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US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 9:27 pm
by CTC-Darth
If this isn't a good reason to start encrypting stuff, I don't know what is. If you are traveling to and from Mexico or Canada with your laptop, be careful!
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080801/tc_ ... kttpis0NUE

I guess the more rights they take away the more secure we are? I cant help but to think of Benjamin Franklin when he said "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Maybe its time to step back and think before we keep giving our freedoms away bit by bit.

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 10:54 pm
by Fear
Wow thanks for the info. I am leaving tomorrow for Shambhala festival in canada. I was going to take my laptop to do some music swapping. But this just gave me a reason to not do that.

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:26 pm
by CTC-JimRimya
Yeah, this is total bullshit. I'd be so fucking pissed if the took my laptop or my blackberry. Not that I've got anything to hide but I'm going to start using encryption software on my laptop. Here's a good, free, encryption solution:

http://www.truecrypt.org/

The quote from Franklin is well put in this situation. Here's another take on his quote (there are many versions out there, which I find weird).
Ben Franklin wrote:Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both.

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:29 pm
by Beltamaxx
Another reason BUSH will go down as the worst president in history. He's killed our children fighting a useless war, he's put us in debt billions of dollars, he's ignored our constitution, he's taken many of our rights, mostly because of republican scare tactic's. So many fucked up's, scandalous and corrupt thing have happen in the past 8yrs, it's going to take at least a decade to recover, at least.

For the people who reelected him, now these are valid reasons for impeachment, not a blow job.

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 12:13 am
by CTC-Darth
Thats a great source Jimmy. Here is a quote from a security site about it:

" The newest truecrypt version has a feature that looks to be aimed squarely at the laptop border search issue:

Where in previous versions, it was possible to create a hidden encrypted volume and a "regular" encrypted volume in order to have something to show if being forced to enter a password under duress, the newest version lets you do the same with operating systems. Entering one password loads the regular operating system and entering the other password loads the other OS. This way you can enter the duress OS password for the TSA/Customs folks and load the clean OS with no data, while the OS with all of the interesting bits stays safely hidden.

From this bit on their web page "It may happen that you are forced by somebody to decrypt the operating system or to reveal the pre-boot authentication password. There are many situations where you cannot refuse to do so (for example, due to extortion)." it sounds like this is aimed directly at the border issue."

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 5:27 am
by Dubya
Beltamaxx wrote:Another reason BUSH will go down as the worst president in history. He's killed our children fighting a useless war, he's put us in debt billions of dollars, he's ignored our constitution, he's taken many of our rights, mostly because of republican scare tactic's. So many fucked up's, scandalous and corrupt thing have happen in the past 8yrs, it's going to take at least a decade to recover, at least.

For the people who reelected him, now these are valid reasons for impeachment, not a blow job.

so this is why you always pwn me so badly belta...u just hate bush and it makes u feel better...xD

actually, (if i could vote) im a democrat, me and cheney just wanted a pair of names that fit together....

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:40 am
by Mr Bean
CTC-JimRimya wrote:Yeah, this is total bullshit.
Exactly! Complete bullshit. And if anyone is doing anything illegal, of course they'll have the data encrypted anyways so what's the point? These procedures sound almost as brainless as the president.

Re: US Agents can seize laptops/devices

Posted: Wed Aug 06, 2008 9:45 am
by Mr Bean
Beltamaxx wrote:... now these are valid reasons for impeachment, not a blow job.
LOL! The presidential blow job.