

Your Laptop is Not Private or Secure at US Customs - Keith_Lee
http://associatesmind.com/2011/04/11/your-laptop-is-not-private-or-secure-at-us-customs/

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GiraffeNecktie
It's become routine for law offices to provide their lawyers with clean
installs when they take a laptop across the border. They can then just
download the encrypted client files when they arrive at their destination.
It's not such a great idea to be crossing the border with encrypted files on
your computer like the article suggests. Even if the border guards can't
decrypt them, it still makes you look like someone who is, rightly or wrongly,
avoiding their scrutiny.

For those of us without an IT department, Dropbox works nicely. Just remember
to scrub the folder before you travel.

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p858snake
Except the US says the border radius covers something like 100 miles inwards
from all locations so basically everything is covered.

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lox
The EFF's guide to protecting your electronic devices at border crossings:

[https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/11/effs-guide-
protecting-...](https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2010/11/effs-guide-protecting-
devices-data-border)

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w1ntermute
> Be aware that if you fail to provide a passphrase or decrypt information
> upon request, there are a number of possible consequences...[t]he agent may
> detain you at the border.

Encryption should always be accompanied by steganography when dealing with the
government if you're concerned about your personal well-being as well.
Preferably have an innocent-looking dummy OS that boots up by default.

Does anyone know of a way to boot a different OS based on what BIOS password
is entered?

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JonnieCache
_> Does anyone know of a way to boot a different OS based on what BIOS
password is entered?_

<http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=hidden-operating-system>

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pavel_lishin
Is anyone concerned about travelling with an encrypted OS - but not a shadow
one - and upon decryption, being accused of only decrypting a shadow OS? How
would you prove that you're _not_ hiding something?

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JonnieCache
It is impossible to prove either way.

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pavel_lishin
Which might prove to be a concern when Evil Men With Sticks are standing over
you, trying to make sure you're not a spy.

Sounds like traveling with a wiped drive is the safest alternative.

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b0o
whys this guy's name in green?

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zcksjdn
<http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2434424> Also check out the parent
thread.

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b0o
hmmm. Never realized that before. Thanks!

~~~
ericd
It's an experiment, may stop happening.

