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Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

theguardian.com

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Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#61

Post by AnimalMuppet »

jklinger410 wrote: post #20
jMyles wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Presumably, air travel is a privilege, not a right, just like driving a car is. Freedom of movement is a privilege, not a right? What can you possibly be talking about? Did I miss a memo? The United States (and other common law societies) have a long history of enshrining freedom of movement as a fundamental right. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_movement_under_Unit... Also, be reminded that the USA voted…

You can move, but not necessarily in car. Or on a plane. And you can't walk on the highways or near the rail road tracks or in the road. And you will be stopped if an officer sees you walking alone on a country road. And that's probable cause right there. Don't go wandering in the woods, lots of privately owned property there as well. I'm sorry, you said something about moving?

I don't think they can stop you from moving in a car. They can stop you from driving one, though...

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#62

Post by reaperducer »

arca_vorago wrote: post #38
jMyles wrote: post #11

Domestic flights? Wow. Since this is a different agency than typically conducts (similarly intrusive and seemingly illegal) searches in the case of international flights, I wonder if they are following a common protocol? If so, who creates that? I'm about to fly internationally for the first time in a while; anybody have any advice on how to handle my devices?

Stop flying so much and tell them when the time comes fuckoff and come back with a warrant or at least get an officer who can explain under what authority do they conduct domestic searches without a warrant, ergo, unconstitutionally? Ah, you know what, I get it. They want to bring back the 90's cryptowars. They will lose again.

> Stop flying so much and tell them when the time comes fuckoff and come back with a warrant

In other words, stop flying completely. Because with that reaction, you're not getting in the plane.

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#63

Post by mikeash »

syshum wrote: post #52
mikeash wrote: post #35

This article seems like it’s written to be deliberately confusing. If I understand it correctly, the TSA is not forcing anyone to unlock devices. They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. However, the article drops border searches which do require an unlock right into the middle of the article, then goes on to say that they have no specifi…

>>They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. You have no way of knowing that, or if they are doing anything to the hardware, cloning the SIM, adding tracking, or simply cloning the flash for possible evaluation later Further it should be considered unconstitutional for them to even take it for 1 second. > If it’s some fancy explosives sniff…

I trust the crypto used by my devices.

Searching electronics for explosives isn’t security theater. That’s a real threat vector and an effective counter to that threat.

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#64

Post by mikeash »

reaperducer wrote: post #54
mikeash wrote: post #35

This article seems like it’s written to be deliberately confusing. If I understand it correctly, the TSA is not forcing anyone to unlock devices. They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. However, the article drops border searches which do require an unlock right into the middle of the article, then goes on to say that they have no specifi…

> They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. It is well documented that there is no cell phone that cannot be unlocked. And once it's unlocked, who knows what the real goal is. On the surface, one suspects that it's to examine its contents. But other possibilities include sideloading spyware, or even targeted viruses. Some random NGO secret…

I’m not aware of anything better than brute force attacks for any vaguely recent iPhone.

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#65

Post by cryoshon »

idea: scrub all data and accounts from your electronics before flying.

leave your phone unlocked, but primed with a goatse booby trap so that the agents get an unpleasant surprise that's totally legal and comes with total deniability -- hey, you just loved goatse so that's why it's on your phone and laptop.

if the agent is offended, perhaps they should have minded their own fucking business.

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#66

Post by dandersh »

gowld wrote: post #28
pjc50 wrote: post #19

> "One woman who shared her story with the ACLU told the Guardian that in the last year, she has twice had her electronics searched while flying within California. The 64-year-old, who works in nonprofits and requested anonymity for fear that she could face further scrutiny from TSA, said that on one occasion last year, TSA agents pulled her aside to pat her down multiple times and eventually asked to see both her iP…

It's also a classic tactic against conservative groups. https://www.npr.org/2017/10/27/560308997/irs-apologizes-for-...

It's not "classic" since the example used happened less than 10 years ago as well as also being applied to left-wing groups as well. [0]

What is classic about it is right wing media (especially in the talk radio era) hyperventilating and manufacturing a scandal where "conservatives" are the victims.

Furthermore individuals/groups claiming tax exempt status where none exists is one of the things that the IRS should be looking for as an agency.

[0]https://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/05/audit-irs-scrutiny...

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#67

Post by mulmen »

coldcode wrote: post #37

They can have my device if necessary, however I will not give them the passcode without torture. They can add it to the pile.

They can't have my device without a warrant. I'm not comfortable with them even taking it out of my sight or connecting it to anything. This is an agency that absolutely cannot be trusted.

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#68

Post by deadmetheny »

ghostbrainalpha wrote: post #5

I am TOTALLY ok with TSA reading my last text messages before I go on a flight. Those last few texts someone sends before committing a terrorist action, could send an extremely strong signal to authorities and possibly prevent a disaster. If the extra security results in a strange TSA agent getting to enjoy some surprise dick pics, well that's the price of freedom Jerry.

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#69

Post by throwaway613834 »

reaperducer wrote: post #54
mikeash wrote: post #35

This article seems like it’s written to be deliberately confusing. If I understand it correctly, the TSA is not forcing anyone to unlock devices. They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. However, the article drops border searches which do require an unlock right into the middle of the article, then goes on to say that they have no specifi…

> They take the devices away for some period, but if they’re securely locked, TSA won’t be able to get anything from them. It is well documented that there is no cell phone that cannot be unlocked. And once it's unlocked, who knows what the real goal is. On the surface, one suspects that it's to examine its contents. But other possibilities include sideloading spyware, or even targeted viruses. Some random NGO secret…

> It is well documented that there is no cell phone that cannot be unlocked.

Citation needed?

Re: Questions for TSA after reports of laptop and phone searches on domestic flights

#70

Post by lopmotr »

coldcode wrote: post #37

They can have my device if necessary, however I will not give them the passcode without torture. They can add it to the pile.

You'll miss your flight if you refuse. That's a lot of power they have over many people. It's expensive and you might not get to whatever was so important you flew there for.
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