Believe it or not, it’s time for another Windows upgrade, this time to Windows 11. While it’s not as grand and all-consuming as the last update, we are given the option with Windows 11 to enable, and even customize, a device encryption feature called BitLocker. An ECU capstone project, spearheaded by our own IT Support Specialist Taylor Miller, assisted our IT Department in making this important decision. 

For the past year, IT has been implementing a Windows 11 pilot with select employees from each department to ensure everything runs smoothly before a company-wide release. During this same time, Taylor has been wrapping up her Bachelor of Science degree in Information Computer Technology with a concentration in Cybersecurity, and her capstone team chose to partner with GUC on a BitLocker pilot for their project.  

What is BitLocker?
BitLocker is a feature of Windows 11 that helps protect data on your device through encryption. Encryption is the process of converting data into secret code so that it could only be accessed by someone with the right verification methods to unlock it. BitLocker allows your data to be secured and prevent unauthorized access.  

Triggers that can activate BitLocker and lock someone out of their device include, but are not limited to, multiple incorrect logins, a login from a suspicious location (like another country), forgetting an authentication PIN, and more. If something suspicious happens on the device, it will require customized key to be entered.  

BitLocker Capstone Project
The BitLocker capstone project aimed to introduce this security solution into GUC’s existing infrastructure by conducting pilot testing alongside the testing of Windows 11. The project involved collaborating with our IT Help Desk to identify eligible devices, configure and activate BitLocker encryption to fit our needs, and establish policies and procedures for maintaining the encryption.   

The capstone team presented updates with their findings throughout the project, which started in September 2022. In April, they gave their final presentation to IT Department leaders, who decided that GUC should not only enable BitLocker but tailor it to fit our needs and further enhance our security measures. 

The team also created a reference document for employees to understand a potential lockout from their system.​ This document lists useful definitions, as well as procedures to obtain the employee’s recovery keys to be able to access their data again.  

What to Expect
The Windows 11 and BitLocker pilot phases ended in April, and IT has already begun implementing the update across the board in phases. The IT Help Desk will contact employees directly as their time rolls around. 

Many thanks to the ECU capstone team for assisting with this undertaking! They are Team Lead Taylor Miller, Assistant Team Lead Brian Rodriguez, Member Doryan McCallum, and Member Kritika Saraf.