10 ms·

There are multiple levels of protection one might want. I.e. when you are being selected for random questioning entering US as a non-US citizen, you'd benefit

There are multiple levels of protection one might want. I.e. when you are being selected for random questioning entering US as a non-US citizen, you'd benefit from steganography-like approach: you give a password, and relatively bland, non-personal stuff shows up, giving appearance of full access to a system. If you only care about your privacy, the next one is to have a destroy-everything script (and it's not that hard: usually, passphrases are only used to decrypt the actual encryption keys, so overwriting those keys should be super fast). This would also work against unsophisticated attacks which are not going to really cost you your life. If there is a potential for you to be a target of a sophisticated attack and the attacker does not care about taking your life, the biggest benefit is to have a way to inform someone of your whereabouts while you are actually giving access, ideally in a way that buys you time (eg. "webcam has detected stress on your face, please wait another 6 hours before trying to log in again" — sorry, company mandated software, when it happens usually, we call support).

mimimi31 5y ago
>usually, passphrases are only used to decrypt the actual encryption keys, so overwriting those keys should be super fast I'm not sure if it's really that simple with modern flash storage. There might be no guarantee that attempting to overwrite some data will actually affect the particular memory cells where it is stored. You would probably have to trigger a secure erase to reset all memory cells and hope that it is correctly implemented by the storage device's firmware.
- IgorPartola 5y ago
  This would happen inside the TCM no?
- Nursie 5y ago
  This is something TPMs are good for I guess.
amelius 5y ago
Of course James Bond would have an unlock + wait 10 seconds + explode option ...
packet_nerd 5y ago
> I.e. when you are being selected for random questioning entering US as a non-US citizen, you'd benefit from steganography-like approach: you give a password, and relatively bland, non-personal stuff shows up, giving appearance of full access to a system. Is there a practical way to implement this today with Linux? I know VeraCrypt supports hidden operating systems, but I think only Windows?
- roblabla 5y ago
  It's possible to have a truly "hidden container" with LUKS/cryptsetup, but it's not exactly a "supported" setup. Here's some information: https://blog.linuxbrujo.net/posts/plausible-deniability-with-luks/ https://blog.linuxbrujo.net/posts/plausible-deniability-with...
- poopslide 5y ago
  The practical way is to mail yourself an encrypted microsd card. Internal drive contains Windows and some porn, but no hidden data.
zachberger 5y ago
Even US Citizens are subject to search at the border without warrant or probable cause. Recently I had a CBP officer at SFO ask to search photo gallery when returning from vacation.
- grecy 5y ago
  Does a US Citizen have to comply?
  - jjeaff 5y ago
    Yes. Courts have upheld that a manual search of your phone by customs is legal. But more invasive, forensic investigation of your devices has been found to be unconstitutional. I'm not sure exactly where or how the line is drawn between the two. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications/blt/2020/04/border-searches/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications...
    - gnicholas 5y ago
      Relatedly, make sure you trigger the password lock on your device before handing it over. They may be able to compel you to give your biometrics but not your password (the latter is considered compelled speech, and the courts have not fully litigated whether the former is treated the same).
      - Ikatza 5y ago
        Nova Launcher on Android (and maybe other launchers, I do not know) has a nifty little feature to activate password lock bypassing biometrics with a gesture. Which comes in handy everytime I go through the border.
      - csunbird 5y ago
        For iphones, just tap the power button repeatedly, it will force a password entry to unlock.
technological 5y ago
I love multiple accounts in Android. When at airport I can switch to non personal account and show anything they want
- zeven7 5y ago
  What do they ask you to show them at airports?
  - cortesoft 5y ago
    Text messages, maybe photos
    - R0b0t1 5y ago
      Which countries do this? I am pretty sure TSA can only ask you to demonstrate the device functions as intended, usually by powering it on.
      - andrepew 5y ago
        They’re referring to customs rather than TSA. Only applicable entering/leaving a country.
      - cortesoft 5y ago
        US customs will do this, not TSA. It is only when entering the country.
    - cutemonster 5y ago
      > Text messages Is that from apps like WhatsApp and Telegram? And SMS? What about email? What happens if you'd say that you can't, because it's your employer's laptop and data, and it's confidential?
      - techrat 5y ago
        Personal accounts can be configured to simply not have access to those apps. "Oh, I don't use Whatsapp."
k12sosse 5y ago
Plausible deniability!
Razengan 5y ago
I think all of that could be easily implemented by logging into different accounts by entering a different password/passcode. So UserA:regularPassword would be one’s usual account, but UserA:obviousToGuess123 would actually log into UserB, and UserA:ohshithelp would log into UserC which has a startup script to secretly call police or whatever.
Cthulhu_ 5y ago
I'd only bring a burner device, keep code and the like (company secrets) on HQ's server, and memorize some passwords. I mean yeah, a blank laptop looks suspicious, but they can't keep you for having a blank laptop. edit: not a lawyer, this is not legal advice. The US puts people in dehumanizing concentration camps without due process.
- nextlevelwizard 5y ago
  US can deny non-US citizens entry for any arbitrary reason. Blank laptop might be one of them.
35fbe7d3d5b9 5y ago
> I.e. when you are being selected for random questioning entering US as a non-US citizen, you'd benefit from steganography-like approach: you give a password, and relatively bland, non-personal stuff shows up, giving appearance of full access to a system. DO NOT DO THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE unless you have first talked with a lawyer about this idea. 18 USC 1001 says (in part): > whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact shall be fined under this title [and] imprisoned not more than 5 years Prosecuting lies to federal agents is a very common technique used by US Attorneys to essentially bootstrap felony charges[1], and federal courts have stretched "materiality" pretty far[2] so saying "oh, I didn't have anything illegal on the 'secret partition'" might not save you. IANAL, but this looks awfully close to a felony. [1] https://www.popehat.com/2010/02/26/rule-2-go-re-read-rule-1/ https://www.popehat.com/2010/02/26/rule-2-go-re-read-rule-1/ [2] https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-911-materiality https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual...

mimimi31 5y ago

>usually, passphrases are only used to decrypt the actual encryption keys, so overwriting those keys should be super fast I'm not sure if it's really that simple with modern flash storage. There might be no guarantee that attempting to overwrite some data will actually affect the particular memory cells where it is stored. You would probably have to trigger a secure erase to reset all memory cells and hope that it is correctly implemented by the storage device's firmware.

IgorPartola 5y ago
This would happen inside the TCM no?
Nursie 5y ago
This is something TPMs are good for I guess.

amelius 5y ago

Of course James Bond would have an unlock + wait 10 seconds + explode option ...

packet_nerd 5y ago

roblabla 5y ago
It's possible to have a truly "hidden container" with LUKS/cryptsetup, but it's not exactly a "supported" setup. Here's some information: https://blog.linuxbrujo.net/posts/plausible-deniability-with-luks/ https://blog.linuxbrujo.net/posts/plausible-deniability-with...
poopslide 5y ago
The practical way is to mail yourself an encrypted microsd card. Internal drive contains Windows and some porn, but no hidden data.

zachberger 5y ago

Even US Citizens are subject to search at the border without warrant or probable cause. Recently I had a CBP officer at SFO ask to search photo gallery when returning from vacation.

grecy 5y ago
Does a US Citizen have to comply?
- jjeaff 5y ago
  Yes. Courts have upheld that a manual search of your phone by customs is legal. But more invasive, forensic investigation of your devices has been found to be unconstitutional. I'm not sure exactly where or how the line is drawn between the two. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications/blt/2020/04/border-searches/ https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/publications...
  - gnicholas 5y ago
    Relatedly, make sure you trigger the password lock on your device before handing it over. They may be able to compel you to give your biometrics but not your password (the latter is considered compelled speech, and the courts have not fully litigated whether the former is treated the same).
    - Ikatza 5y ago
      Nova Launcher on Android (and maybe other launchers, I do not know) has a nifty little feature to activate password lock bypassing biometrics with a gesture. Which comes in handy everytime I go through the border.
    - csunbird 5y ago
      For iphones, just tap the power button repeatedly, it will force a password entry to unlock.

technological 5y ago

I love multiple accounts in Android. When at airport I can switch to non personal account and show anything they want

zeven7 5y ago
What do they ask you to show them at airports?
- cortesoft 5y ago
  Text messages, maybe photos
  - R0b0t1 5y ago
    Which countries do this? I am pretty sure TSA can only ask you to demonstrate the device functions as intended, usually by powering it on.
    - andrepew 5y ago
      They’re referring to customs rather than TSA. Only applicable entering/leaving a country.
    - cortesoft 5y ago
      US customs will do this, not TSA. It is only when entering the country.
  - cutemonster 5y ago
    > Text messages Is that from apps like WhatsApp and Telegram? And SMS? What about email? What happens if you'd say that you can't, because it's your employer's laptop and data, and it's confidential?
    - techrat 5y ago
      Personal accounts can be configured to simply not have access to those apps. "Oh, I don't use Whatsapp."

k12sosse 5y ago

Plausible deniability!

Razengan 5y ago

I think all of that could be easily implemented by logging into different accounts by entering a different password/passcode. So UserA:regularPassword would be one’s usual account, but UserA:obviousToGuess123 would actually log into UserB, and UserA:ohshithelp would log into UserC which has a startup script to secretly call police or whatever.

Cthulhu_ 5y ago

I'd only bring a burner device, keep code and the like (company secrets) on HQ's server, and memorize some passwords. I mean yeah, a blank laptop looks suspicious, but they can't keep you for having a blank laptop. edit: not a lawyer, this is not legal advice. The US puts people in dehumanizing concentration camps without due process.

nextlevelwizard 5y ago
US can deny non-US citizens entry for any arbitrary reason. Blank laptop might be one of them.

35fbe7d3d5b9 5y ago

> I.e. when you are being selected for random questioning entering US as a non-US citizen, you'd benefit from steganography-like approach: you give a password, and relatively bland, non-personal stuff shows up, giving appearance of full access to a system. DO NOT DO THIS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE unless you have first talked with a lawyer about this idea. 18 USC 1001 says (in part): > whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact shall be fined under this title [and] imprisoned not more than 5 years Prosecuting lies to federal agents is a very common technique used by US Attorneys to essentially bootstrap felony charges[1], and federal courts have stretched "materiality" pretty far[2] so saying "oh, I didn't have anything illegal on the 'secret partition'" might not save you. IANAL, but this looks awfully close to a felony. [1] https://www.popehat.com/2010/02/26/rule-2-go-re-read-rule-1/ https://www.popehat.com/2010/02/26/rule-2-go-re-read-rule-1/ [2] https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual-911-materiality https://www.justice.gov/archives/jm/criminal-resource-manual...