Windows Recall: Convenience or Catastrophe?
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Windows Recall: Convenience or Catastrophe?
Imagine a tool that records everything you do on your computer and keeps it all stored in a searchable database. That’s what Windows Recall is designed to do, and while Microsoft claims it all happens locally, the risks go far beyond the surface.
In this episode of Threat Talks, host Rob Maas is joined by Jeroen Scheerder to unpack the architecture and implications of Windows Recall. They discuss how a feature pitched as helpful and intelligent could just as easily become a security nightmare, especially when protections are bolted on rather than built in.
Key topics:
🧠 How Recall works and what makes it so controversial
🔍 Why bolted-on security measures leave gaps
🎯 Which users and organizations are most exposed
Your cybersecurity experts
Jeroen Scheerder
Director of Technical Services
ON2IT
Rob Maas
Field CTO
ON2IT
Episode details
Windows Recall: Convenience or Catastrophe?
Windows Recall is one of the most talked-about features coming to Windows 11. The tool captures screenshots of a user’s desktop every few seconds, analyzes them with AI, and stores them in a searchable local database. Microsoft’s goal? Help users rediscover anything they’ve seen or done. But the privacy and security implications are drawing serious scrutiny.
Originally launched alongside Copilot+ PCs, Recall has faced months of backlash. Microsoft responded by delaying the release, adding more guardrails, and shifting to an opt-in model. But for many in the security field, those fixes don’t go far enough.
In this episode of Threat Talks, ON2IT Field CTO Rob Maas sits down with security expert Jeroen Scheerder to examine what makes Recall so risky. They explore how the system stores sensitive information, what attackers could do with access to the database, and why encryption and isolation alone aren’t enough.
They also discuss who’s at risk (from journalists and political figures to everyday users) and how organizations can prepare for a feature that quietly records everything on screen.
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