cryptographic offload

Cryptographic offload in Windows refers to moving encryption and decryption tasks from the main CPU to dedicated hardware, such as a TPM or specialized silicon. This approach improves performance and security by reducing CPU load and isolating cryptographic operations. In Windows 11, Microsoft has introduced hardware-accelerated BitLocker that offloads encryption to supported hardware, offering faster disk encryption and stronger key protection. This tag covers discussions about hardware acceleration for BitLocker, the role of TPM and other chips in offloading cryptographic workloads, and the performance and security implications for Windows users and enterprise IT environments.