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Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

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Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#11

Post by rmc »

cookiecaper wrote: post #9

We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt, which theoretically shouldn't be such a huge leap since Android is based on Linux (I know nothing about Android-specific kernel divergences, but would be interested to know if device-mapper is badly broken in Android kernels). Another interesting project would be a service that sits on your phone and automatically encrypts all of the automatically s…

An encrypted hard disk will be visible in the clear when the phone is turned on. You'd have to ensure to turn off the phone before the cops get it.

For some people encyrption is suffering. If they lose/forget the password for the encryption, then they won't be able to get their data back.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#13

Post by yaix »

cookiecaper wrote: post #9

We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt, which theoretically shouldn't be such a huge leap since Android is based on Linux (I know nothing about Android-specific kernel divergences, but would be interested to know if device-mapper is badly broken in Android kernels). Another interesting project would be a service that sits on your phone and automatically encrypts all of the automatically s…

That is how my netbook is configured, EncFS encrypts file names and contents before rsync sends it to a remote backup server.

On the phone, you don't need to encrypt all of the file system (for better performance) but just the parts that hold user data.

Unlocking the screen and encrypted user data by "swiping a pattern" is not a big thing and takes not even a second.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#14

Post by sneak »

ashishgandhi wrote: post #6
sneak wrote: post #5

Doesn't much matter, all mobile devices worth using are constantly sending their data up to "the cloud", which, thanks to the USA PATRIOT Act's provisions for National Security Letters (NSLs), the federal government can access at any time, in real-time, without a warrant or even post-hoc judicial review. The time has come to leave America. No state law can change this. The fourth has been dead for TEN YEARS next mont…

Say what you say is true, where would you recommend? We can then discuss specifics of those countries. (On a less serious note, you don't have the Silicon Valley there, wherever there is.)

Personally, I'd recommend almost anywhere in the first world over America presently.

I chose Berlin for a variety of reasons, but there are many places worth living. I'd say there are roughly a dozen that spring to mind, any of which would be acceptable for starting a business.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#15

Post by Confusion »

yaix wrote: post #13
cookiecaper wrote: post #9

We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt, which theoretically shouldn't be such a huge leap since Android is based on Linux (I know nothing about Android-specific kernel divergences, but would be interested to know if device-mapper is badly broken in Android kernels). Another interesting project would be a service that sits on your phone and automatically encrypts all of the automatically s…

That is how my netbook is configured, EncFS encrypts file names and contents before rsync sends it to a remote backup server. On the phone, you don't need to encrypt all of the file system (for better performance) but just the parts that hold user data. Unlocking the screen and encrypted user data by "swiping a pattern" is not a big thing and takes not even a second.

A swipe pattern has such low entropy that you may as well not encrypt it.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#16

Post by cookiecaper »

rwmj wrote: post #10
cookiecaper wrote: post #9

We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt, which theoretically shouldn't be such a huge leap since Android is based on Linux (I know nothing about Android-specific kernel divergences, but would be interested to know if device-mapper is badly broken in Android kernels). Another interesting project would be a service that sits on your phone and automatically encrypts all of the automatically s…

Is LUKS going to help here? If the phone is switched on then the LUKS keys are held in memory and the disk is completely open. All that an attacker needs to do is to ensure that the phone doesn't switch itself off or run out of battery while the information is copied off.

Indeed, I meant to address this in my original post. It is not fool-proof but in most cases it's reasonable to turn your phone off after getting pulled over or before meeting a security checkpoint. Certainly much, much more secure than what we have now.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#17

Post by yock »

Confusion wrote: post #15
yaix wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is how my netbook is configured, EncFS encrypts file names and contents before rsync sends it to a remote backup server. On the phone, you don't need to encrypt all of the file system (for better performance) but just the parts that hold user data. Unlocking the screen and encrypted user data by "swiping a pattern" is not a big thing and takes not even a second.

A swipe pattern has such low entropy that you may as well not encrypt it.

Sure, it doesn't stop a criminal, but it implies privacy that could be held up in court against unlawful search.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#18

Post by cookiecaper »

Confusion wrote: post #15
yaix wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is how my netbook is configured, EncFS encrypts file names and contents before rsync sends it to a remote backup server. On the phone, you don't need to encrypt all of the file system (for better performance) but just the parts that hold user data. Unlocking the screen and encrypted user data by "swiping a pattern" is not a big thing and takes not even a second.

A swipe pattern has such low entropy that you may as well not encrypt it.

I agree, I don't see why it'd be unreasonable to type a passphrase on boot.

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#19

Post by rlpb »

cookiecaper wrote: post #9

We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt, which theoretically shouldn't be such a huge leap since Android is based on Linux (I know nothing about Android-specific kernel divergences, but would be interested to know if device-mapper is badly broken in Android kernels). Another interesting project would be a service that sits on your phone and automatically encrypts all of the automatically s…

> We desperately need someone to configure Android with LUKS/dm-crypt

I've done this already on my Samsung Galaxy S II. I haven't got round to publishing it yet :-/

Re: Bill on CA Governor's desk would ban mobile device searches without a warrant

#20

Post by rlpb »

Confusion wrote: post #15
yaix wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That is how my netbook is configured, EncFS encrypts file names and contents before rsync sends it to a remote backup server. On the phone, you don't need to encrypt all of the file system (for better performance) but just the parts that hold user data. Unlocking the screen and encrypted user data by "swiping a pattern" is not a big thing and takes not even a second.

A swipe pattern has such low entropy that you may as well not encrypt it.

I have my phone set up to enter a long code on boot (which goes to LUKS) but the lockscreen PIN is much smaller. The low entropy on the lockscreen doesn't matter so much as it is capable of restricting the number of tries, delaying after a certain number of failures, etc.
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