, rendering it readily accessible to other users on the same device or to malicious applications. This weakness raised red flags about the potential exposure of sensitive user information, encompassing personal data, work files, and browsing history.
The security shortcomings were so critical that Microsoft was compelled to postpone the official launch of Recall, originally scheduled for the summer of 2024. The company recognized the problems and committed to reworking the feature to resolve the concerns.
## Microsoft’s Reaction and Security Redesign
In light of the widespread feedback, Microsoft initiated measures to revamp Recall’s security framework. In **September 2024**, the company outlined the new security protocols it was implementing to safeguard user data. These encompassed:
1. **Virtualization-Based Security (VBS)**: VBS is a Windows feature that utilizes hardware virtualization to develop isolated settings for sensitive information. By exploiting VBS, Microsoft intended to ensure that the data gathered by Recall would be maintained in a more secure, segregated area, complicating access for unauthorized users or malware.
2. **Windows Hello Authentication**: Recall would also necessitate users to confirm their identity via **Windows Hello**, a biometric authentication mechanism that employs facial recognition, fingerprints, or PINs. This provided an additional security layer, guaranteeing that only the authorized user could access Recall’s database.
3. **Opt-in by Default**: Microsoft underscored that Recall would be an **opt-in** feature, signifying that users would need to deliberately choose to activate it. This approach was designed to grant users more control over their data and to avoid the automatic collection of information from individuals who may prefer not to engage with the feature.
4. **Complete Removability**: For those who choose to discontinue using Recall, Microsoft assured that the feature would be entirely removable, allowing users to erase all collected information and fully disable the feature.
## A Further Delay in Deployment
Despite the enhancements in security, Microsoft has once more postponed the rollout of Recall. The company initially aimed to provide a preview version of the feature to **Windows Insider Program** testers in **October 2024**. However, as of **November 2024**, Microsoft confirmed that the preview will now be postponed until **December 2024**.
In a statement released to **The Verge**, **Brandon LeBlanc**, Senior Program Manager for the Windows Insider Program, remarked, “We are dedicated to presenting a secure and trusted experience with Recall. To guarantee we fulfill these critical updates, we’re taking more time to refine the experience prior to previewing it with Windows Insiders.”
LeBlanc did not disclose more details regarding the reasons for the delay or any extra security provisions being instituted. Nonetheless, the company remains committed to ensuring that Recall adheres to the highest standards of security and privacy ahead of its public release.
## Prerequisites for Using Recall
When Recall is finally made available, it will be exclusive to **Copilot+ PCs**, which are specifically crafted to support advanced AI features that standard Windows 11 PCs cannot offer. To utilize Recall, a PC must fulfill the following hardware specifications:
– **Minimum 16GB of RAM**
– **256GB of storage**
– A **Neural Processing Unit (NPU)** able to execute at least **40 trillion operations per second (TOPS)**
Furthermore, users will be required to enroll their PCs in the **Windows Insider Program** to gain access to the Recall preview. Currently, there is no timeline for when Recall will be accessible for non-Insider PCs, although speculation suggests that its widespread release may not occur until **2025**.
## Looking Forward
As Microsoft works to enhance Recall, the company faces the challenge of melding innovation with user privacy and security considerations. While the feature possesses the potential to serve as a formidable productivity tool, its initial security flaws have rendered many users cautious. Microsoft’s dedication to refining the feature and postponing its launch to tackle concerns is a positive stride, yet the company must prove its ability to deliver a **”secure and trusted”** experience.
For the time being, users eager for Recall will have to wait until **December 2024** for the next preview release, and it
