Now for the version in plain English: Sign into Windows with a Microsoft Account, and a server assigns your installation a permanent ID number. Windows stores it locally, several background services read it, and it gets stamped onto activity your PC reports back to Microsoft.
Wait. I understand that this ID is used for Windows <> Microsoft communications. How did it escalate them to knowing that this ID was used to visit ngrok and the retailer’s website? Does Windows report website visits? Does it append this ID to HTTP requests? Or what’s the connection here?
The connection is that Windows records everything you do. So the FBI asks for every Windows user who accessed a specific site around a date/time and Microsoft can provide that.
You accessed a site over VPN? Your ISP has no idea it was you, , and the VPN didn’t keep records, but Windows recorded that and sent it back to the mothership with your unique identifier.
Fun fact, windows 11 backs up your bitlocker private key with Microsoft if you sign in with a Microsoft Account.
There’s a database somewhere with every bitlocker key to almost every Windows 11 device on earth.
I’m sure they let the NSA and the FBI right in. The CIA probably has sleeper agents working devops at Microsoft so they don’t even need to access it procedurally. $10 says Israel can access it too, because why the fuck not.
Wait. I understand that this ID is used for Windows <> Microsoft communications. How did it escalate them to knowing that this ID was used to visit ngrok and the retailer’s website? Does Windows report website visits? Does it append this ID to HTTP requests? Or what’s the connection here?
The connection is that Windows records everything you do. So the FBI asks for every Windows user who accessed a specific site around a date/time and Microsoft can provide that.
You accessed a site over VPN? Your ISP has no idea it was you, , and the VPN didn’t keep records, but Windows recorded that and sent it back to the mothership with your unique identifier.
my guess is edge history synced to ms account
Exactly it, and their claim that it is stored with bitlocker level encryption is obviously meaningless if they have the keys.
Fun fact, windows 11 backs up your bitlocker private key with Microsoft if you sign in with a Microsoft Account.
There’s a database somewhere with every bitlocker key to almost every Windows 11 device on earth.
I’m sure they let the NSA and the FBI right in. The CIA probably has sleeper agents working devops at Microsoft so they don’t even need to access it procedurally. $10 says Israel can access it too, because why the fuck not.