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Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

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Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#182
post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Exactly. I'd even do locally-sourced hardware if the device ever leaves my site or they plug anything into it. Download the data via a VPN to be stored in an encrypted container. Upload and wipe it when you're done for your next round back. Not as much trouble as one would think if you use easy disk encryption, VPN, and syncing. I don't have an up-to-date recommendation on what combo to use, though.

yeah. while the two of you deal with stupid workarounds that work for only you, i'll rather try and fix the issue.

Do you think that corporations allow staff to carry sensitive information across borders?

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#183
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Does that really work on iPhones? Plus, if they ever get my phone, I'd do my best to ensure it's powered down (needs password to unlock from boot).

Yes, it works on iPhones. It doesn't even require specialized equipment. http://qz.com/631697/a-regular-inkjet-printer-can-spoof-a-fi...

From your link: "The process starts with a scanned photo of the target user’s fingerprint. This image is scanned, then some fiddling with contrast levels may be required."

"Cao told Quartz that the spoof worked on the iPhone during an earlier attempt, but it didn’t work when he tried to replicate the result for the technical report. “We unlocked it at the start of the project, but when we prepared the report, I could not unlock the iPhone. I used the same protocol and method. I’m not sure why it didn’t unlock,” Cao said."

I wouldn't exactly say this was a slam dunk then, eh? Seriously I'd like to know if someone can reproduce the exploit on film using non-exotic materials or process (ie, no latex glue or pre-existing high-resolution images). Of note, if feds can get fingerprints through existing paperwork, why do they need a seek a warrant for this?

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#184
post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you claim here that elections (who votes, where, how often, in what conditions, for whom, for what, etc.) aren't part of "the system"? That probably isn't your intention, but you seem to hold the parenthesized conditions blameless, offering instead some sort of caricature of a Trump voter for criticism. Incidentally, if the participation of all those apparent cretins is "democracy working exactly as intended", how…

I was referring specifically to this: > The 'actual problem' seems to be in the selection/delegation process.

ISTM there are problems in that process. Even if there aren't, there could be, and preemptively declaring such out of scope certainly wouldn't help solve those.

One has long suspected the insidious idea that the Founders etc. did such a Good Job that we mustn't criticize any current incarnation of the institutions and traditions they created. One used to hear this silly idea from "strict constructionists", but recently it seems to come mostly from devoted supporters of the status quo.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#185
post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was referring specifically to this: > The 'actual problem' seems to be in the selection/delegation process.

ISTM there are problems in that process. Even if there aren't, there could be , and preemptively declaring such out of scope certainly wouldn't help solve those. One has long suspected the insidious idea that the Founders etc. did such a Good Job that we mustn't criticize any current incarnation of the institutions and traditions they created. One used to hear this silly idea from "strict constructionists", but recen…

Of course there are problems in the process, but they pale in comparison to the fact that there are vast and fundamental differences in people's quality metrics, and even in what they mean by words like "freedom" and "equality" (e.g. is allowing gay marriage "equal rights" or is it "special treatment"?) So the whole premise of electing reasonable people to run the government is doomed from the start because Americans don't agree on what "reasonable" means. No amount of tinkering with the process is going to fix that.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#186
post #100
post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not for me, I don't even understand your point. Of course it's up to me if I have something to hide. I have nothing on my phone that I wouldn't be perfectly OK with to have printed and displayed in a busy public place. How is it not up to me to decide what details of my life I have to hide?

Do you mean that in the sense of: The police asks you to surrender you phone. Telling "you have nothing to hide, you shouldn't mind" and you respond with "It is not up to decide if I have something to hide" Or, your friend is arguing for letting the police see their phone because your friend has nothing to hide. Your friend says "I have nothing to hide". But you respond with "It is not up to you if you have nothing t…

Say your friend is arrested for smoking pot in Arizona or Indiana or anywhere else that has draconian cannabis laws, now each of their contacts is possibly a dealer. They're in a different state? The DEA will be happy to help make a federal case out of it.

It's not implausible.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#187
post #155

Earlier quoted context omitted.

yeah. while the two of you deal with stupid workarounds that work for only you, i'll rather try and fix the issue.

Do you think that corporations allow staff to carry sensitive information across borders?

Have you seen the "information security" at most companies? It's anywhere from bad to horrible. Yeah, that's a possibility except at those with teams that would think about border searches.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#188

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You are wagging fingers also, and therefore boring. Honestly, I've been finger-wagged out of an opinion or two, so "never" is too strong. Frankly, I challenge you to name any form of "political discourse" that regularly changes opinions. In my experience political discourse in general rarely accomplishes anything other than preach to the choir and cause opponents to dig in.

I'm not telling you what to do, which is a necessary component of the finger wagging. I do enjoy when people accuse me of the actions they are taking, though. Very human. Very, very human.

In my language, finger wagging is scolding someone, for what they've done (or failed to do). It's not telling them what to do.

You were certainly wagging your finger at a fingerwagger.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#189

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It does happen by mistake. My apartment was raided by police and I know four others who have been raided too. In two of those cases, the people who were raided had nothing to do with any kind of illegal activity. The other three were drug related, of course.

That sucks, sure. Did they actually ask you to unlock your phone?

I've never owned a smart phone. At the time I would've had some prepaid flip phone, and fortunately I was pretty consistent about keeping those out of the house.

Re: Feds Walk into a Building and Demand Everyone's Fingerprints to Open Phones

#190
post #183

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, it works on iPhones. It doesn't even require specialized equipment. http://qz.com/631697/a-regular-inkjet-printer-can-spoof-a-fi...

From your link: "The process starts with a scanned photo of the target user’s fingerprint. This image is scanned, then some fiddling with contrast levels may be required." "Cao told Quartz that the spoof worked on the iPhone during an earlier attempt, but it didn’t work when he tried to replicate the result for the technical report. “We unlocked it at the start of the project, but when we prepared the report, I could…

> Of note, if feds can get fingerprints through existing paperwork, why do they need a seek a warrant for this?

It's less work if the judge will approve it.

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