Security executives risk their data’s privacy when vendors are entrusted with saving device encryption keys for recovery purposes, which could result in non-compliance with contracts or mandates.
Security executives risk compromising data privacy when they entrust vendors with storing device encryption keys for recovery purposes, potentially resulting in non-compliance with contractual or regulatory mandates.
This reality is underscored by a case where Microsoft reportedly provided keys to the FBI. The takeaway: convenience-driven key escrow trades privacy for recoverability, and organizations or individuals with high privacy needs must retain sole control of their encryption keys or accept potential government access.
https://www.theregister.com/2026/01/23/surrender_as_a_service_microsoft/