Does bitlocker automatically lock the second drive when hibernating?

Soldier · 15 Feb 2019

Hi. I have two drives, one with windows which is my main system, which has bitlocker. And another storage drive, which also has bitlocker. When I first boot up my PC, I have to enter my bitlocker password to access my PC. And then I also have to enter the bitlocker password for the second storage drive. This is good.

When I use hibernation mode, my computer switches off, and then when I load my computer back up, I will have to input the bitlocker password for my main windows drive again. But the problem is this time, the storage drive is already unlocked. It doesnt ask me to enter the bitlocker password for the storage drive again. It seems this is staying unlocked as soon as its unlocked the initial time.

So my question is, during hibernation, does this mean my storage drive is always unlocked, and technically somebody could take this drive out of my system, and the data will already be unlocked? Or is there a way to force the second storage drive to always be locked when I hibernate my PC? Just like it does with the main drive.

D3LL · 15 Feb 2019

Sounds like it could be related to this? Windows 10, Bitlocker/Hibernate - Super User

Soldier · 15 Feb 2019

D3LL said:

Sounds like it could be related to this? Windows 10, Bitlocker/Hibernate - Super User

I checked the link but his issue is different to mine. His issue is that his computer goes straight to Windows after hibernation. But I do not have that issue. My windows goes to bitlocker after hibernation. My issue is with my second storage drive being unlocked when i return from hibernation.

Win10Pea · 22 Feb 2019

so you enter your bitlocker key every reboot/restart? and then enter our username and password?

I have it set to unlock my drives just by signing in with my username and long complicated password. Need username/password to unlock from sleep or hibernate

so do you remember your whoooooooooooooooooooooole bitlocker key? or you have to type it in off a paper every time? seems time consuming

das10 · 24 Feb 2019

Just tested the scenario, and bitlocker will not ask for password to the fixed data disk after resuming from hibernation ( I don't know if it is by design ).

Also, just in case you didn't know, note that the data on the fixed disk remains encrypted even when the PC is in hibernation, as the bitlocker decryption key which is required for access to that data on the fly, is in the hiberfil.sys which in your case is encrypted too because your o/s drive is encrypted. Thus, the only way to access the data disk after hibernation would be to either resume from hibernation which requires your o/s b/l password or remove that data disk to another PC where again the b/l password/recovery key for the data disk would be required. In your particular circumstances, the security of your data disk depends on the strength of your o/s b/l password during hibernation and on its own password/recovery key in the alternative scenario (ie removing the disk to another pc). Also, you may already know that hibernation is recommended over sleep for bitlocker as only hibernation requires the b/l password for resumption.