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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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 Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 1:30 am Post subject: All your tech can belonged to us. |
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| Reuters wrote: |
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. federal agents have been given new powers to seize travelers' laptops and other electronic devices at the border and hold them for unspecified periods the Washington Post reported on Friday.
Under recently disclosed Department of Homeland Security policies, such seizures may be carried out without suspicion of wrongdoing, the newspaper said, quoting policies issued on July 16 by two DHS agencies.
Agents are empowered to share the contents of seized computers with other agencies and private entities for data decryption and other reasons, the newspaper said.
DHS officials said the policies applied to anyone entering the country, including U.S. citizens, and were needed to prevent terrorism.
The measures have long been in place but were only disclosed in July, under pressure from civil liberties and business travel groups acting on reports that increasing numbers of international travelers had had their laptops, cellphones and other digital devices removed and examined.
The policies cover hard drives, flash drives, cell phones, iPods, pagers, beepers, and video and audio tapes -- as well as books, pamphlets and other written materials, the report said.
The policies require federal agents to take measures to protect business information and attorney-client privileged material. They stipulate that any copies of the data must be destroyed when a review is completed and no probable cause exists to keep the information. |
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN0126069520080801
"He who sacrifices freedom for security deserves neither" - Benjamin Franklin
America has declared war on it's enemies: American citizens. |
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I_Am_The_Kiwi
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 3:23 am Post subject: |
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It is safe to assume that they will be trained in all of those things you listed, seeing as they are the lowest forms of circumvention.
Encryption will only assure them you are hiding something nefarious.
"search" functions will find anything.
Removable media will be subject to the same inspection, especially as storage sizes rise, making them suitable for more than just a ripped .avi or two.
Renamed files will make them either common or unknown. A search function will find both, then by simple comparison, they will be scrutinized further.
As an example: if you rename a file .dll, making it look like just another innocuous Windows file, it's size will make it stand out, or the metadata can be analyzed for known patterns of these common file types. If it doesn't read like a .dll, it will then be compared to a host of other file types until a match is found. Seeing as most pirated media (copyright infringing stuff) is typically one of a narrow range of types, (.avi, mp3, rar, .zip, etc) these will be discovered easily.
The file extension on a file is only meaningful to the OS. On a low level, files have easily discernible patterns that are easily spotted. Rename a .zip file to .mmq. It will still open as an archive in compression software.
There is no way around this measure. So long as you don't try to move pirated stuff around, there should be nothing to worry about. Any attempt to subvert the system will flag you and thus your equipment will probably not be returned; you will see it next as exhibit "A" at your trial.(obstruction of justice)
The good news is that it may do something to stop child abuse. If even one of those people are caught, then one could easily argue the system is useful. |
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I_Am_The_Kiwi
Joined: 10 Jun 2008
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 6:19 am Post subject: |
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this is all true.....in theory.
think about the man power required to carry out these tests and searches of data on all these various mediums.
Then add in the fact that probably 70% of passengers will have some kind of device that can hold data. ipods, digital cameras, video cameras, laptops etc.
Customs are usually more busy and focused on drugs, tobacco limits, food imports etc.....
i really see this as not be a very do-able thing at all.
Sure some people will be made example of when caught there is no doubt.
Another thing - how can they easily distinguish between songs, movies etc that have been legally purchased over the internet. i.e iTunes downloaded songs and or movies from those that have been pirated. There are numerous buy and download sites out their, all that will use different naming conventions, meta data and tagging so you cant easily tell which is which.
It seems like a fukn huge hassle to catch a few people who've download some albums or a few movies. |
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tfunk
Joined: 12 Aug 2006
Location: Dublin, Ireland
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 10:16 am Post subject: |
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| I_Am_The_Kiwi wrote: |
It seems like a fukn huge hassle to catch a few people who've download some albums or a few movies. |
I don't think illegal album/movie downloads is a priority for homeland security. It's more terrorism.
Although your point probably still stands about it taking a long time to search, I don't think they will target people on a whim...but you never know. |
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Demophobe
Joined: 17 May 2004
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| I_Am_The_Kiwi wrote: |
this is all true.....in theory.
think about the man power required to carry out these tests and searches of data on all these various mediums.
Then add in the fact that probably 70% of passengers will have some kind of device that can hold data. ipods, digital cameras, video cameras, laptops etc.
Customs are usually more busy and focused on drugs, tobacco limits, food imports etc.....
i really see this as not be a very do-able thing at all.
Sure some people will be made example of when caught there is no doubt.
Another thing - how can they easily distinguish between songs, movies etc that have been legally purchased over the internet. i.e iTunes downloaded songs and or movies from those that have been pirated. There are numerous buy and download sites out their, all that will use different naming conventions, meta data and tagging so you cant easily tell which is which.
It seems like a fukn huge hassle to catch a few people who've download some albums or a few movies. |
I have never bought music over the net, so I am not sure what kind of information purchased music may contain that downloaded rips may not. I assume that there is something in there though.
Anyways, I agree that it is terribly unrealistic in practice, but...
| tfunk wrote: |
I don't think illegal album/movie downloads is a priority for homeland security. It's more terrorism.
Although your point probably still stands about it taking a long time to search, I don't think they will target people on a whim...but you never know. |
...as tfunk says here, it's the threat that makes it possible. Perhaps they can't and won't screen everyone with a gadget, but they can, and that is all they need. Fear = control.
If they cannot scan or screen everyone, will you still travel with a hard drive full of movie rips, illegit software installed and a library of downloaded music? All they need is one file anyways. |
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moosehead
Joined: 05 May 2007
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| Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2008 8:07 pm Post subject: |
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this is just one more excuse to stop and search people at will - including those who travel to international forums such as the world social forum, G8 protests, environmental actions, etc.
of course journalists as well - who have been increasingly targeted since the Iraq and Afghn. wars, btw - Al Jazeera j's in particular as well as indy js reporting on the ME
this is about terrorism, all right - as in terrorism by the state, for the state and of the state
protect yourself and your liberty first and foremost. send your data separately or leave it at home. don't give people a reason to suspect you and give them even less to detain you. if someone confiscates anything at all you must insist on a receipt specifying exactly what it is - record all serial numbers and model numbers before hand, take digital photos and email them to yourself.
above all else, keep a cool head especially if others don't.
being an academic is not a reason to believe you won't be questioned - in some instances, that itself labels you as questionable due to the rep many academics have of being progressive. doesn't matter why you traveled to wherever it was, it can always be for some other reason if someone makes it out to be that way.
this is serious business folks, make a contingency plan and deal with it. many of us have had to do so for years already - it's nothing new - just spreading as all have said it would and predicted for some time now. |
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