Description
Microsoft is aware of a security feature bypass vulnerability in Windows publicly referred to as "YellowKey". The proof of concept for this vulnerability has been made public violating coordinated vulnerability best practices.
We are issuing this CVE to provide mitigation guidance that can be implemented to protect against this vulnerability until the security update is made available.
Mitigation FAQs
Should I leverage the temporary mitigation?
Microsoft recommends that you consider implementing these mitigations if you are concerned your devices and data are at risk of being compromised or stolen. For example, if your organization’s employees take their work devices home or on business travel.
What impact to service availability/management could be caused by implementing the mitigations?
Implementing these mitigations will not impact service availability or management operations.
Do customers need to revert the changes made to mitigate the vulnerability once the security update to protect against this vulnerability is available?
No. The security update will maintain the mitigation's behavior once the security update is installed.
I am using TPM+PIN, am I at risk of this vulnerability being exploited
No, if you are using TPM+PIN the vulnerability is not exploitable.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft | Windows 11 Version 24H2 | 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.8655 | 10.0.26100.8655 |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 Version 25H2 | 10.0.26200.0 – < 10.0.26200.8655 | 10.0.26200.8655 |
| Microsoft | Windows 11 version 26H1 | 10.0.28000.0 – < 10.0.28000.2269 | 10.0.28000.2269 |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2025 | 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.32995 | 10.0.26100.32995 |
| Microsoft | Windows Server 2025 (Server Core installation) | 10.0.26100.0 – < 10.0.26100.32995 | 10.0.26100.32995 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
GitHub 9 repositories
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andrei-majer/bitlocker-hardening ★ 6 · May 24, 2026
BitLocker TPM+PIN Hardening Against CVE-2026-45585 (YellowKey)
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ashrafzaryouh/CVE-2026-45585 ★ 1 · May 31, 2026
CVE-2026-45585
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everest90909/YellowKey-WinRE-Remediation ★ 1 · May 21, 2026
Intune Remediation package for the CVE-2026-45585 YellowKey BitLocker/WinRE bypass mitigation described in the provided procedure. This package removes `autofstx.exe` from the offline WinRE image's `…
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sinhalese-congocopal6379/YellowKey-BitLocker-CVE-2026-45585 ★ 0 · Aug 24, 2026
Back up BitLocker recovery keys and audit CVE-2026-45585 on Windows 10/11 with this portable CLI + GUI tool.
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sinhalese-congocopal6379/sinhalese-congocopal6379.github.io ★ 0 · Aug 24, 2026
Back up BitLocker recovery keys and audit CVE-2026-45585 on Windows 10/11 with a portable CLI and GUI.
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Neccie/YellowKey-Bitlocker-CVE-2026-45585 ★ 0 · Aug 20, 2026
Manage BitLocker recovery keys, unlock encrypted drives, and monitor encryption status with this lightweight Windows utility.
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ChanderManiPandey2022/YellowKey-BitLocker-Bypass-CVE-2026-45585-Detect-Fix-Automatically-via-Microsoft-Intune ★ 0 · Jun 8, 2026
YellowKey | BitLocker Bypass CVE-2026-45585 | Detect & Fix Automatically via Microsoft Intune
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ChanderManiPandey2022/Yellow-Key-Check ★ 0 · Jun 4, 2026
YellowKey | BitLocker Bypass Vulnerability (CVE-2026-45585)
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bjbakker1984/Yellowkey-mitigation ★ 0 · May 20, 2026
A small script to apply Yellowkey mitigation based on CVE-2026-45585 instructions
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 3
- WID-SEC-2026-1609 Microsoft Windows 11 und Windows Server 2025: Schwachstelle ermöglicht Umgehen der Laufwerksverschlüsselung BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jun 22, 2026
- MSRC-CVE-2026-45585 Windows BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability Microsoft Security Response Center · Jun 9, 2026
- NCSC-2026-0165 Kwetsbaarheid aangetroffen in Microsoft Windows NCSC-NL (Netherlands) · May 20, 2026
References
- Windows BitLocker Security Feature Bypass Vulnerability vendor-advisory patch