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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

#201

Post by shostack »

cryoshon wrote: post #65

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.

Is there an easy way to do this for Android devices that isn't horribly painful to relogin to everything with?

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

#202

Post by lisper »

codezero wrote: post #193
lisper wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes. It provides protection against monkey wrench attacks. https://xkcd.com/538/ Of course the TSA is not so unsubtle as to actually hit you with a wrench, but they have other ways of making your life miserable.

How? They can also plug your usb drive in and say, “unlock it or else wrench...” Maybe I’m being obtuse but can you explain how it protects against a wrench attack?

The idea is to stop them from suspecting that you even have it in your possession.

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

#203

Post by codezero »

colejohnson66 wrote: post #195
codezero wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How? They can also plug your usb drive in and say, “unlock it or else wrench...” Maybe I’m being obtuse but can you explain how it protects against a wrench attack?

Preventing you from boarding your plane for starters

I don’t understand. Can’t they do this whether I have an encrypted phone or an encrypted usb drive?

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

#204

Post by onetimemanytime »

cryoshon wrote: post #179
onetimemanytime wrote: post #86

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> so that the agents get an unpleasant surprise YOU will get the surprise: if you're a US citizen they cannot deny you entry to the USA but they can make your life miserable by searching and delaying you every single time. If you're not a US citizen and try to be a "smartass," they have all the power to deny you entry in the USA. No appeals.

why would i get a surprise? i'm just an innocent citizen who loves goatse. there's no reason to single me out for harassment -- or if there IS, there's a lawsuit ready to go

Of course you are. And they're just doing their job, they suspect you might try something. Just suspect, so to protect and to serve they have to check you, every single time. Better safe than sorry.

A lawsuit for being searched more carefully? Good luck.

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

#205

Post by skrowl »

saagarjha wrote: post #149
komali2 wrote: post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm trying to find the article now, but I recall reading that in the USA it's a lawful order to have you unlock your phone with a thumbprint, but not to unlock with a PIN code. God knows why. Here: https://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2014/10/31/judge-rules-suspect-... Unsure about federal application, actually. We as country need to get our shit together regarding device privacy. You should need a warrant to look at a phone…

> I recall reading that in the USA it's a lawful order to have you unlock your phone with a thumbprint, but not to unlock with a PIN code. God knows why. I believe the rationale was that they can't ask you to incriminate yourself (give up your passcode), but you don't have to say anything for them to force you to give your fingerprint.

My understanding is that it stemmed from them being able to compel you to take your fingerprints. In the old days you'd put your fingers in ink then put them on paper so they could record your fingerprint. I guess a judge ruled that putting your thumb on your phone isn't substantially different than that.

That said, you shouldn't ever rely solely on biometrics. In addition to the legal reason, an adversary could also unlock your phone if you were unconscious / etc using your thumb.

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

#206

Post by TheCoelacanth »

jstarfish wrote: post #182
cryoshon wrote: post #65

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.

> if the agent is offended, perhaps they should have minded their own fucking business. Exposing government agents to obscene or indecent content is not going to improve the outlook of your day.

Or the outlook of the rest of your life.

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

#207

Post by TheCoelacanth »

brokensegue wrote: post #26
my123 wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a modern society, disallowing to fly doesn't give full movement rights for a person. You are much less likely to travel to Europe if you have to use a transaltlantic boat for example. :p

yes but you could say that of cars too (and courts have ruled mandatory DUI tests legal)

DUI tests are only mandatory for people driving a car, not for people who are simply traveling in one.

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

#208

Post by AlexCoventry »

marshray wrote: post #198
AlexCoventry wrote: post #192

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hidden volumes, though, enable you to place what theoretically appears to be a big bunch of random noise (unless you know the key) in an even bigger bunch of random noise with a legitimate, demonstrable purpose (an encrypted volume.)

Would you seriously attempt to convince US government agents that your 512 GB hard drive contains only a 256 GB filesystem because you're a random noise enthusiast?

It looks like there's 512GB of space committed, but contains less than 256GB of content. There is no protection against the hidden volume being overwritten, if the content in the explicit volume grows too large.

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

#209

Post by chillwaves »

nunrandom wrote: post #169
chillwaves wrote: post #110

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People who make outrageous claims need to be prepared to defend them. There is enough disinfo out there already.

Then apply the same standard to all, including members of your own tribe.

You will need to post something of substance if you want a substantial response.

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

#210

Post by mcherm »

oldandtired wrote: post #131
mcherm wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the fear is that the TSA will deny having searched the phone and the complaintant will have not way of proving that they did.

Having the system have an ability to log all accesses after switching on get past this problem. As the logs will be proof the system was searched while not in your hands.

Does the system have such an ability?

I can't exactly go re-write iOS or Android (technically, I suppose I could do the latter) in order to add this feature.

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