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Pair Locking Your iPhone

arkadiyt.com

61–70 of 308 posts

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#61
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I really wish Apple would put something in place where you effectively have two user accounts. If you type your actually passcode, it's just your normal account. If you type another specific passcode, it's a burner account with minimal apps and information. It has enough info to make it look like it's being used, but nothing important. Obviously border control would quickly know about this, but there's no way to veri…

Attempting to deceive CBP through hidden volumes and the like is not recommended. https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-privacy-us-border-2017

What about if I put an encrypted backup of my phone into some online storage and factory reset it? Probably not a workable solution for frequent travelers.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#62
post #7

> Pair locking is a useful feature to protect yourself against invasive device searches. Probably also a good way to get onto no-fly lists, and spend hours in detention, etc.

Pair locking is also probably enabled on a lot of people’s work phones so you at least get plausible deniability there.

If it's enabled on enough people's work phones, you can be sure an exploit will be used to bypass it...

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#63
post #57
post #20

This is a dumb idea if you want to actually take your flight in this situation instead of spending hours discussing privacy with TSA agents. But I also wonder what is it that they expect to find during these searches. In the world where I can transfer my criminal activity data through the likes of Dropbox (in encrypted form, of course), why would I have it on my phone or a laptop? What's the goal here?

>instead of spending hours discussing privacy with TSA agents. And here I thought that they'd just put you in a small jail cell for days.

That's when you're done with the discussion.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#64
post #18

If you want to keep your phone secure, enable a long passcode, turn on full device encryption, and turn it off. If you are a US citizen, you can't be turned away at the border or forced to unlock the device. If you're not a US citizen or don't want to be harrassed by customs, bring a burner phone. Tools like Cellebrite can and do take advantage of security vulnerabilities. Turning off pair locking lulls users into a…

I'm curious, would putting your real device in checked in bag and bringing a separate device / burner with you generally enough for bypassing it, or do they check all devices in your bags?

Generally you have all your check bags with you when going through customs.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#65
post #20

This is a dumb idea if you want to actually take your flight in this situation instead of spending hours discussing privacy with TSA agents. But I also wonder what is it that they expect to find during these searches. In the world where I can transfer my criminal activity data through the likes of Dropbox (in encrypted form, of course), why would I have it on my phone or a laptop? What's the goal here?

A truly dumb idea is giving anyone unfettered access to your digital devices. Even/especially governments, depending on the government and your circumstances. Missing a flight would probably waste less time than rotating passwords/keys for every service I’m logged into on my phone.

>> A truly dumb idea is giving anyone unfettered access to your digital devices.

Goes without saying. But laws being what they are you may have no choice in the matter.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#66
post #54
post #18

If you want to keep your phone secure, enable a long passcode, turn on full device encryption, and turn it off. If you are a US citizen, you can't be turned away at the border or forced to unlock the device. If you're not a US citizen or don't want to be harrassed by customs, bring a burner phone. Tools like Cellebrite can and do take advantage of security vulnerabilities. Turning off pair locking lulls users into a…

> If you are a US citizen, you can't be turned away at the border or forced to unlock the device. A warrant is not required. Federal agents can search your phone at the US border, even if you're a US citizen [1]. If they can't unlock it, they can seize it [2]. [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/can-us-border-agents-search-... [2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/05/01/u-s-customs-c...

Those two points aren't exclusive. They've now seized a secure phone and are still required to let you enter the country.

I wonder what would happen if you tried to claim insurance on a phone seized at the border?

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#67

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> there's no way to verify Obscuring in this manner likely counts as lying to a federal officer, particularly if they catch on and ask if this is your main profile.

INAL but I don't think that legally it would be lying. I believe lying requires more than not complying. Plus, we always have the right to remain silent.

Any time you say to the officer something you know is not true is lying. It may not necessarily be immediately grounds to detaining or turning you from the border but it may cause further escalation. Never tell a lie to the police and never offer any information unless directly asked for it.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#68
post #54
post #18

If you want to keep your phone secure, enable a long passcode, turn on full device encryption, and turn it off. If you are a US citizen, you can't be turned away at the border or forced to unlock the device. If you're not a US citizen or don't want to be harrassed by customs, bring a burner phone. Tools like Cellebrite can and do take advantage of security vulnerabilities. Turning off pair locking lulls users into a…

> If you are a US citizen, you can't be turned away at the border or forced to unlock the device. A warrant is not required. Federal agents can search your phone at the US border, even if you're a US citizen [1]. If they can't unlock it, they can seize it [2]. [1] https://www.businessinsider.com/can-us-border-agents-search-... [2] https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2019/05/01/u-s-customs-c...

You are both correct.

Incidentally, the "border" for legal purposes extends 100 miles into the interior.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

INAL but I don't think that legally it would be lying. I believe lying requires more than not complying. Plus, we always have the right to remain silent.

> Plus, we always have the right to remain silent. No you don't. Not at the border.

Your statement is untrue. You have the right to remain silent at the border as well.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

INAL but I don't think that legally it would be lying. I believe lying requires more than not complying. Plus, we always have the right to remain silent.

> Plus, we always have the right to remain silent. No you don't. Not at the border.

You absolutely do have the right to remain silent at the border.
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