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A comment on Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press freedom alarms. Parent comment

Re:Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press... by sshanky on Friday December 02, 2016 @08:13PM (#13093638)
On entering Canada, I've been asked to open my laptop, turn it on, enter an administrator level password, and then search for *.jpg. Everything shows up -- cached browser images as well. The agent asked a lot of questions, but I was allowed to pass eventually. This all took place out in the open, where they would normally collect a form from you.

I immediately started using TrueCrypt with the plausible deniability option, which allows you to enter an alternate password to open a completely different part of the encrypted area seeded with some random files that look realistic enough to pass scrutiny.

It was always fun to unmount the volume and remount it with the plausible deniability volume. Or, just shutting down before crossing the border and knowing that, if needed, I'd enter the alternate password.

Recently I started using a Mac and Apple's own full disk encryption, but reading this just highlights the risk. Maybe I should start using TrueCrypt again.

Ugh...it's frustrating.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press... by micaksica on Friday December 02, 2016 @08:43PM (#13093754)
Why *.jpg? Do they just assume everyone is smuggling porn on laptop hard drives or something? You'd think if you were looking for evidence of terrorism or immigration issues you'd be more interested in emails and documents.

These searches, if true, have nothing to do with border security and more to do with fishing for anything and everything they can charge you with once they aren't encumbered with warrants and courts and due process.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press... by derrickdirge on Saturday December 03, 2016 @02:36AM (#13094832)
Exactly.

With obscenity laws and laws outlawing certain drawings and such, porn is just the low hanging fruit.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Canadian journalist's detention at US border raises press... by 91bananas on Saturday December 03, 2016 @07:40AM (#13095456)
Or maybe it's just rogue agents that want to see if you have any provocative pictures of your spouse on your devices?
[ Parent | on HN ]