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On a supported Windows PC, turn on Kernel DMA Protection—shown in Windows Security as Memory access protection—to restrict what an external Thunderbolt or other PCIe device can access in memory. Check its status rather than assuming your computer supports it. This Windows protection applies while the operating system is running; protection during boot depends on the PC’s firmware.
Why a Thunderbolt device can threaten a locked PC
Thunderbolt and other hot-plug interfaces based on PCIe can connect devices capable of direct memory access (DMA). DMA lets a device access system memory without ordinary CPU-mediated reads and writes. A malicious peripheral may attempt to read or alter memory when the owner is away. Microsoft calls this a “drive-by DMA attack.”
A locked screen is not by itself proof that every external device is unable to access memory. Windows’ defense depends on Kernel DMA Protection, the device’s driver and the system’s firmware.
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Kernel DMA Protection uses the system’s I/O memory management unit (IOMMU) to control external DMA. For a peripheral with a DMA-remapping-compatible driver, Windows can constrain the device to assigned memory regions. Such a device may continue to work while the screen is locked, but with its DMA access restricted.
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By default, Windows blocks a peripheral with an incompatible driver from starting before sign-in or while the screen is locked. That behavior is subject to device-enumeration policy, which an administrator can change through Group Policy or mobile device management. If an incompatible device is started after someone unlocks the PC, it can continue working when the screen is subsequently locked, until the device is unplugged or the PC reboots.
These distinctions matter: Memory access protection is not a blanket promise that every device stops working when the screen locks. It is a system-level control that applies DMA restrictions according to device and driver compatibility.
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Check whether protection is active
- Open Windows Security.
- Select Device security.
- Open Core isolation details.
- Find Memory access protection and check its status. Microsoft describes this setting in its Windows Security device security guide.
You can also open System Information by running msinfo32.exe, then look in System Summary for Kernel DMA Protection. A status of ON means the feature is active. Microsoft says supported systems enable it automatically; the feature requires UEFI support, but not Virtualization-based Security (VBS). See Microsoft’s Kernel DMA Protection documentation.
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In System Information, also inspect Hyper-V – Virtualization Enabled in Firmware. If that field is NO, Microsoft advises checking UEFI settings. On applicable Intel systems, the settings to look for are Intel Virtualization Technology and Intel VT-d. Menu names and locations vary by manufacturer, so use the PC maker’s UEFI instructions rather than assuming every computer has the same BIOS labels.
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- Consult the manufacturer’s instructions and, if appropriate, enable the relevant firmware virtualization settings.
- Restart into Windows and check the Kernel DMA Protection status again in
msinfo32.exeor Windows Security. - If protection remains off, the PC may not support Kernel DMA Protection. Ask the manufacturer or your organization’s IT administrator about that model’s capabilities.
Do not treat changing a firmware setting as proof that every attack path is covered. In particular, Windows’ status does not establish what happens before the operating system loads.
Boot protection is a separate responsibility
Microsoft states that Kernel DMA Protection does not protect against drive-by DMA attacks during boot. It says system firmware or BIOS is responsible for protecting Thunderbolt ports during that interval. If you need assurance about startup protection, consult the PC manufacturer’s firmware documentation or your IT administrator. An ON status in Windows covers the operating-system environment, not a guarantee about the boot path.
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What not to infer from the setting
- “Locked” does not mean every connected device is blocked. DMA-remapping-compatible devices can work within restricted memory regions, and policy can affect when other devices are enumerated.
- “ON” does not certify boot-time protection. That protection is handled by firmware, not by Kernel DMA Protection during Windows runtime.
- A port accessory is not established as a substitute. Microsoft’s guidance identifies firmware, the IOMMU and driver DMA remapping as the relevant controls; it does not establish that a general port blocker or security application prevents this attack.
- Do not casually change BitLocker settings. Microsoft notes that Kernel DMA Protection is incompatible with older BitLocker DMA-attack countermeasures and recommends disabling those countermeasures if the system supports Kernel DMA Protection. Treat this as platform guidance, not an instruction to change encryption settings without considering device or organization policy.
For driver and device-enumeration behavior, see Microsoft’s DMA remapping guidance for device drivers.
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