We still need to discuss the problems with Windows 11 because it's important for people to be aware of them so they can take appropriate action. This newly discovered bug affects anyone who has the latest version of the operating system installed and wants to sell or give away their PC, and uses the " Restore factory settings " option in Windows 11 or " Restore factory settings " in Windows 10.
Normally, wiping a computer is the safest way to get rid of a laptop or desktop, ensuring you don't encounter security problems since all user files are deleted, leaving it practically like new. However, a recently discovered bug in Windows 11 and Windows 10 has been found to prevent the complete deletion of personal files. This poses a serious security risk in Windows 11, as it can compromise user data that hasn't been erased.
Be careful with Windows factory reset
Both Windows 11 and Windows 10 are supposed to make it easy to reset devices to securely erase all files and settings . But Microsoft recently confirmed a problem where certain files aren't actually deleted.
The actual process of returning your PC to its factory state claims to delete all of your data. But if there are some files left to be deleted, whoever gets your device in the future could find and open the leftover files. And this is serious if you sell it to a second-hand store because you will not have control over who will be able to access those files.
The problem stems from OneDrive , Microsoft's cloud storage service that the company requires you to use when you log into Windows. You most likely activated it to stop it from bothering you, and now it might be causing problems.
Windows affected by a security problem by One Drive
As reported by Windows Central, the affected Windows versions are Windows 11 21H2 , Windows 10 21H2 , Windows 10 21H1 , and Windows 10 20H2 . Essentially, if you have Windows updated to the latest version, you have a security vulnerability caused by OneDrive.
According to Microsoft, " when attempting to reset a Windows device with apps that have distributed data folders, such as OneDrive or OneDrive for Business, files that have been downloaded or synced locally from OneDrive might not be deleted when you select the 'Delete everything' option ."
Source: TechRadar
