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Is travelling with confidential data really necessary? Wouldn't it make more sense for me to have a 'empty' notebook and store my data out of harm's way (but ac

Is travelling with confidential data really necessary? Wouldn't it make more sense for me to have a 'empty' notebook and store my data out of harm's way (but accessible via a VPN).

confounded 9y ago
I've come to the conclusion that this is the only reasonable technical solution. Don't travel with sensitive data, and openly explain that you don't do so. The frustrating part is the UX, and the fuss when you land. I've found that this works: - Burner android (burner account explicitly for travel) for music, podcasts, light browsing, etc. - Cheap ThinkPad for headscratching / hacking (work over SSH, keys on a Yubikey, IP in your head. YubiKey as second factor for password manager as browser extension (uninstall before the border))
- jaskerr 9y ago
  Any recommendations for a "burner android" phone?
  - confounded 9y ago
    I'd just go to your local phone repair kiosk and see what they have lying around for cheap.
  - ldonley 9y ago
    I'd just go on Amazon and find some cheapo phone like the BLU R1 HD. Just find one that is compatible with your provider.
preinheimer 9y ago
If you're a company this is easy to manage. Give people laptops with nothing on them. Don't credential them until they phone your help desk from their hotel.
Havoc 9y ago
>Is travelling with confidential data really necessary? Yes. The whole travel with a clean laptop isn't feasible beyond a simple "access data remotely via VPN" scenario. Company laptops are often so full of custom software (bootloaders & up) that it's impossible to replicate/reinstall a working environment over VPN. They're crazy sensitive: e.g. On ours if you go too long away from the core network it freaks out and locks everything down. And recovering from that...well: I've literally had IT tell me that my options are 1) Fly to the nearest office and connect to core network 2) They fedex me a fresh laptop that has recently been connected to the core.
lacampbell 9y ago
What's to stop them just asking the password for your VPN? I mean if they can already ask for facebook passwords, what's the difference?

Is travelling with confidential data really necessary? Wouldn't it make more sense for me to have a 'empty' notebook and store my data out of harm's way (but accessible via a VPN).

confounded 9y ago

I've come to the conclusion that this is the only reasonable technical solution. Don't travel with sensitive data, and openly explain that you don't do so. The frustrating part is the UX, and the fuss when you land. I've found that this works: - Burner android (burner account explicitly for travel) for music, podcasts, light browsing, etc. - Cheap ThinkPad for headscratching / hacking (work over SSH, keys on a Yubikey, IP in your head. YubiKey as second factor for password manager as browser extension (uninstall before the border))

jaskerr 9y ago
Any recommendations for a "burner android" phone?
- confounded 9y ago
  I'd just go to your local phone repair kiosk and see what they have lying around for cheap.
- ldonley 9y ago
  I'd just go on Amazon and find some cheapo phone like the BLU R1 HD. Just find one that is compatible with your provider.

preinheimer 9y ago

If you're a company this is easy to manage. Give people laptops with nothing on them. Don't credential them until they phone your help desk from their hotel.

Havoc 9y ago

>Is travelling with confidential data really necessary? Yes. The whole travel with a clean laptop isn't feasible beyond a simple "access data remotely via VPN" scenario. Company laptops are often so full of custom software (bootloaders & up) that it's impossible to replicate/reinstall a working environment over VPN. They're crazy sensitive: e.g. On ours if you go too long away from the core network it freaks out and locks everything down. And recovering from that...well: I've literally had IT tell me that my options are 1) Fly to the nearest office and connect to core network 2) They fedex me a fresh laptop that has recently been connected to the core.

lacampbell 9y ago

What's to stop them just asking the password for your VPN? I mean if they can already ask for facebook passwords, what's the difference?