Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
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Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#2If I were him, I'd be tempted to make an image of his drive, and compare that to an image made after the agents tampered with it, to see what changes occurred in the process.
But like he said, he couldn't even trust them physically. I'd be tempted to just toss them in the trash, if I could afford to easily replace them.
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#3If I were him, I'd be tempted to make an image of his drive, and compare that to an image made after the agents tampered with it, to see what changes occurred in the process. But like he said, he couldn't even trust them physically. I'd be tempted to just toss them in the trash, if I could afford to easily replace them.
There's approximately 16 zillion places to stash code on a modern PC. You don't need to touch the hardware to make disk imaging ineffective.
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#4If I were him, I'd be tempted to make an image of his drive, and compare that to an image made after the agents tampered with it, to see what changes occurred in the process. But like he said, he couldn't even trust them physically. I'd be tempted to just toss them in the trash, if I could afford to easily replace them.
There's approximately 16 zillion places to stash code on a modern PC. You don't need to touch the hardware to make disk imaging ineffective.
Can you explain?
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#5That's completely ridiculous. Makes me want to travel even less now ...
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#6Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's approximately 16 zillion places to stash code on a modern PC. You don't need to touch the hardware to make disk imaging ineffective.
Can you explain?
I'm guessing he's referring to the possibility of putting code in one of the following places:
motherboard BIOS (http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2009/03/researchers-demonstrate-bios-level-rootkit-attack.ars)
other peripheral BIOS (keyboard anyone? http://www.semiaccurate.com/2009/07/31/apple-keyboard-firmware-hack-demonstrated/)
additional hidden attached solid-state storageAlthough, this does involve touching the hardware, just not the harddisk so perhaps I misunderstand also.
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#7Earlier quoted context omitted.
There's approximately 16 zillion places to stash code on a modern PC. You don't need to touch the hardware to make disk imaging ineffective.
Can you explain?
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#8Border search exception (to the 4th amendment warrant requirement):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Border_search_exception
In a similar vein, check out Exigent Circumstance:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exigent_circumstances
The text of the fourth amendment to the constitution:
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#9Let me get this straight. This is a person who has openly admitted to knowing how to hack banking systems among others, then travels to countries like Abu Dhabi and the Dominican Republic to present that information.
We are surprised that he is searched at the border to the US? He was treated politely, not physically harmed and had his hardware returned. Sounds like the government is finally doing their job.
Maybe there are "certain" people out there throwing his name around and the government was obligated to look into this.
I would not support gross negligence by our government and this sounds like normal procedure to me, given the extenuating circumstances.
Re: Another Hacker’s Laptop, Cell Phones Searched at Border
#10If I were him, I'd be tempted to make an image of his drive, and compare that to an image made after the agents tampered with it, to see what changes occurred in the process. But like he said, he couldn't even trust them physically. I'd be tempted to just toss them in the trash, if I could afford to easily replace them.
I'd rather consider using truecrypt and do plausible deniability, and own hardware I don't have to get too emotional about keeping.