04:01 PM EDT, 06/07/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Microsoft ( MSFT ) said Friday that the Recall feature, a new artificial intelligence feature on PCs, that periodically captures screenshots and allows for searching user activity, will be off by default after security researchers found that attackers could potentially access the underlying data.

"If you don't proactively choose to turn it on, it will be off by default," Microsoft's ( MSFT ) head of Windows and Surface devices, Pavan Davuluri, wrote in a blog post.

Microsoft ( MSFT ) is adding privacy and security protections to the Recall feature through updates on top of requiring users to manually enable the feature when Copilot+ PCs become available on June 18. The search index database will also be encrypted, the company said.

"Windows Hello enrollment is required to enable Recall. In addition, proof of presence is also required to view your timeline and search in Recall," Davuluri said.

With Windows Hello, users can verify their identity using a PIN, facial recognition via the PC camera, or a fingerprint.

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