BitLocker/Encrypted Drives Preventing Forensic Imaging

Full-disk encryption (BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS) prevents mounting or imaging the drive without the recovery key. Without decryption you cannot access the filesystem for artifact collection.

Signals

  • •Forensic imaging tool reports an encrypted volume or unrecognized filesystem
  • •BitLocker status shows the drive is locked and no protector is accessible
  • •Live acquisition fails because the system is powered off and the key is not escrowed

Pivot Actions

  1. 1.Retrieve BitLocker recovery keys from Active Directory, Azure AD, or Intune (MBAM console)
  2. 2.If the system is still powered on, perform a live acquisition before shutdown to capture the decrypted volume
  3. 3.Use FVEK (Full Volume Encryption Key) extraction from a memory dump if RAM was captured before power-off
  4. 4.Engage the endpoint management team to push an unlock command or escrow retrieval via MDM

Alternate Evidence Sources

  • •Active Directory or Azure AD escrowed BitLocker recovery keys
  • •Live memory dump containing the FVEK for offline decryption
  • •MDM / Intune portal holding FileVault or BitLocker keys