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> So how do you protect yourself? We need a "kill code" on secured devices: A separate password that silently resets the device to a saved state suggesting mil

> So how do you protect yourself? We need a "kill code" on secured devices: A separate password that silently resets the device to a saved state suggesting mild use and offering nothing of substance. Alarm systems have these: A code you only enter under duress, that looks like a regular disarm code, but silently summons help. So where are Apple and Google on something similar for our digital privacy?

BoppreH 10y ago
IANAL, but I'm pretty sure that's destruction of evidence.
- biafra 10y ago
  Only if you're accused of a crime, right? Which is not the case here. They just want to search your data. Although if you're not a citizen they will probably not let you enter the country.
  - smsm42 10y ago
    > Only if you're accused of a crime, right? Not really. As soon as you know there's an investigation against you, any action to purposely destroy relevant evidence can be used against you, even if there was no formal crime charge yet. For companies, they usually get special letter that instructs them to preserve evidence due to investigation ongoing or lawsuit pending. It is also common in civil cases, where there's no crime to talk about at all. But on a personal level CBP agent saying "we need information on your phone" can be treated as informing you about necessity to preserve evidence, and they may as well just give you a printed instruction saying you have to preserve it. Once they did that, purposely destroying evidence (which is anything they could consider relevant) is a crime. Unfortunately, you are not likely to get off on technicality with this - they know the technicalities much better than you. The whole policy of border being "rights-free zone" needs change, not finding a loophole.
    - biafra 10y ago
      Yeah. But I cannot change these policies. I am not even a US citizen. So I have to wipe all my devices clean before crossing the border. Or risk confiscation. Because there is no way (except torture) they will get any of my passwords. I wonder if it would help if an equal amount of US citizens have to hand over their passwords at EU borders. Maybe that would help as a wake up call?
- creativityhurts 10y ago
  Evidence of what? Are you under arrest or a suspect?
jakewins 10y ago
Unless this wipes the device, it serves no use. They don't want your pin to browse through the phone - CBP policy is to take a full disk image, which would not work without the real pin as I understand it. This was the case in the OP article as well - CBP took a full copy of the phone.
- mcv 10y ago
  If they take the phone apart to get to the storage, they don't need your pin, unless the entire storage is encrypted, in which case an alternate pin should probably not decrypt the entire storage. If they access it through the phone, they can only access what the OS allows. I think an OS that would allow you to expose only a safe part of your phone, would be an excellent idea.
ewheeler 10y ago
Check out PanicKit: https://guardianproject.info/2016/01/12/panickit-making-your-whole-phone-respond-to-a-panic-button/ https://guardianproject.info/2016/01/12/panickit-making-your...

BoppreH 10y ago

IANAL, but I'm pretty sure that's destruction of evidence.

biafra 10y ago
Only if you're accused of a crime, right? Which is not the case here. They just want to search your data. Although if you're not a citizen they will probably not let you enter the country.
- smsm42 10y ago
  > Only if you're accused of a crime, right? Not really. As soon as you know there's an investigation against you, any action to purposely destroy relevant evidence can be used against you, even if there was no formal crime charge yet. For companies, they usually get special letter that instructs them to preserve evidence due to investigation ongoing or lawsuit pending. It is also common in civil cases, where there's no crime to talk about at all. But on a personal level CBP agent saying "we need information on your phone" can be treated as informing you about necessity to preserve evidence, and they may as well just give you a printed instruction saying you have to preserve it. Once they did that, purposely destroying evidence (which is anything they could consider relevant) is a crime. Unfortunately, you are not likely to get off on technicality with this - they know the technicalities much better than you. The whole policy of border being "rights-free zone" needs change, not finding a loophole.
  - biafra 10y ago
    Yeah. But I cannot change these policies. I am not even a US citizen. So I have to wipe all my devices clean before crossing the border. Or risk confiscation. Because there is no way (except torture) they will get any of my passwords. I wonder if it would help if an equal amount of US citizens have to hand over their passwords at EU borders. Maybe that would help as a wake up call?
creativityhurts 10y ago
Evidence of what? Are you under arrest or a suspect?

jakewins 10y ago

Unless this wipes the device, it serves no use. They don't want your pin to browse through the phone - CBP policy is to take a full disk image, which would not work without the real pin as I understand it. This was the case in the OP article as well - CBP took a full copy of the phone.

mcv 10y ago
If they take the phone apart to get to the storage, they don't need your pin, unless the entire storage is encrypted, in which case an alternate pin should probably not decrypt the entire storage. If they access it through the phone, they can only access what the OS allows. I think an OS that would allow you to expose only a safe part of your phone, would be an excellent idea.

ewheeler 10y ago

Check out PanicKit: https://guardianproject.info/2016/01/12/panickit-making-your-whole-phone-respond-to-a-panic-button/ https://guardianproject.info/2016/01/12/panickit-making-your...