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Pair Locking Your iPhone

arkadiyt.com

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Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#91
post #61
post #44

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

This probably would raise suspicion and CBP will detain you, as will bringing no phone at all.

This is the EFF's statement regarding wiped devides:

We don’t recommend disk wiping as a border crossing security measure for most travelers. It’s a less common data protection technique than the other ones highlighted in our guide, which include encryption and minimizing data that you carry. Wiping your computer will make it unusable to you. Also, it may draw the attention of border agents, since it is unusual for travelers to carry blank devices with them. This may be of particular concern to travelers who are not U.S. citizens, who may receive more scrutiny from border agents. Again, you should consider your risks and security needs carefully before deciding how best to secure your data for border crossings as everyone’s individual risk factors and data security needs are different.

https://www.eff.org/de/deeplinks/2017/07/crossing-us-border-...

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#92
post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I find this whole discussion (including the above comment) surreal, given that we are talking about the country that used to be called "the land of the free" and that claims superiority over countries that restrict freedoms.

The hypocrisy you're referring to applies to practically every liberal nation you can name. You're merely selectively, conveniently focusing on the US and narrowly focusing on this issue while ignoring other types of very common border restrictions in "free" countries that like to lecture on human rights. Shall we discuss border security and immigration (which is a type of border security restriction) policies of Can…

I've been crossing the EU border (as a non-EU national) regularly (like once in 1-2 months) since around 15 years.

And I've never ever seen anything even remotely resembling the pure insanity that appear to be going on on the US border according to the comments here.

I really hope I will never have to go the US to experience that on myself

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#93

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…

You can't beat the government or law with clever technological tricks. So you pull that stunt, then the border agent reminds you that lying to a federal border agent is a crime. You give a hesitant, non-confidant, shift your eyes wrong and you're detained. Heck they might even just detain you for shits and giggles because there is no repercussions to them. Have fun.

So your best bet is to just let the government invade your privacy? Or travel without your actual phone, and take some random cheap Android device?

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#94
post #68
post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> 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.

It's absurd

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#95
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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.

Not if you're a citizen: you have a choice to not give up your passwords.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#96
post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Luckily Android has that mode. They call it "Lockdown". Here's some info on it: https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/how-to-use-android-9-pi...

Does this provide any protection? I've never undergone any sort of 'digital search' do they force you to provide your passcode? Do the forensics tools they use bypass user level protections like pin codes/finger prints?

Forensics tools like Cellbrite can actually bypass protections like pin code, schema then image your phone to do further searches.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#97
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

...but it's no different in that respect than declining to unlock, which I imagine pretty much everyone on this site will do in such a situation. > get onto no-fly lists Source? I can't find evidence that anyone has ever been added to a no-fly list for declining to unlock.

Because these lists are freely searchable, right?

Apparently, yes : https://www.no-fly-list.com/

Maybe there are other unofficial lists, but this one is searchable

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#98
post #79
post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In my experience, refusing to unlock/answer questions results in a 3-30 hour delay, depending on the mood of the border pigs.

You have actual experience? Like first hand? Lots of horror stories out there though, including people claiming they were sexually assaulted. Seems like a major blow to civil rights, even recently a mayor was detained but haven't been following the entire story.

Yes, for several years I declined to answer any of their rude and invasive questions, on about a dozen border crossings.

Re: Pair Locking Your iPhone

#100
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. There's an important divide between what customs is supposed to do, and what they might actually do in practice. Going through customs means putting yourself at the whims of people that you do not control. If you're a white male, there's perhaps less of a chance that a bad employee will feel they can take advantage of yo…

Last time I looked it up, law enforcement would treat white women the most lenient, followed by black women. White men are treated a bit worse than black women and of course, black men were treated harsher than the other groups.
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