Approximately 2 years ago I set up my PC (Windows) as follows:
- I set up a BIOS password.
- I encrypted the whole system with a bitlockerpassword, so I need to enter a bitlocker password.
Usually when I turn on my pc I get asked for a BIOS password. This is clearly visible that it comes from the BIOS. The password consists of letters and numbers. Then afterwards usually bitlocker asks for a password, which consisted of 6 numbers.
Yesterday I worked quite long and I also installed Notepad++, which I assume is not "complicated" and does not make any significant changes to the system or bios. This is the only change I made to the system yesterday. Afterwards, I shut down my PC as I usually do, or at least I cannot remember a power interruption or so. Some time in the past I remember that when I shut down (and I really clicked on shut down in the start menu) that when restarting a "resume hibernation" was displayed in the left corner, I cannot remember where exactly, I think directly when I started - but I also had to enter BIOS password and Bitlocker password.
Today I started my PC and I could see the BIOS screen and booting. However, no prompt from the BIOS system to enter a password. Then Bitlocker appears, but it asks me for a recovery phrase. So not the usual password, but the recovery phrase (indeed I set up Bitlocker with a recovery phrase 2 years ago). I didn't enter it yet, because I have no idea why suddenly this change appears. Especially, I do not understand why Bitlocker appears first and not the BIOS password prompt first. So usually even if there is something strange with the Bitlocker encryption I would expect that I still have to enter the BIOS password.
So I wondered what is behind this. Is it:
- There was a damage / change in the bios system or something caused Bitlocker to ask for the recovery phrase.
or
- It is a virus / scam / remote encryption that turned off the BIOS password and encrypted my system with another password/recovery phrase or just scams me to enter my encryption phrase or just "did the damage for fun". I personally cannot image that a virus or some hacker is able to remotely wipe my BIOS password and make changes to the Bitlocker system encryption. Or at least it seams not likely for me to be the cause, as someone able to do this would rather try to scam my system and get my banking credentials or personal data or so. I mean of course it's probably possible for the CIA or so, but the step from internet to BIOS settings is like quite far. So usually internet and then some Windows virus ok, but BIOS changes and Bitlockerencryption changes.
Question: Is it scenario 1, 2 or something else? And why am I not asked for the BIOS password anymore?
I know that there are several reasons that out of a sudden Bitlocker can switch to ask for the recovery phrase, like changes to BIOS, hardware or so.
I did not perform any BIOS updates on my own or make changes to Bitlocker .