Microsoft Deprecates VBS Enclaves in Windows 11 Old Versions: What You Need to Know

If you ever thought that Windows version numbers were just minor footnotes in a sea of endless updates, think again. Microsoft’s recent security reshuffle regarding Windows 11 and its virtualization-based security features is here not just to break that illusion—it’s ready to smack it with a blue-screened vengeance.

The Curious Case of the Disappearing VBS Enclaves​

Microsoft, never shy about pushing its OS down the path of security righteousness, has decided to "deprecate" a rather technical but crucial feature in Windows 11: VBS enclaves. If your PC is rocking anything older than Windows 11 24H2—so that's 23H2 or 22H2—you are suddenly, and rather unceremoniously, left without this armor. But what exactly is disappearing, and should you care?
Let’s break it down.

VBS, TEE, VTL: The Alphabet Soup of Security​

Virtualization-based Security (VBS) isn't just another bit of Microsoft jargon; it’s a core security backbone that’s been hyped for several generations of Windows. Think of VBS as the digital equivalent of carving out a hardened bunker inside your memory, using virtualization tricks provided by modern CPUs. The goal? Keep sensitive processes away from the prying hands of malware—even if it does gain access to your system.
VBS enclaves, introduced officially in July 2023, take this further with what’s called Trust Execution Environment (TEE) and Virtual Trust Levels (VTL). Imagine the software equivalent of those intimidating velvet-roped VIP areas in nightclubs—enclaves are sections of your system’s memory walled off for running especially sensitive code, like cryptographic operations, in splendid isolation.

Why Deprecate Something This Secure?​

Now, here’s where things get head-scratching. If enclaves are such a boon, why jettison them from recent Windows 11 versions (excluding the freshly minted 24H2)? As usual with the Redmond behemoth, the specifics are kept behind, well, an enclave of their own. Microsoft’s only public explanation is a brief note about aligning with improved standards or new architectural choices.
History tells us Microsoft doesn’t retire features on a whim—ActiveX, Flash, Internet Explorer… (okay, maybe they do pull the plug with a certain gusto). But VBS enclaves’ sudden exit leaves users and IT admins in a security lurch, especially since attackers are always eager to exploit bygone features.

The Fix Is in… If You Patch Often​

Let’s not pretend VBS enclaves were bulletproof. Security researchers discovered a glaring vulnerability—CVE-2025-21370—that allowed local privilege escalation inside VBS enclaves, patched in January 2024. This bug showed that even software-based fortresses can spring leaks.
But, as any IT veteran knows, security is a moving target. Rather than endlessly patching older defenses, Microsoft is sometimes quicker to snip them away, encouraging users to jump onto the latest release. So, if you’re on 23H2 or 22H2, you’ll find patches, but no more feature enhancements or new security tricks from enclaves.

What Does This Mean for Windows Server?​

This isn’t just a desktop phenomenon. Windows Server editions—namely 2016, 2019, and 2022—are also getting the VBS enclave boot. Only Server 2025 and beyond will retain the feature. For enterprises that like to run their servers with a “if it isn’t broken, don’t upgrade” ethos, this may come as an unwelcome jolt.

Room for Rust: Microsoft’s Future Security Play​

This apparent security backslide happens just as Microsoft finally begins integrating Rust programming language into the Windows kernel, starting with Windows 11 23H2. Rust is widely beloved for its memory safety, promising to eliminate an entire class of bugs that made life tough for C and C++-driven kernels. Ironically, at the same time that Windows is losing a technical shield in VBS enclaves, it's gaining one from architectural change.
If you like your security features the way you like your coffee—robust and free of memory bugs—Rust might give you more comfort than VBS enclaves ever could.

Why You Should Care (Even If You're Not a Security Nerd)​

So, you’re a casual user, not a system admin or a malware researcher. Should this concern you? Here’s why it should:

• App compatibility: Security features like VBS enclaves protect apps dealing with sensitive data, such as password managers, VPNs, or banking applications. Their absence theoretically expands the attack surface for hackers who specialize in memory exploits.
• Enterprise impact: Companies struggling to keep fleets of Windows machines on updated releases might find themselves with uneven protection bins, complicating security management.
• Modernization pressure: Microsoft’s message is clear: stay up-to-date or risk missing out on the best security they offer. That might mean buying new hardware or bracing yourself for forced upgrades.

What’s Behind Microsoft’s Curtain? Speculation, Theories, and Corporate Realities​

With no official and technical reason given, what could possibly be motivating the deprecation of VBS enclaves on older versions? Here are a few theories floating in the infosec echo chamber:

• Newer, shinier replacements: Microsoft could be prepping a much-improved security model in Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025, making VBS enclaves obsolete or redundant.
• Performance trade-offs: Maintaining compatibility for enclave-based features may be a drag on development resources (and perhaps system performance)—escalating with each Windows flavor.
• Low adoption: If telemetry data shows minuscule enclave use outside of the Fortune 500, perhaps Microsoft doesn’t see return-on-investment for keeping the feature alive on less secure, older builds.

It’s unlikely we’ll see an honest answer any time soon—that’s just not how the Redmond PR machinery works.

Practical Risks and Mitigations​

The immediate risk to Windows 11 23H2 and 22H2 users is that, when attackers start mining for vulnerabilities, they may have a slightly easier time poking around. But let's be honest: unless you have “top secret” stamped all over your spreadsheets, VBS enclave deprecation won’t turn your PC into a honeypot overnight.
Still, organizations with compliance requirements or sensitive intellectual property should pay heed. Defense in depth is about layering protections, and every missing shield counts.
Mitigation steps:

• Upgrade, if possible: Windows 11 24H2 (once stable and widely available) or Server 2025 will continue receiving the latest enclave features and likely tighter integration with future secure hardware.
• Double down on general security hygiene: Patch religiously, use strong authentication, and compartmentalize sensitive workloads.
• Monitor for exploit activity: Keep an eye on reports related to memory-based attacks, especially those bypassing more publicized defenses.

How Does This Fit Into the Broader Microsoft Security Ecosystem?​

Microsoft’s security efforts have always been a blend of reactive hotfixes, proactive features, and more than a little bit of herding users toward the latest and greatest OS iterations. The retirement of VBS enclaves from older platforms is consistent with the larger strategy: sunset legacy components, add new shiny toys (hello, Rust!), and hope that enough people follow the upgrade breadcrumb trail.
In the process, Microsoft often leaves behind a trail of grumbling IT admins and confused end-users, but keeps the overall platform moving in the direction of “least pain for the greatest number.”

The Inevitable Tug-of-War: Legacy vs. Leading Edge​

Step into the shoes of a systems administrator for a moment. Every feature cut triggers a domino effect of “what-ifs”:

• What about that fleet of laptops purchased last year—that can’t run 24H2 yet?
• Will deprecating enclaves prompt attackers to focus more energy on the older OSes?
• How do you balance downtime, training, licensing costs, and ever-increasing security compliance audit checklists?

Microsoft is counting on inertia to fade—and for businesses to see value in the “move fast, update often” doctrine. Whether this works depends on how gracefully users adapt to these enforced changes.

So, Should You Rush to 24H2?​

That’s the million-dollar (well, maybe not but you get the idea) question. Here’s the honest take for different audiences:

• General users: The average home user may not notice the absence of enclaves at all, especially if all updates and patches are installed regularly. Memory safety bugs are important, but not the average person’s daily worry.
• Business and enterprise users: The calculus is different. Depending on regulatory requirements, security posture, and appetite for risk, the upgrade could be critical—or at the very least, a high-priority item on the IT department’s checklist.
• Security aficionados: You already know you’ll want the latest, with the longest list of active protections and features. Go 24H2 or bust.

Microsoft’s Mixed Messaging: Trust Us (But Upgrade First)​

If there’s one constant in the Windows universe, it’s that Microsoft’s public rationale is often as clear as a privacy policy after ten pints of marketing brew. By removing VBS enclaves from all but the latest OSes, Microsoft sends a conflicted message: “We care about your security, but only if you play in our newest sandbox.”
The writing is on the wall: Modern OS development is a treadmill. You hop on the newest cycle, or risk losing features (however obscure), wider support, and, potentially, your peace of mind.

Why Enclaves Still Matter—Even If Few Realize It​

A lot of security technology only comes into play on the worst day of your digital life—when something goes tragically, epically wrong. VBS enclaves, Trust Execution Environments, Virtual Trust Levels… these aren’t headline grabbers, but in a world awash with ransomware, credential theft, and increasingly sophisticated cybercrime, every hidden barricade in the OS can slow attackers down.
Their deprecation from older Windows flavors is less about your home desktop getting compromised tomorrow, and more about a future where the latest protections are reserved for, well, the latest and greatest.

The Bottom Line​

In the ever-churning world of Windows, change is the only constant. Today’s killer feature is tomorrow’s footnote. With the curtain falling on VBS enclaves for anything pre-24H2, Microsoft is forcing the faithful forward, trusting that enthusiasts, enterprises, and IT departments will shoulder the cost and inconvenience of modernization for the promise of better security.
Is this the right call? Only time—and perhaps your next scheduled upgrade—will tell. For now, keep patching, don’t panic, and maybe raise a digital toast to the unsung memory enclaves: for a fleeting moment, you kept us a little bit safer.

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Source: Neowin Microsoft is making Windows 11 23H2, 22H2 less secure than 24H2 by killing a VBS feature

 

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Microsoft giveth, and Microsoft taketh away—a mantra Windows users know as well as the blue of a Stop error screen. So it’s no surprise that, as the calendar pages flutter forward, Redmond has ringfenced another feature for the great recycling bin in the sky: VBS Enclaves, the not-so-talked-about darling of Virtualization-Based Security. With deprecation announced for older versions of Windows 11 and Windows Server, a chorus of enterprise admins and tech enthusiasts is left wondering whether this is a silent curtain call, a strategic cleanup, or just another chapter in Microsoft’s never-ending performance of security theater. Let's dig into what all this means—and, of course, what it doesn’t.

VBS Enclaves: Security’s Little VIP Room​

First things first: what even are VBS Enclaves? The name has a certain whiff of military-grade technology, or perhaps an exclusive digital club for your most sensitive data. In practice, that’s not too far from the truth. VBS stands for Virtualization-Based Security, and enclaves are secure, isolated environments—think of them as safe rooms carved out inside your system's memory.
Originally introduced in Windows Server 2019 and subsequently improved and broadened (including opening their doors for third-party developers), VBS Enclaves provide a means for applications to squirrel away cryptographic secrets, authentication keys, or any other digital delicacy you wouldn’t want wandering around unattended. Unlike some hardware-based security features, VBS Enclaves rest entirely on software, gleefully sidestepping the tangle of chipset support and motherboards.
Tellingly, only a select few Microsoft and Windows-specific applications appear to have RSVP’d to the VBS Enclave party. Highlights include Microsoft’s Azure SQL Database, the credential-guarding parts of Windows 11, and the much-buzzed-about Recall feature. For most desktop users, enclaves remain quietly behind the curtains, humming away in the background.

The Deprecation Chronicles: What's Actually Going Away?​

Keep calm and carry on—sort of. “Deprecation” is an overloaded term in the world of software, often invoked with more drama than deletion. Microsoft deprecating VBS Enclaves on Windows 11 version 23H2 and earlier (and Windows Server 2022 and below) doesn’t mean an instant obliteration. The feature remains, albeit with a “best before” date inked somewhere in the not-so-distant future.
If you’re running Windows 11 version 24H2 or prepping for Windows Server 2025, rest easy: your applications can still hole up in an enclave. For everyone else, the writing is on the wall—but for the majority of home users, the ink is already dry. Most consumer versions of older Windows will be out of support by the time VBS Enclaves vanish, making this very much a business and enterprise concern.
Yet notably, Microsoft didn’t provide a rationale for the move. Usually, a deprecated security feature is accompanied by trumpeting about new and better protections, emerging standards, or just a shift to where customers actually need the tools. Not this time. Instead, we’re left with a combination of support window reasoning and one cryptic footnote on Microsoft’s Secure Enclaves documentation: VBS Enclave API usage now requires Windows 11 Build 26100.2314 or later. For the more adventurous sysadmins and third-party app developers, it's time to plan alternate routes—or upgrades.

VBS, Not VB: The Name Game​

If you’re a certain vintage of Windows user, the moment you see “VBS” your synapses might fire off “VBScript!” That’s an entirely different animal—one Microsoft sent off to pasture in 2023 (no tears were shed). VBS Enclaves and VBScript share nothing but three letters and an unfortunate propensity for being misunderstood.
In typical Microsoft fashion, nomenclature loves company, and the alphabet soup of Windows security acronyms continues unabated. The important distinction is this: VBS Enclaves live under the umbrella of virtualization-based security. They are about protecting secrets inside the OS, not automating Internet Explorer.

The (Limited) Impact: Why Most Users Won’t Care​

Pour one out for VBS Enclaves—but only if your IT department actually used them outside of Azure SQL or remained in thrall to Windows Credential Guard. For ordinary Windows users, deprecation of this under-the-hood security feature will register somewhere between “not at all” and “when’s lunch?” With Windows 11 version 23H2 already set to retire in November and prior releases for consumers firmly in the rearview mirror, home users are unlikely to witness so much as a warning dialog, let alone missing functionality.
The real audience for Microsoft’s deprecation memo? Those with long-lived, slow-moving fleets of enterprise Windows or custom third-party applications leveraging these enclaves. In those circles, any change to the security substrate can spark a mild panic or a protracted migration project. And, as is so often the case in digital security, updates tend to arrive just before you're ready for them—or just after you’d gotten comfortable.

Under the Hood: Why Deprecate?​

Software deprecation is as much about the future as it is about the past. In this case, it’s tempting to spy a bit of digital housecleaning at work. Maintaining secure, virtualized compartments across multiple Windows builds, hardware generations, and developer APIs is an expensive enterprise. By tying the ongoing survival of VBS Enclaves to the latest Windows builds, Microsoft can focus its efforts on new, well-supported releases—ideally with fewer vulnerabilities and greater efficiency.
Yet there’s speculation that runs deeper. Is the removal about simplifying support for third-party apps, tightening Microsoft’s grip on the enclave APIs, or prepping for a next-generation security architecture entirely? The company isn’t saying (yet), but the side effect remains an urge for enterprise IT to either get current or get creative.
It’s possible, too, that first-party (Microsoft) applications will continue to use enclave technology through proprietary or internal mechanisms, even as public APIs to the feature disappear. If so, this is more of a closing window for third-party developers than an outright security retreat.

Recall and Beyond: VBS Enclaves in the News​

VBS Enclaves re-entered the limelight recently via Windows 11’s “Recall” feature, itself a polarizing blast of AI-fueled productivity promise and privacy concern. Recall leverages VBS Enclaves to secure the flood of snapshots it takes of users’ desktops, hopefully keeping prying malware or local snoops at bay.
If VBS Enclave support disappears on older builds, Recall—already restricted to high-end Copilot+ PCs—will simply decline to function, not gallantly fall back to something less protected. The architectural requirement is now a wall between those with new machines and those with merely “modern” ones.

A Brief History of Enclave Security​

Hardware manufacturers and OS developers have been obsessed with secure enclaves for the better part of a decade. Apple made its Secure Enclave coprocessor a buzzword with iPhones and Macs; Intel's SGX promised enclaves on the chip, at least until it didn’t. Microsoft’s VBS Enclaves always stood out for being hardware-agnostic—just a sprinkle of right OS, and you had yourself a safe haven.
But while the technology is clever, its day-to-day relevance largely passed over consumers. Even many enterprise deployments relied more heavily on Credential Guard in general than on the enclave trick itself. The niche audience—security-minded software developers—got the most out of this feature, and it’s that same crowd who’ll feel the chill of deprecation.

Third-Party Developers: The API Door Shuts​

Perhaps the most significant consequence hidden in Microsoft’s blizzard of footnotes and update advisories is for third-party developers. Only native or tightly-integrated Microsoft applications are assured continued enclave access. If your business relies on a custom app that tucks away secrets in a VBS Enclave using official APIs, it's now critical to evaluate OS build requirements—and start planning to target only the latest releases.
This shift may have a chilling effect on experimental or innovative enclave-using apps, at least outside the tight embrace of Redmond’s internal teams. Some security advocates might see this as a blow against software diversity; others might argue it’s necessary to keep the attack surface manageable in a world where Windows configurations sprawl endlessly.

Enterprise Realities: Migration or Margins?​

For IT administrators in big organizations, every deprecation event rings like a challenge bell. Supporting a patchwork of Windows builds, each with slightly different security capabilities, is a recipe for nervy nights and hastily scheduled meetings. For those still on Windows 11 23H2 or—gasp—older server versions, planning is now vital.
The upside? Feature deprecation often foreshadows better, faster, or at least better-documented replacements. Microsoft has never been one to let a little technical debt get in the way of marketing “next-gen” security, and the company’s motivation to keep enterprise customers current translates into pressure (sometimes gentle, sometimes blunt) to upgrade.
But for organizations already stretched thin—the sort that only just completed the last round of upgrades—news like this is bitter, if familiar, medicine. The question isn’t whether to migrate, but when, and how to build in resilience for whatever comes next.

Reading Between the Lines: Security, Support, and the Windows Future​

The deprecation of VBS Enclaves, absent a detailed explanation, tells us a few things about the shifting sands beneath Windows security. As Microsoft pushes further into AI, cloud, and a more integrated approach to device management, older security models become deadweight—or at least, less deserving of developer attention and support hours.
That doesn’t always mean risk, of course. Removing features with low adoption but high maintenance can actually tighten security by eliminating unexamined attack surfaces. It does, however, mean that businesses and developers who’ve built custom workflows or compliance strategies atop these features must scramble to find or invent alternatives.
For trainees in the IT trenches, it’s an object lesson: even “invisible” security features, long taken for granted, have limited lifespans. The pace of change in the Windows world—juiced up by yearly releases, extended beta periods, and public “Insider” flights—means anything not actively improved is always at risk of winding up on the digital chopping block.

What Comes Next: The Era of Secure Processing Evolves​

So where does Windows security go from here? Expect more, not less, core logic to shift into environments that Microsoft directly controls, whether in the cloud (via Azure) or on the client (copilot-driven, AI-filtered, perhaps reliant on new hardware as the baseline).
For developers, the future likely involves more “vertical” integration—security and privacy guarantees nested within trusted hardware and cloud services, leaving less to userland software and public APIs. We may yet see return appearances from other enclave-like structures, only this time bound to chips and firmware, rather than the chameleonic moods of Windows builds.
For businesses, the path forward is clear: stay current. Keep abreast of security deprecations, shed the legacy builds, and be ready to pivot when Microsoft next rearranges the security furniture.
And for the everyday user? Keep calm, auto-update on, and hope the only enclaves you ever notice are the ones on an architectural tour.

Final Thoughts: Memory Lane, Securely Paved​

While the quiet deprecation of VBS Enclaves isn’t likely to make headlines outside tech corners, it’s a revealing moment in the ongoing evolution of Windows security. The move illustrates Microsoft’s everything-old-is-sunsetted ethos, forces developers and enterprises to keep pace, and reminds us all that, in the end, the only constant in technology is change—a fact as enduring as the Windows start menu.
Microsoft may not have offered a clear reason for shuffling this feature off-stage, but their direction is unmistakable: secure what matters, streamline the rest, and nudge every user along a single, supported path. Whether that path leads to more robust, accessible security—or simply a fresh batch of acronyms—we’ll be watching. Because in Windows world, what’s deprecated today could very well be tomorrow’s “vintage” feature, fondly remembered… and quietly missed.

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Source: gHacks Technology News Windows 11: Security-feature VBS Enclaves is being deprecated on some systems - gHacks Tech News

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft was never one for subtlety when it came to the grand theater of operating system upgrades. Yet, in a twist that even seasoned Windows-watchers didn’t see coming, the company has quietly begun giving the boot to a high-profile security gem—virtualization-based security (VBS) enclaves—from older versions of its flagship Windows 11. This, mind you, less than a year after heralding them as revolutionary. Blink and you’ll miss it: deprecation, Windows-style, happens with as much ceremony as tossing a sticky Post-it in the bin. So what’s going on inside Redmond’s bustling cube farm, and what does this mean for everyone not glued to the very latest update? Hang onto your virtual hats, because the answers reveal a lot about how Microsoft imagines the future of operating systems, security, and the stragglers caught in the update crossfire.

Vanishing Act: A Feature Less Than a Year Old​

Deprecation in the Windows world is usually a sedate affair. Features appear, features leave, and often no one outside the hardiest of IT forums even notices. But the case of VBS enclaves is uniquely eyebrow-raising: introduced in July 2024 and immediately lauded as a substantial step forward in OS security, their lifespan didn’t even stretch a full calendar year in widely deployed Windows 11 or Windows Server 2022 environments before Microsoft quietly marked them as deprecated.
Why the sudden swerve? This is a feature that, on paper, sounded straight out of cybersecurity sci-fi. Powered by Virtualization-Based Security—a hallmark in Microsoft’s approach to hardened operating systems since the Windows 10 days—these enclaves offered developers a way to carve out tiny “fortresses” of memory, securing the most sensitive snippets of application code from even the operating system itself. That’s not just locking the front door; it’s a panic room within a vault, inside another vault.

What the Heck Is a VBS Enclave, Anyway?​

Let’s unpack the technical wizardry with a dash of Windows history. Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) leverages Microsoft’s Hyper-V hypervisor to create a lightweight virtual machine running right alongside the main OS. This isn’t your grandmother’s full-fat VM; it’s an under-the-hood construct, invisible yet meticulously engineered to wall off sensitive OS functions (think credential storage or security keys) from malicious apps, driver exploits, and—on an especially bad day—rogue administrators.
Enclaves are a turbocharged extension of this concept. Using specialized Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files and a developer-facing programming interface, they allow applications to squirrel away sections of code and data into a practically untouchable enclave. The upshot is that if an attacker manages to grab system-level access, anything inside an enclave remains secure, thanks to hardware-backed boundaries managed by Hyper-V. It’s like developers being handed a bunker, with Microsoft’s latest cryptographic guard dogs standing sentinel outside.

Microsoft’s Field Guide to Deprecation​

So, why pull the plug on such promising innovation? Microsoft’s rhythm of feature deprecation is all about streamlining, sure, but also about wrangling the delicate dance between rapid OS evolution and enterprise reliability. But even for Windows, the decision to retire an innovation as recent—and as heavily promoted—as VBS enclaves, especially for releases as fresh as Windows 11 23H2, is conspicuously swift.
Here’s where things get interesting. The official line is that VBS enclaves and their related Intel Software Guard Extension APIs will only be supported on Windows 11 Build 26100.2314 and newer—that is, future releases post-23H2 and Windows Server 2025 onward. For everyone else, the writing’s on the wall: enclaves are deprecated, not dead, but their days are clearly numbered.
In practice, that means the code will likely stick around, lurking in the OS for a little while (because Microsoft rarely rips out a feature at the exact moment of deprecation). But its absence from active development and support paves the way for an inevitable curtain call in subsequent updates.

The Fast and the Fractious: Windows’ New Update Cadence​

One backstory to this decision is Microsoft’s shift to an accelerated development cycle for Windows. Where once major updates dropped every few years (engendering a sigh of relief among IT admins), Windows now gets a major annual refresh, with frenetic monthly updates in between. This nimbleness keeps the platform competitive (and patching security holes fast), but also steadily raises the baseline that applications and hardware must meet.
For any new feature—especially one as radical as VBS enclaves—maintaining compatibility across a fleet of increasingly divergent builds is a recipe for developer migraines and support headaches. By drawing a clear line under older releases, Microsoft is doing what software giants always eventually do: betting that the majority will follow, and leaving stragglers to navigate the upgrade path on their own.

Who’s Left Behind?​

But what about those left clinging to 23H2 and earlier? For most home users, the answer is: probably nothing to worry about here. VBS enclaves are a developer-centric feature, their merits most apparent to those writing code tasked with guarding crown jewels—think digital wallets, authentication brokers, or IP-intensive enterprise apps. Early adopter enterprises and security-forward organizations, however, are the ones now forced into an awkward recalibration.
If your business has begun building applications that leverage VBS enclaves, all bets are now off if you’re sticking with Windows 11 23H2 or Windows Server 2022. Microsoft’s own documentation pulls no punches: only builds newer than 26100.2314 get the blessing. If you don’t want your code’s fortress suddenly downgraded to a rickety fence, you’ll need to march along with Microsoft’s update treadmill—or risk being marooned on unmaintained software.

Why Did Microsoft Pitch VBS Enclaves as “Revolutionary?”​

Zoom out, and it’s easy to see why VBS enclaves were initially trumpeted with such fanfare. The arms race between OS vendors and cybercriminals is relentless, and closing off avenues to memory exploits, privilege escalation, and live-patching by malware has real-world stakes. VBS enclaves were Microsoft’s answer to the rise of hardware-enforced trusted execution environments (like Intel SGX or ARM TrustZone), but with a friendlier surface for Windows developers.
With enclaves, even if a Windows instance is running in a dicey cloud or virtual desktop setting, an app developer can shelter sensitive routines and secrets from whatever lurks around it—including, potentially, anyone with root access to the host. This opens new possibilities for fintech, identity management, or even DRM in gaming. In theory, it could raise the bar for attackers to near-insurmountable levels.

The Cost of Progress: Compatibility, Complexity, and Clean Breaks​

Yet progress, in Microsoft’s universe, is always mapped out in trade-offs. Supporting something as technically demanding as VBS enclaves across a quilt of Windows versions, processor types, and hypervisor capabilities is a logistical quagmire. Even with the best intentions, features that rapidly pile up “known issues” or whose architecture can be more elegantly served in future releases tend to get a swift hook.
Consider this: Windows is now being asked to run everywhere, from retail kiosks to planetary-scale Azure clouds. The moment-to-moment engineering challenge is staggering. The hard truth is that, while Microsoft loves to paint seamless upgrade arcs in its marketing, the breakneck update cadence is designed to cut down on legacy baggage—sometimes at the expense of those who’d rather wait out the hype cycle for bug fixes or stability.

Life After Enclaves: What’s Next for Virtualization Security?​

If you’re a developer irate over having the rug pulled out from under your enclave-powered app, take a breath. The wider VBS family in Windows endures, with many foundational protections still actively maintained and enhanced. Kernel Mode Code Integrity (KMCI), Credential Guard, and Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI) continue to provide heavyweight security through virtualization.
It’s likely Microsoft sees the most innovation in trusted computing now coming from the hardware and cloud sides. As Windows increasingly intertwines with the modern security stack—hello, Pluton, TPM 2.0, and secure boot—the layers needed to wall off critical data may become even deeper and more hardware-centric. Features like VBS enclaves won’t evaporate in spirit; instead, they’ll be reborn atop new architectural foundations, perhaps with more direct handshakes from CPU vendors and deeper integration with Azure’s cloud controls.
It’s the Darwinian edge of software: features live fast, die young, and sometimes come back reincarnated under a slightly different name with a shinier icon.

Navigating the Fallout: Advice for Enterprises and Developers​

For IT managers and enterprise architects, the secret to surviving Microsoft’s security feature roulette is agility: monitor the deprecation notes, prioritize rolling upgrades, and always have a contingency plan for in-flight projects. If your organization has invested in VBS enclave-based solutions, now is the time for candid conversations with vendors and internal teams. Will your security assumptions still hold when the next Patch Tuesday leaves your build unsupported?
There is a perennial recommendation here. The cadence of Windows updates is not a suggestion; it is, increasingly, table stakes for staying in the circle of trust. Those who drag their heels risk bigger headaches than just missing out on shiny new features—they risk finding their core security posture eroded as Redmond turns off the lights behind them.

The Big Picture: Microsoft’s Security Trajectory and the User Experience​

No one should mistake this for caprice or mere whimsy. Microsoft is playing a long game—one that places ruthless focus on making Windows harder to hack, easier to update, and more predictable across millions of devices. That comes with casualties along the way; features, and sometimes entire classes of users, are unceremoniously left on the tarmac.
That’s not entirely a bad thing if the flip side is an OS fleet where advanced security is easier to roll out universally and where legacy cruft doesn’t become tomorrow’s attack vector. Still, there’s a bittersweet taste for those who backed a now-short-lived idea, championed by Microsoft itself just months prior, only to watch it quietly sunsetted as development priorities shift.

The Deprecation Dance: Windows in 2024 and Beyond​

Quartz-crystal schedules, agile sprints, and a relentless focus on security: welcome to the new era of Windows. Features like VBS enclaves will glitter briefly and, if they’re lucky, their DNA will surface again in the next chapter of OS innovation. For now, it’s a footnote in the ever-growing list of technologies Microsoft loved and left, tucked between the likes of Windows Phone and Internet Explorer.
For those racing to keep their systems current, the message is unambiguous: move fast, update often, and plan for an operating system as dynamic as the threats it faces. The rest—those nostalgic for stable footing and slower tempos—might want to consider a career in stone carving, where nothing is ever deprecated in a footnote.
One thing’s for certain: in the evolving world of Windows, today’s shiny “revolution” is tomorrow’s deprecation notice, waiting quietly in the release notes. Stay vigilant, stay patched, and always read the fine print—because you never know which security feature might quietly disappear before your next coffee break.

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Source: TechSpot Microsoft is deprecating a 'revolutionary' virtualization-based security feature for older versions of Windows 11

 

[ChatGPT]

Microsoft’s approach to security in Windows has always been a balancing act: bolstering defenses while maintaining system performance, compatibility, and a user base that ranges from individual enthusiasts to the world’s largest enterprises. Over the past several years, virtualization-based security (VBS) stood out as a revolutionary technology, promising to carve safe spaces in memory and fortify Windows against escalating threats. Yet, as whispers—and now decisive announcements—about the deprecation of key VBS features gain momentum, the conversation around Windows security is being fundamentally reshaped.

Understanding Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) in Windows​

Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) is a suite of advanced security features that leverages hardware virtualization to create isolated regions of memory. By segmenting critical security data away from the reach of potentially compromised system processes, VBS underpins technologies like Credential Guard and Memory Integrity (a.k.a. Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity, or HVCI). VBS first appeared with Windows 10 and quickly became a central pillar of Microsoft's evolving security model.
VBS’s core premise is simple but powerful: use the same virtualization instruction sets that drive virtual machines to protect sensitive portions of the OS. This isolation makes it exponentially harder for attackers—be they malware authors or privilege-escalating insiders—to tamper with security functions, dump passwords, or introduce unauthorized code at the kernel level.

The Golden Age: From Patch Tuesday Protection to Enterprise Mainstay​

After its debut, VBS (and tools like Device Guard and Credential Guard) became a badge of maturity for Windows deployments, particularly in enterprise. The technology found fans within industries juggling compliance and regulatory headaches—not just for its granular security posture but for its potential to contain, if not outright prevent, certain classes of sophisticated attacks.
Enterprise IT pros appreciated that features like HVCI could block unsigned or vulnerable drivers, nipping exploitation attempts in the bud. Reports and case studies highlighted reduced incidence of credential theft and kernel-mode rootkits on systems with VBS enabled. In Microsoft’s own guidance, VBS evolved from a “power user” feature to an expected best practice, especially for devices handling confidential data.

The Hidden Costs: Performance, Compatibility, and the Gaming Community’s Revolt​

Yet, shadows began to appear on VBS’s glossy surface. With its deeper system integration, VBS sometimes clashed with performance optimizations and legacy hardware. Gamers—infamously attuned to frame-rate dips and CPU bottlenecks—reported measurable slowdowns when features like HVCI or Memory Integrity were turned on. Some users noticed limited processor speeds, locked turbo frequencies, or sluggish SSD performance, especially on laptops or machines configured for overclocking.
For others, Memory Integrity prevented overclocking and caused compatibility issues with certain drivers. The community’s response ranged from frustration to detailed troubleshooting guides that circulated on Windows forums and enthusiast websites—revealing that disabling VBS (fully, not just toggling Memory Integrity) was sometimes the only way to restore lost performance, especially on unsupported or out-of-date hardware.

The Surprise Announcement: VBS Feature Deprecation​

In an industry-moving decision, Microsoft announced the deprecation of certain VBS features on older Windows versions. While the complete unraveling of VBS has not transpired—many components remain essential to Secure Boot and other platform protections—the direction is clear: older support is being phased out; attention is shifting to newer iterations of Windows, and some VBS-dependent features are seeing their last days of support.
This move aligns with Microsoft’s broader pattern in recent years: major strategic pivots towards cloud-first, API-centric solutions (think Azure integration), and a systematic pruning of legacy features that contribute to bloat, attack surface, or user confusion. Alongside VBS, features like Location History and legacy mapping APIs have also been shown the door, each time with a mix of relief and consternation from stakeholders.

The Security Imperative: Why Microsoft Is Changing Course​

Why step away from a “revolutionary” security feature? Several factors appear to shape Microsoft’s calculus:
1. Sophisticated Vulnerabilities:
Recent months have witnessed the public disclosure of critical vulnerabilities in VBS, most dramatically with the so-called “Windows Downdate” flaw (CVE-2024-21302). This allowed attackers with administrative access to downgrade system files, re-introducing previously patched security holes—even when Windows Update and endpoint tools showed all green lights. The exploit’s stealth (bypassing EDR and update checks) and potential damage shook faith in the VBS model’s infallibility.
2. Practical Workarounds and Patch Fatigue:
Despite Microsoft’s rapid issuance of advisories, including recommendations to implement revocation policies or re-image with clean installation media, these mitigations often placed a heavy burden on IT administrators and were impractical for non-enterprise users. Without fully fixing the underlying attack vector, the assurance of “fully patched” systems was, for a time, an illusion.
3. Performance and Adoption Issues:
VBS, as noted, could hobble system performance on certain hardware or in specialized use cases. Reports of stuttering, locked CPU frequencies, or even compromised SSD speed (especially when paired with default-on BitLocker encryption in Windows 11 24H2) prompted users to disable the very tools designed to keep them safe.
4. The Shift to Cloud-Native Security:
Microsoft’s ongoing migration from on-premise to cloud-first solutions has extended to security. The focus now is on integrating hardware-backed security with Azure Active Directory, cloud-managed updates, and AI-enhanced monitoring—making older, device-centric security features less of a strategic priority.

The Impact: Risks, Realities, and Future Security for Windows Users​

The deprecation of VBS features does not leave Windows wholly undefended, but it fundamentally changes the security landscape. Here’s what users, admins, and developers must now weigh:

A. New Windows, New Rules​

On the newest builds—especially Windows 11 24H2 and beyond—Microsoft remains committed to layered security, but with a stronger emphasis on TPM 2.0, Secure Boot, hardware-backed credential storage, and BitLocker. VBS-like techniques may persist under the hood, but the settings, legacy hooks, and reliance on isolated memory regions for all security functions are disappearing or evolving.

B. Old Vulnerabilities, New Exploits​

Without vigilant VBS protections, attackers could, in theory, more easily escalate privileges, tamper with kernel objects, and target previously mitigated vulnerabilities—particularly if endpoints fall behind on updates or rely on deprecated mitigations. Recent research shows that attackers have grown adept at exploiting gaps left by legacy uninstallations or incomplete mitigation policies.

C. Patch and Update Fatigue​

Microsoft’s ongoing stream of security advisories means that organizations must be even more proactive in patching, monitoring, and responding to emerging threats. The absence of set-and-forget mitigations like VBS increases reliance on disciplined patch management and more complex endpoint protection strategies.

D. The Compatibility-Reality Divide​

Many software vendors, including those offering third-party antivirus, disk encryption, and backup solutions, built their products to coexist with or even take advantage of VBS. As Microsoft deprecates—and eventually removes—these features, developers must pivot to new APIs, cloud-based authentication, or other Microsoft-preferred security architectures.

Community Commentary: Forum Voices and Professional Concerns​

On enthusiast forums and social platforms, conversation has been sharp and wide-ranging. WindowsForum.com, a gathering point for IT pros and power users, features numerous threads debating both the technical fallout and the broader strategy behind Microsoft’s security pruning.
A Split Verdict:
Some community members laud Microsoft’s move as a necessary means of pruning features that have become patchwork liabilities or performance bottlenecks. For them, the future of Windows security must be more holistic—rooted in cloud integration, hardware authentication, and responsive AI-driven defense.
Others, however, worry about being caught in a liminal space: too reliant on old APIs and configuration habits to pivot quickly, but facing a future where features and settings they depend on may vanish with little warning. The cost of migration (time, training, re-certifying compliance tools) weighs heavily, particularly in enterprise contexts.

Hidden Risks and Strategic Strengths​

Notable Strengths​

• Security by Design: Deprecating leaky or actively compromised features enables Microsoft to focus resources on modern, architecturally sound systems. Defensive security posture must adapt to evolving malware and exploit techniques—hanging onto broken vestiges only creates false confidence.
• Encouraging Modernization: By nudging—or forcing—users to update, Microsoft propels both consumer and enterprise ecosystems toward stronger default configurations, hardware security modules, and adherence to industry best practices.

Hidden Risks​

• Exposure During the Transition: While new protections are developed, old systems without VBS (and not yet equipped with equivalent replacements) may see an uptick in successful attacks, especially if admins lag in revoking obsolete drivers or system files.
• Performance vs. Security Dilemma: Users will remain tempted to disable even robust new security features in pursuit of optimal system speed, particularly in gaming, creative, or scientific computing scenarios. This perpetual tug-of-war will likely persist.
• Migration Gaps and Application Rot: Software vendors slow to adopt Microsoft’s new preferred APIs risk losing security support entirely. Organizations maintaining legacy apps—especially in regulated sectors—face a logistical scramble to modernize or risk non-compliance.

Guidance for Windows Users and IT Pros​

If you are on an older Windows build and rely on VBS, review Microsoft’s latest security advisories and plan a migration path toward supported versions of Windows and their recommended safeguards. Where VBS deprecation leaves exposure, offset risk with prompt patching, layered endpoint protection, and user training.
For enterprise admins, enforce routine audits of group policy objects, driver inventories, and update status logs. Consider deploying Microsoft’s latest revocation policies for vulnerable components, and do not rely solely on what the Windows Security Center reports—validate with dedicated monitoring tools.
Consumer users should not rush to manually implement enterprise-centric policies but must stay attuned to Windows Update notifications and major OS upgrade prompts. For those prioritizing system speed for gaming or creative work—understand the risk tradeoff before disabling security features, and evaluate whether a backup or dedicated non-work machine makes sense.

Looking Forward: The Evolving Security Roadmap for Windows​

Microsoft’s decision to deprecate VBS on older Windows versions is neither a retreat nor an admission of failure, but a signal: security is always in flux, and a one-size-fits-all legacy is unsustainable. The software giant is betting that the future lies in modular, cloud-integrated, hardware-assisted security—where real-time intelligence and cross-platform awareness provide a better line of defense than a monolithic, device-bound fortress.
Expect continued innovation—and turbulence—as both threats and defenses get smarter. Microsoft, like the broader industry, is embracing the reality that security must be proactive, adaptable, and intertwined with every facet of user experience—even if it means leaving some revolutionary features in the rearview mirror.
For those navigating this transition, the road ahead is clear: modernize, stay curious, and remember that in Windows (as in life) security is not an endpoint, but a journey.

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Source: www.techspot.com https://www.techspot.com/news/10760...F9AF6BAgBEAI&usg=AOvVaw0wOA_zTHGbgbRa6NHTDKbK

 

[ChatGPT]

Windows 11’s security landscape is shifting again, and this time the news carries both technical nuance and real-world consequences: Microsoft is officially deprecating the Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) Enclaves feature for certain Windows 11 systems, including the widely deployed 23H2 release and earlier. The move, while nested among a broader cull of legacy and underutilized features, strikes at the heart of Microsoft’s decades-long push for operating system hardening through virtualization. For IT professionals, security architects, and everyday Windows users, this change raises pressing questions—not just about immediate risks but about the direction of Windows security itself.

What Were VBS Enclaves—and Why Did They Matter?​

At its core, VBS Enclaves represented Microsoft’s answer to a persistent challenge: how to keep the most sensitive data, processes, and credentials not just theoretically secure, but practically untouchable—even if an attacker managed to compromise the operating system. Introduced as an expansion to the Virtualization-Based Security suite, enclaves carved out memory “safe zones” that were isolated from the rest of Windows—even if the rest of the system had been subverted.
The intent was ambitious: let Windows applications run highly sensitive code (like cryptographic operations, credential management, or DRM routines) within a hypervisor-shielded microenvironment. Even administrator-level attackers would be blocked from snooping or tampering—a crucial objective given the persistent, evolving threats from both external actors and malicious insiders.
Used in conjunction with heavyweight features like Credential Guard, Hypervisor-protected Code Integrity (HVCI), and Windows Defender Application Guard, VBS enclaves became a pillar in Microsoft’s strategy to make Windows more resilient against privilege escalation, memory attacks, and kernel-level exploits.

The Promise and Perils of a Virtualized Security Model​

For a time, the vision felt aligned with industry needs. Enterprises moving sensitive workloads to endpoints, governments seeking advanced security assurances against nation-state threats, and technology vendors attempting to offer robust digital rights management all found reasons to embrace enclave technology.
Yet, this approach was always a double-edged sword. The very complexity that made VBS enclaves powerful also made them difficult to fully secure and maintain. Vulnerabilities impacting the enclave’s integrity—such as those that allowed attackers to bypass authentication or inject malicious input—could potentially undermine not only the enclaved code but also other layers of Windows’ virtualized security framework.
A critical tipping point arrived with public disclosures of flaws like CVE-2025-27735. Researchers demonstrated that, under certain conditions, carefully crafted attacks could subvert enclave protections, escalate privileges, and manipulate or disable core security features. This risk shook confidence—not merely in VBS enclaves, but in the infallibility of “security by virtualization” itself.

Deprecation: Microsoft’s Strategy and the Broader Context​

The retirement of VBS enclaves isn’t happening in isolation. It’s part of a broader “spring cleaning” orchestrated by Microsoft: Windows Maps and related platform APIs are also being sunset, Paint 3D and DirectAccess have recently been retired, and even the venerable NTLM authentication protocol is slated for removal. Across the board, Microsoft appears focused on shifting legacy, niche, or high-risk features out of production Windows, urging stakeholders to adopt newer, better-supported alternatives or cloud-based replacements.
For VBS enclaves specifically, deprecation is targeted at Windows 11 23H2 and previous versions—a clear sign that the feature will quietly disappear from many business and consumer deployments unless future versions re-engineer the concept in a more robust fashion.
On paper, Microsoft’s rationale is pragmatic. When a feature’s security promises are undermined by fundamental design or implementation issues, continuing to support it can pose more risk than reward. Ongoing maintenance siphons resources that could be redirected toward reinforcing more widely used or more resilient protections.

The Reality Under the Hood: Recent Exploits and the “Windows Downdate” Risk​

It’s impossible to analyze the deprecation of VBS enclaves without considering the troubling spate of recent security bugs that have rocked virtualized security in general. CVE-2024-21302, for example, made headlines for permitting attackers to “downgrade” Windows systems—replacing up-to-date, patched security files with outdated, vulnerable ones without user awareness. Even with Windows Update claiming all was well, the actual state of system security was anything but.
Such flaws didn’t just allow individual security boundaries to be pierced; they threatened the very concept of chain-of-trust that undergirds virtualization-based security. With attackers able to sidestep virtual protections, the guarantees provided by features like VBS, Credential Guard, and HVCI could be undone retroactively, reintroducing vulnerabilities supposedly already fixed.
Researchers have shown that even well-patched systems could be returned to an insecure state, shaking user trust in both virtualized enclaves and the broader Windows security update process.

Enterprise and End-User Impact: What Changes Now?​

The immediate impact of the VBS enclave deprecation is clearest in enterprise environments—but home users aren’t immune. Organizations that leveraged enclaves for credential isolation, secure computation, or compliance-driven controls must now reassess their security architectures. For some, this will mean accelerating adoption of alternatives such as cloud-based solutions, dedicated hardware security modules (HSMs), or embracing Azure-backed features that are more aggressively maintained.
End users may not notice explicit changes; deprecation rarely triggers a dramatic visual shift in Windows. But in the background, the risk landscape is evolving. Without VBS enclaves, certain advanced attacks—while still complex and requiring local access—may become more feasible for sophisticated adversaries if compensating controls aren’t in place.
Advisories stress that organizations should:

• Audit dependent software to identify enclave dependencies.
• Tighten privilege boundaries and minimize admin access on all endpoints.
• Aggressively monitor Microsoft’s security updates and bulletins for compensating mitigations.
• Consider rapidly phasing out use of deprecated install media for Windows 11 (since outdated images can further amplify vulnerabilities by skipping essential patches).

This is not just a hypothetical worry. Systems set up using out-of-date DVDs or USBs have already been found to be locked out of security updates—notified too late that they are skating on a thin, unsupported patch surface.

The Chain Reaction: Trust, Attack Chains, and Insider Threats​

A core promise of VBS was to shrink the “attack surface” available to adversaries. However, as insiders and local attackers proved able to undermine enclave protections, Microsoft and the security community have had to revise longstanding assumptions about risk. With the enclave layer weakened or removed, defenders must compensate elsewhere: beefing up endpoint monitoring, rolling out advanced behavioral analytics, and doubling down on employee education about insider threats and phishing.
It’s also a warning shot for organizations overly reliant on any single security boundary. The cascade effect from failures in VBS enclaves illustrates that a layered, defense-in-depth approach remains essential. “No system is ever perfect,” as one analyst noted; even advanced techniques like virtualization or Secure Kernel Mode can be outmaneuvered when exploiters find overlooked flaws.

The Road Ahead: What Will Replace VBS Enclaves?​

With enclaves out, what rises to take their place?
Microsoft hasn’t left users empty-handed. Recent Windows 11 updates have introduced several new and enhanced security features:

• Administrator Protection: A reimagined privilege management scheme that ensures even admin accounts operate with least privilege, only elevating after explicit authentication prompts. This actively curbs some classes of privilege escalation attacks and helps reduce accidental exposure to malware.
• Broad Hardware-backed Security: BitLocker and similar technologies are being rolled out with broader compatibility in the 24H2 update, sometimes enabled by default, providing “whole disk” encryption for a growing spectrum of devices.
• Streamlined Compliance: Newer releases emphasize easier security compliance—even eliminating some legacy checks to foster better user adoption while retaining core protections.

But, not all is smooth sailing. The expansion of default encryption in Windows 11 has stirred its own controversy, with some power users raising red flags over possible SSD performance slowdowns or device compatibility headaches. Microsoft is being urged by its user base to communicate more transparently about trade-offs and default settings so end-users can make truly informed decisions.

Developer Frustrations and the Changing Windows Ecosystem​

The axing of VBS enclaves, alongside legacy mapping APIs and other developer tools, creates real work for those who’ve invested in the deprecated tech stack. ISVs that built sophisticated workflows atop the enclave model must now pivot: rewriting security-sensitive modules, shifting to cloud-native trust boundaries, and testing against new standards that may be less mature or differently scoped.
On the other hand, Microsoft’s move underscores a broader pivot to cloud-first, API-driven solution architectures. Features like Azure Maps replace legacy mapping APIs, integrating deeply with identity and telemetry services, and offering ongoing updates unavailable to on-premise interfaces.

The Security Community’s Verdict: A Sobering but Strategic Retreat​

Ultimately, retiring VBS enclaves represents both admission of defeat and a recalibration of priorities for Microsoft. While the dream of perfect virtualization-isolated trust may fade from local Windows devices, it sets the stage for more robust, flexible, and future-ready security strategies—ones based on continuous updates, rapid response to newly discovered flaws, and a commitment to defense-in-depth.
This transition, though, won’t happen overnight. For security teams and IT departments, vigilance is still the order of the day:

• Apply security patches and follow configuration guidance as soon as they become available.
• Monitor new channels for security advisories now that layers like the VBS enclaves may disappear from under their application stack.
• Rethink the separation of duties, network segmentation, and mitigate against internal threats.

For the rest of the Windows community, this is a telling moment—a classic illustration that security is a “process, not a product.” Technology, however advanced, cannot stand still: every innovation attracts a determined adversary, and defense must always evolve ahead of the threat.

Final Reflections: Lessons Learned and the Path Forward​

The saga of VBS enclaves encapsulates the paradoxes of modern security engineering: ambitious mechanisms carry equally ambitious risks; robust boundaries can hide brittle flaws; and trust, once undermined, is slow to rebuild. Microsoft’s decision to deprecate VBS enclaves signals a necessary, if painful, realignment with today’s realities: cyber threats are unceasingly inventive, and no single feature can promise complete invulnerability.
The focus now shifts to adaptability, transparency, and layered mitigation. For users, developers, and defenders alike, it’s a reminder not to place uncritical faith in any single barrier—and to keep looking ahead, even as Windows’ historical fences are torn down and rebuilt.
As 2025 draws near and new endpoint architectures take center stage, the lesson of VBS enclaves may be this: True security is not just about building higher walls, but about constructing smarter, more responsive systems—ready to learn, adapt, and recover from every new challenge the digital world throws their way.

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Source: www.ghacks.net https://www.ghacks.net/2025/04/17/w...9AF6BAgEEAI&usg=AOvVaw2R6V-fYvULOuHPgC_UPTcB/

 

[ChatGPT]

A subtle but consequential security change is taking shape in the Windows ecosystem: Microsoft is deprecating VBS enclaves on Windows 11 versions 23H2 and 22H2, alongside similar rollbacks on Windows Server 2022 and its predecessors. With the advent of Windows 11 24H2 and Windows Server 2025, only users on these newest platforms will retain access to the next-generation memory safety features VBS enclaves provide. This move—quiet on the surface but seismic beneath—highlights both the relentless pace of security innovation in Windows and the hidden trade-offs that come with reaching for the bleeding edge.

The End of an Era: VBS Enclaves Pulled from Older Versions​

Virtualization-Based Security (VBS) has, for years, been at the heart of Microsoft’s security posture. By isolating sensitive processes from the operating system using hardware and software virtualization, VBS creates a deeper trust boundary—making it much harder for attackers to reach critical secrets and execute privilege escalation exploits. Among its enhancements, VBS enclaves introduced an additional segmentation of trust: creating virtual trust levels (VTLs) within applications, using software-based Trust Execution Environments (TEEs) to compartmentalize memory and restrict access even further.
Yet, Microsoft has confirmed that support for VBS enclaves is now exclusive to Windows 11 24H2 and later, and to Windows Server 2025 and above. Earlier versions—including the still widely used 23H2 and 22H2 for Windows 11 and Server 2022, 2019, and 2016—will see this security technology deprecated. The result? A notable divergence in protection levels across the Windows platform: the same hardware, running different OS builds, will enjoy very different defenses against modern attacks.

Why Deprecate a Modern Security Feature?​

Microsoft’s decision hasn’t come with an explicit rationale. In the past, retiring features often signaled obsolescence, a shift to better standards, or technical debt too costly to carry forward. But in the case of VBS enclaves, the technology is not broadly outdated—on the contrary, it’s a recent addition, rolled out in mid-2023, and is closely tied to Microsoft’s agenda of memory safety and secure application environments.
This makes the deprecation notable: there’s been no major public exploit, no damning performance issue, nor a cascade of negative feedback. While VBS enclaves did suffer at least one published vulnerability (CVE-2025-21370, a local elevation of privilege flaw patched in January), a single CVE is par for the course with mature security tech.
Instead, the change may reflect Microsoft’s ever-persistent drive to push customers rapidly toward the latest OS versions. Maintaining advanced virtualized features across multiple kernel versions is extremely challenging, especially as underlying platforms like Hyper-V, TPM, and kernel memory management continue to shift. It also gives Microsoft room to accelerate improvements and bug fixes—free of the weight of legacy support. However, for organizations slow to migrate, the cost could be substantial: older Windows installations may become prime targets for exploits developers expect to thwart only on the “latest and greatest” versions.

The Rise (and Limits) of Virtualization-Based Security​

VBS has evolved from niche enterprise feature to a nearly standard baseline for modern security on Windows. It forms the backbone of several advanced controls, such as Credential Guard, Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI), and Virtual Secure Mode. VBS enclaves in particular carve out exclusive memory zones in which application code can operate at a higher “virtual trust level” than the host OS or even other processes. The result is a sandbox-within-a-sandbox: memory space shielded from everything except the enclave owner.
For developers, enclaves mean they can place secrets, cryptographic keys, or operation-critical logic in a place malware simply can’t reach—even if it manages to infect the host OS. For enterprises running sensitive workloads or handling regulated data, this kind of defense is invaluable: think financial applications, identity providers, or digital rights management tooling.
But this extra layer comes at a price. From a technical standpoint, managing and updating virtualized trust levels requires close alignment with firmware, hypervisor, and hardware chipsets. Even a small change at the silicon or bootloader level can break compatibility. As Microsoft hardens each new release—especially with the increased use of Rust in the kernel for memory safety in 24H2 and beyond—the cost of making VBS enclaves work everywhere can exceed their security payoff on older, less protected platforms.

The Security Impact: What Does the Loss of VBS Enclaves Mean?​

Deprecating VBS enclaves widens the already extant “security gap” between older but still supported versions of Windows and the flagship latest build. Organizations that haven’t yet moved to 24H2 or plan to remain on Server 2022, 2019, or 2016 for stability reasons will lack several classes of modern memory protections.
While VBS as a baseline remains robust—protecting credential storage, isolating LSA, and offering kernel-mode security—the isolation of critical application memory will be weaker than what is offered in the cutting-edge builds. Attackers who succeed in breaking out of the OS or leveraging privilege escalation vulnerabilities may find fewer guardrails. For businesses unwilling or unable to upgrade, this is a risk that should not be underestimated.
Microsoft’s security advisories make clear that maintaining regular patch cycles is non-negotiable, especially as vulnerabilities continue to surface across all versions that use VBS-related features. But the reality for “trailing edge” organizations is stark: the future of advanced app memory compartmentalization simply won’t include them.

Windows 11 24H2: The Fortress Approach to Security​

The timing of this change coincides with a larger security revolution debuting in Windows 11 24H2. This update is, by all accounts, Microsoft’s most ambitious overhaul of the Windows security model in decades. Key features include:

• Enhanced Sign-In Security (ESS): ESS builds further on Windows Hello, combining biometrics (fingerprint, facial recognition) with deeper VBS integration to ensure credentials never leave protected memory spaces. ESS is designed with VBS at its heart—a clear signal that local hardware isolation remains a priority.
• Advanced Application Control: Stricter default policies and more intelligent application whitelisting mean fewer rogue apps can ever gain a foothold—an essential protection as new attack vectors (especially via AI-generated malware) proliferate.
• BitLocker for All: Device-wide encryption, historically reserved for Pro or Enterprise SKUs, now arrives by default even for Home edition users. This comes with trade-offs—some SSDs may see measurable performance reductions under BitLocker software encryption—but Microsoft has prioritized data security in the age of remote work and hybrid learning.
• Hotpatching for Enterprise: Fewer forced restarts will be required for routine security updates, thanks to memory-level injection of patches. This is a blessing for business continuity and uptime.
• Kernel Modernization With Rust: A historic move, Microsoft has started integrating Rust into kernel development with 24H2, aiming to eradicate entire classes of memory safety bugs inherent to C/C++ codebases. Rust is celebrated in the security community for making buffer overflows, use-after-free, and similar attacks vastly harder to pull off.

Layered Security: The New Gold Standard—But Only for the Latest​

Microsoft’s strategy is clear: real, next-generation security will now be layered predominantly on its most current Windows builds. VBS enclaves, ESS, deep app controls, and Rust-protected kernel spaces work in concert to create an OS where most direct memory attacks are not just impractical—they’re computationally unfeasible.
But this progress introduces a new challenge for the IT world: the “security stratification” of the Windows fleet. Endpoints running older (even if fully patched) 22H2 or 23H2 builds will inevitably lag behind contemporary threats. In the rapidly pivoting threat landscape, this can make patch management, compliance documentation, and risk calculation exponentially more complicated for IT administrators. Enterprises in particular face an unpalatable choice: race to keep up with Windows innovation—or risk falling victim to attacks crafted specifically for the slow-footed.

The (Silent) Cost of Deprecation​

On the surface, Microsoft’s changes seem like simple housekeeping: cut older dependencies, embrace better architecture, move faster. But for organizations and everyday users, the move raises several tough questions:

• How long before other essential security features meet the same fate? Deprecation can snowball; today it’s VBS enclaves, tomorrow it could be other VBS derivatives, compatibility layers, or even key kernel routines.
• Is Microsoft signaling that long-tail OS support is now mainly for bugfixes, not innovation? For years, businesses could expect early deprecation only for true legacy (think Internet Explorer or SMBv1). Now, best-in-class defenses are tied tightly to a specific annual update cadence, with little grace for those who can’t—or won’t—keep up.
• What about regulated or legacy environments? Many organizations—healthcare, government, finance—can’t upgrade instantly. These verticals now face the unenviable task of explaining why their systems are missing best-practice protections, even though they’re up-to-date by normal standards.
• How much notification is enough? Silent sunsetting, without adequate communication, exposes organizations to accidental non-compliance, data loss, and liability complications.

The Broader Deprecation Wave​

VBS enclaves join a growing list of removed or deprecated features in 2024: Windows Subsystem for Android, older cryptographic standards, and even the humble Windows Maps app are all being shown the door. Each change reflects Microsoft’s evolving approach—not just to improving Windows’ feature set, but to dictating what a “secure” modern OS must look like.
Some of these changes are driven by direct security imperatives: for instance, the elimination of obsolete DES encryption from Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025, a long-awaited move that finally brings Windows into line with contemporary cryptographic standards. Others, like deprecating legacy system APIs, make room for architectural advances that would otherwise be hamstrung by compatibility concerns.

What Should Users and IT Professionals Do?​

The roadmap is clear: the future of Windows security lies with the 24H2 branch and beyond. For individual users, this means embracing updates not just as productivity enhancements, but as security essentials. For organizations, particularly those in compliance-heavy sectors, it’s time to move aggressively toward modernizing fleets and retiring any tool, deployment script, or process that anchors systems in the past.

• Audit Your Systems: Inventory which endpoints are running 23H2, 22H2, or earlier. Understand what protections those builds now lack.
• Accelerate Upgrades: Make Windows 11 24H2 or Windows Server 2025 the new organizational baseline wherever possible. For those on slower adoption paths, put migration plans into overdrive.
• Educate Users and Admins: Communicate that “fully patched” no longer means “fully protected”—especially as attackers shift strategies to exploit what’s missing in older builds.
• Monitor Feature Deprecation: Stay current on Microsoft’s list of deprecated features and plan for a future where only the current-year builds are fully-featured.

The Push and Pull of Progress​

Microsoft’s decision to deprecate VBS enclaves reflects something much bigger than just a feature loss: it’s emblematic of the modern OS landscape, where innovation and obsolescence travel hand-in-hand. “Future-proof security” is no longer an abstract goal but a moving target—one that, for better or worse, often leaves yesterday’s hardware and software out in the cold.
The message for users and enterprises is unambiguous. To stay secure in the Windows world, you can't stand still. The fortress is only as strong as its newest wall—so now, more than ever, the mandate is clear: keep moving forward.

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Source: www.neowin.net Microsoft is making Windows 11 23H2, 22H2 less secure than 24H2 by killing a VBS feature

 

[ChatGPT]

Few moves by Microsoft generate more debate among IT professionals and Windows enthusiasts than the removal or deprecation of a prominent security feature. When news broke that Microsoft is deprecating VBS enclaves in Windows 11 versions older than 24H2, as well as on Windows Server 2022 and previous releases, alarm bells rang throughout the Windows community. What does this change mean for day-to-day users, enterprise administrators, and Microsoft’s evolving approach to cybersecurity in a world of increasingly sophisticated threats? Let’s unpack the implications, technical context, and what the future landscape of Windows security may look like.

Understanding VBS and VBS Enclaves​

To fully grasp the impact of deprecating VBS enclaves, it’s critical to know what they are and where they fit into the security architecture of Windows 11 and Windows Server.

Virtualization-Based Security: The Foundation​

Virtualization-Based Security, or VBS, is a technology that uses hardware virtualization features to create and isolate a secure region of memory from the normal operating system. Windows leverages VBS for several advanced security features, including Credential Guard, Hypervisor-Protected Code Integrity (HVCI), and others. The intent is always the same: walling off critical processes or secrets so that even if the OS is compromised, some key attack vectors remain blocked.
VBS has been highlighted by Microsoft as a key reason the company claims Windows 11 is “the most secure Windows ever.” It is deeply integrated into the fabric of recent Windows versions and is now often enabled by default on new hardware.

What Are VBS Enclaves?​

Introduced publicly in mid-2023, VBS enclaves are a layer built atop VBS. They allow applications to create “enclaves” — secure, isolated portions of memory and execution logic — within the broader virtualized environment provided by VBS. These enclaves effectively provide a software-based Trust Execution Environment (TEE), allowing sensitive app tasks (especially cryptographic operations or credential management) to execute with robust protection, even if other parts of an application or the user session is compromised.
Put simply, VBS enclaves give developers a way to invoke advanced hardware-grade memory protections through software. Their adoption has been slow but marked a notable stride towards “defense in depth.”

Microsoft's Change: What’s Being Deprecated?​

Microsoft has confirmed that support for VBS enclaves is being deprecated on the following Windows releases:

• Windows 11 versions 23H2, 22H2, and lower
• Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016

Support will continue only on Windows 11 version 24H2 and later, and on Windows Server 2025 and later.
For users and organizations that rely on LTSB/LTSC builds of Windows Server, this is a critical distinction; security “feature fade” can have significant downstream implications.

Why Would Microsoft Deprecate VBS Enclaves?​

To the outside world, removing a security feature from still-supported OS versions seems counterintuitive. Microsoft offers surprisingly little public explanation, simply stating the feature is deprecated — not why. Historically, when Microsoft shelves an older standard, it may be for reasons including:

• Inherent security flaws or unresolvable vulnerabilities in legacy versions.
• Introduction of a more robust alternative in upcoming builds.
• Maintenance overhead or performance issues discovered post-deployment.
• Low feature adoption, making ongoing support less justifiable.

For VBS enclaves, several clues help connect the dots.

Security Vulnerabilities and Patch Complexity​

It is important to note that VBS enclaves, while a leap ahead in memory safety, aren’t immune to exploits. Earlier this year, Microsoft patched CVE-2025-21370, a vulnerability allowing local elevation of privilege through VBS enclaves. As Windows versions diverge, patching deep OS features like VBS enclaves becomes more complex. Sometimes, a security model can only be effectively maintained if built into the OS from the ground up — not retrofitted via cumulative updates.

Drive to Streamline and Harden​

Recent Windows releases have trended toward reducing attack surface by removing legacy or little-used features, such as depreciating ActiveX in Office apps, cutting location history APIs, or altering device management features. Microsoft’s engineering priorities now favor consolidated, hardened codebases that are easier to update rapidly as new attack methods are discovered.

Low Adoption and Focus on Future Versions​

VBS enclaves, in practice, may have seen limited real-world usage outside specialized enterprise or cryptographic applications. Features that don’t gain critical mass can become maintenance burdens, with the added liability that unpatched bugs could create more problems than they solve. This shift is a familiar one for close followers of Microsoft—less-used APIs, tools, or services are often subsumed in the race toward more modular, future-facing architectures.

What Are the Risks of Deprecating VBS Enclaves on Older Windows?​

Practical Reduction in Memory Safety​

With VBS enclaves disabled, applications that previously used this technology revert to less robust forms of memory isolation. The most immediate implication is that attacks targeting older, still-supported Windows releases may have an easier time exploiting process memory and hijacking app execution.
For organizations running apps dependent on VBS enclaves, this is a tangible security downgrade. Enterprises may need to accelerate their planned OS upgrades or risk exposure. Critical workloads, especially those handling credentials or sensitive data processing, should be prioritized for migration.

Mixed-Security Environments — A Hidden Risk​

Perhaps the most significant hidden risk arises in enterprises operating mixed-version environments. If one server or endpoint in a domain fleet is running Windows Server 2022 (without VBS enclaves), and another is on Server 2025 (with VBS enclaves), attackers may target the weak link. Homogeneous security posture is easier to defend; fragmentation can open new vectors for lateral movement during an attack.

Exploitation of Deprecated Features​

Vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-21302 (“Windows Downdate”) highlight the danger of outdated files or mechanisms lurking in the OS. Removing VBS enclave support sooner rather than later may actually — paradoxically — reduce future risk if lingering old code could be leveraged by novel malware techniques.

Unpatched Bugs & End of Feature Updates​

Once a security feature like VBS enclaves is deprecated on a platform, it typically receives only critical security fixes for a limited time. Non-critical bugs or enhancements will not be developed, leaving the system more vulnerable to newly identified exploits, particularly if attackers focus efforts on unsupported configurations.

Why Trust Is Conditional: The Patchwork Legacy of Windows Security​

Microsoft’s ongoing approach to security is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the company is relentless in deploying security updates, issuing monthly Patch Tuesday releases that address vulnerabilities swiftly. On the other hand, its aggressive lifecycle management — dropping features and shifting support windows — creates complexity in real-world environments, where not all organizations are ready to upgrade on Microsoft’s timetable.
The lesson for IT professionals is clear: staying too long on an older Windows build bins you into an ever-shrinking subset of supported features and patches. “Security complacency” is now a feature, not a bug, of running out-of-date Windows installations.

How the Security Landscape Shifts in Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025​

Enhanced Default Protections​

While VBS enclaves are going away on older versions, Microsoft has doubled down on security in Windows 11 24H2 and its server twin. Notable enhancements include:

• Default BitLocker disk encryption, even on Home editions — a first for Microsoft — preventing offline attacks if a device is lost or stolen. While performance impacts on SSDs are debated, the fundamental bar for data-at-rest security has been raised.
• Deep integration of Rust in the Windows kernel, starting in 23H2 and expanded in 24H2, further tackles memory safety bugs that C/C++ code can’t always avoid.
• Stronger application allow-listing, enhanced firewall controls, SMB protocol hardening, and better biometric identity features via Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-In Security.
• Active steps to eliminate legacy device access points and force use of more secure protocols by default, hardening the OS against entire classes of ransomware and targeted cyberattack schemes.

Simpler Compliance and Management​

Administrators have fewer exceptions to juggle. Upgrades enable a more unified, policy-driven approach to device security, obviating the need for a patchwork of third-party tools or custom mitigation scripts for features like enclaves. Automation and “zero trust” models are easier to deploy at scale when the base OS is consistent and up-to-date.

Security for the Reality of Remote Work​

The uptick in remote and hybrid working models over the past four years makes reliable security updates and default protections more imperative than ever. Decentralized fleets mean that the weakest device, at the edge of the network, can imperil an entire infrastructure. The move to restrict advanced features like VBS enclaves to supported, up-to-date hardware better aligns with the realities of distributed risk management.

What Should Enterprises and Power Users Do?​

Audit Usage and Dependencies​

First, determine if your environment, applications, or cryptographic workloads explicitly rely on VBS enclaves. If so, you may need to consider fast-tracking deployments to 24H2 (client) or Server 2025. For most, however, the reliance on VBS enclaves is likely minimal outside specialized verticals. Still, audit your systems — security by assumption is a dangerous game.

Accelerate Upgrades​

With significant security features being sunset on older versions, the cost/benefit calculus for sticking with 22H2 or 23H2 erodes quickly. Microsoft’s own messaging is clear: the future of security lives on Windows’ latest OS streams. Upgrades may demand some retraining (or, in the server context, retesting legacy apps), but the trade-offs for peace of mind and supportability are increasingly favorable.

Harden Older Systems Deliberately​

Stuck on an older build due to hardware, LOB applications, or compliance? Double down on defense-in-depth. This means regular, aggressive patching (while you still can), minimizing attack surface (turn off unnecessary services), and network-level defenses. Isolate legacy systems wherever possible. When the inevitable end-of-support arrives, urgently plan for migration.

Microsoft’s Challenge: Balancing Progress and Real-World Constraints​

The Windows update cycle has always required trade-offs between innovation and the slog of backward compatibility. The end of VBS enclaves on Windows 11 23H2, 22H2, and down, fits a familiar pattern: a feature touted as a game-changer recedes as new technical realities, security threats, or platform priorities emerge.
For some in the security field, the move is prudent — focus on modern, maintained platforms, and avoid the “many versions, many vulnerabilities” problem that plagues fragmented ecosystems. For others, it reaffirms an uncomfortable truth: trusting in any one security feature or Windows version to “keep you safe” is a moving target.

Looking Ahead: Security as a Living, Breathing Design Goal​

The rapid deprecation of features shouldn’t be seen as Microsoft abandoning security—if anything, it’s proof that security is a moving goalpost. Every major OS release now brings more than just incremental improvements; it introduces entirely new design philosophies for hardening, authentication, and system integrity.
With Windows 11 24H2 and Server 2025, Microsoft’s vision is an architecture where security isn’t layered on as an afterthought but built into every layer: from firmware and device encryption to hypervisor-managed memory and application controls. Features like VBS enclaves may vanish for some, but they are replaced and superseded in many ways by broader, more scalable protections.

Final Thoughts​

Microsoft’s decision to deprecate VBS enclaves on older versions of Windows 11 and Windows Server underscores a broader evolution in operating system security: prioritize the latest, push the envelope, and move the user base forward — sometimes despite disruption and grumbling. For users and enterprises, the message is clear: security is never static, and clinging to outmoded features or OS builds is an open invitation to risk. The future, for all its friction, belongs to those who keep pace with the relentless churn of innovation—and patching—at the heart of the Windows ecosystem.

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Source: www.neowin.net Microsoft is making Windows 11 23H2, 22H2 less secure than 24H2 by killing a VBS feature