Comments on: Locking down laptops from the TSACustoms http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/ Gadgets, gear and computer hardware. Thu, 24 Jul 2008 10:11:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Satch http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-726929 Satch Sat, 07 Jun 2008 18:45:26 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-726929 Read up on the Patriot Act. If the government deems that it is to find Terrorists and protect the country it is completely legal. Not to mention the Act also lets the government define what can be terrorism... Read up on the Patriot Act. If the government deems that it is to find Terrorists and protect the country it is completely legal. Not to mention the Act also lets the government define what can be terrorism…

]]> By: Surfed http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-725690 Surfed Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:35:41 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-725690 If you really want to transport sensitive files there are many options. If you have linux you could store encrypted data in a directory, then have it hidden by mounting another small partition over the top via a permanent fstab entry. For example: create directory, partition and set it up in fstab unmount partition put data in directory mount partition Now the only thing visible after booting your laptop is the information in the mounted partition, the directory below is not accessible/visible unless you have a linux guru sitting at customs and he knows what to look for. If you really want to transport sensitive files there are many options. If you have linux you could store encrypted data in a directory, then have it hidden by mounting another small partition over the top via a permanent fstab entry. For example:
create directory, partition and set it up in fstab
unmount partition
put data in directory
mount partition
Now the only thing visible after booting your laptop is the information in the mounted partition, the directory below is not accessible/visible unless you have a linux guru sitting at customs and he knows what to look for.

]]> By: Darth Obivous http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-705215 Darth Obivous Fri, 23 May 2008 03:31:09 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-705215 anyone who advocates amazon-anything either works there or gets a commission ... what a joke, too bad I'm not laughing. anyone who advocates amazon-anything either works there or gets a commission … what a joke, too bad I’m not laughing.

]]> By: Wm http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-691323 Wm Sun, 11 May 2008 22:26:44 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-691323 Be careful about using the Windows encryption system. It is thought that it might be crackable. Use the free Truecrypt or commercial PGP. Be careful about using the Windows encryption system. It is thought that it might be crackable. Use the free Truecrypt or commercial PGP.

]]> By: James Bond http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688595 James Bond Thu, 08 May 2008 01:40:13 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688595 I'm just an average joe like everyone else, but if you have legitimate information that needs to be protected, then you will have access to the proper paperwork. My response is not aimed at someone who just doesn't want someone to peek at their stuff, its aimed at the person who flat out cannot let someone look at their data. While this is a complete invasion of privacy, no argument can mask that truth, if you have nothing to hide and your life isn't based entirely on principle, this is just another minor inconvenience I’m just an average joe like everyone else, but if you have legitimate information that needs to be protected, then you will have access to the proper paperwork. My response is not aimed at someone who just doesn’t want someone to peek at their stuff, its aimed at the person who flat out cannot let someone look at their data. While this is a complete invasion of privacy, no argument can mask that truth, if you have nothing to hide and your life isn’t based entirely on principle, this is just another minor inconvenience

]]> By: Kn10 http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688559 Kn10 Thu, 08 May 2008 00:42:19 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688559 To all thos people saying to compress it and rename the extention to a .JPG, their biggest issue with your laptops is CHILD PORN. I have seen customs look for this at checkpoints even outside of the USA (especially if you are coming from somewhere like Vietnam or Thailand). Guess what their search string is? Thats right, .JPG. To all thos people saying to compress it and rename the extention to a .JPG, their biggest issue with your laptops is CHILD PORN. I have seen customs look for this at checkpoints even outside of the USA (especially if you are coming from somewhere like Vietnam or Thailand). Guess what their search string is? Thats right, .JPG.

]]> By: John http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688384 John Wed, 07 May 2008 20:13:21 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688384 Sorry, forgot the link: http://www.1nova.com/blog/?p=86 Sorry, forgot the link: http://www.1nova.com/blog/?p=86

]]> By: John http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688381 John Wed, 07 May 2008 20:12:27 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688381 FYI; good article on wiping hard drives under a variety of OS's. But this is what the work server and VPN is for. On the off chance I'm going to be in a country with little or no Internet I Fed Ex a cd with that info ahead of time. It's not optimal but my companies secrets are secret for a reason. FYI; good article on wiping hard drives under a variety of OS’s.

But this is what the work server and VPN is for. On the off chance I’m going to be in a country with little or no Internet I Fed Ex a cd with that info ahead of time. It’s not optimal but my companies secrets are secret for a reason.

]]> By: Simon http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688327 Simon Wed, 07 May 2008 18:59:53 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688327 Har, Har, Har. These extra "security" measures have already been rendered obsolete. No one who has suspicious data is going to travel with it ON them, they will either post it to themselves or keep it stored on encrypted storage on the internet. Silly Americans, one step away from democracy and another one towards fascism. Har, Har, Har. These extra “security” measures have already been rendered obsolete. No one who has suspicious data is going to travel with it ON them, they will either post it to themselves or keep it stored on encrypted storage on the internet. Silly Americans, one step away from democracy and another one towards fascism.

]]> By: John Woo http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-688201 John Woo Wed, 07 May 2008 14:20:45 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-688201 Create a dummy account with your name, picture and some random bullshit. Hide the real account and you are in the money. Don't think they got 1377 h4ck0rz there. Create a dummy account with your name, picture and some random bullshit. Hide the real account and you are in the money. Don’t think they got 1377 h4ck0rz there.

]]> By: clesch http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687979 clesch Wed, 07 May 2008 06:34:31 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687979 wow. this makes me think twice about traveling to the states this summer. what a sad state of affairs. wow. this makes me think twice about traveling to the states this summer. what a sad state of affairs.

]]> By: ~M http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687957 ~M Wed, 07 May 2008 05:56:00 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687957 Yep, sooner or later they will image all HD's before you are allowed to proceed. The department of homeland security needs every single bit of confidential corporate and financial information to keep us all "safe" of course. Just like everything else. Turn our once proud nation into a police state all the while convincing us how our country is such a better safer place for it. "Oh you would want us to do this... it's for you own good of course." It's sickening. Yep, sooner or later they will image all HD’s before you are allowed to proceed. The department of homeland security needs every single bit of confidential corporate and financial information to keep us all “safe” of course.

Just like everything else. Turn our once proud nation into a police state all the while convincing us how our country is such a better safer place for it. “Oh you would want us to do this… it’s for you own good of course.” It’s sickening.

]]> By: Amit http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687951 Amit Wed, 07 May 2008 05:04:00 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687951 this is a ridiculous solution. this is a ridiculous solution.

]]> By: Razor512 http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687947 Razor512 Wed, 07 May 2008 04:39:27 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687947 No company will allow this, companies will stop doing business with the US if you are a business person and you have millions of dollars worth of company info on your laptop that you need for a meeting in the US do you really want that info in the hands of a person making $5 a hour who can easily sell it to a competitor idiots who take their pcs to geek squad will wind up with a lot of info in the hands of a $5 a hour worker who will copy what they find interesting (many articles on digg.com about this No company will allow this, companies will stop doing business with the US

if you are a business person and you have millions of dollars worth of company info on your laptop that you need for a meeting in the US

do you really want that info in the hands of a person making $5 a hour who can easily sell it to a competitor

idiots who take their pcs to geek squad will wind up with a lot of info in the hands of a $5 a hour worker who will copy what they find interesting (many articles on digg.com about this

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687940 Anonymous Wed, 07 May 2008 04:25:05 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687940 This is a rediculous joke. This will be a waist of time for the TSA just making travelers more pissed off for their stupidity in new guidelines. This should be considered an invasion of privacy. This is a rediculous joke. This will be a waist of time for the TSA just making travelers more pissed off for their stupidity in new guidelines. This should be considered an invasion of privacy.

]]> By: denalisr http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687923 denalisr Wed, 07 May 2008 03:01:41 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687923 This is freaking rediculous.... i don't wan't people looking at my porn... This is invasion of privacy ! This is freaking rediculous…. i don’t wan’t people looking at my porn… This is invasion of privacy !

]]> By: Matt http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687913 Matt Wed, 07 May 2008 02:45:15 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687913 You could always just run Linux without a GUI. ;) You could always just run Linux without a GUI. ;)

]]> By: ECM http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687912 ECM Wed, 07 May 2008 02:44:16 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687912 You are asking about a question about content and implementation, which is really just the smoke and mirrors to hide power and control. "...it is only too typical that the 'content' of any medium blinds us to the character of the medium." "For the 'content' of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind." —Marshall McLuhan You are asking about a question about content and implementation, which is really just the smoke and mirrors to hide power and control.

“…it is only too typical that the ‘content’ of any medium blinds us to the character of the medium.”

“For the ‘content’ of a medium is like the juicy piece of meat carried by the burglar to distract the watchdog of the mind.”

—Marshall McLuhan

]]> By: Not Paranoid http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687906 Not Paranoid Wed, 07 May 2008 02:27:43 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687906 What exactly are you all needing to hide? Do you really have such amazing stuff on your machines? I travel in and out of the country quite often and have never been asked to start my computer, nor have I seen or heard of anyone else being asked. You are all way too paranoid. What exactly are you all needing to hide? Do you really have such amazing stuff on your machines?

I travel in and out of the country quite often and have never been asked to start my computer, nor have I seen or heard of anyone else being asked. You are all way too paranoid.

]]> By: ECM http://www.crunchgear.com/2008/05/05/locking-down-laptops-from-the-tsa/#comment-687893 ECM Wed, 07 May 2008 01:54:46 +0000 http://www.crunchgear.com/?p=25790#comment-687893 First off it's not the TSA it's customs, basically feds at the border. Second, it's not just laptops it's all electronics, cell phone, mp3 player, camera, etc. They have given themselves the right to search it, make a copy of it, as well as confiscate it for up to I think the time span was a month or so, i forget. So, it becomes a let us see it, or we're copying it (your also missing your flight), or confiscating it (you'll hopefully see it in a month). As far as uploading the entire contents of a laptop up to a server and back down again, seems only feasible if you don't have much data or do just like typing and spreadsheets all day. Either that or I hope that time transferring and receiving that data is billable. It's utterly ridiculous though. The first court ruled it was illegal, second said it was legal, third confirmed the second's decision. The case involved a guy coming from the philippines with pictures of a certain nature. Therefore once again pedo's and terrorist become the gateway drug for more invasive search and seizure, further erosion of 4th Amendment Rights, etc. First off it’s not the TSA it’s customs, basically feds at the border. Second, it’s not just laptops it’s all electronics, cell phone, mp3 player, camera, etc. They have given themselves the right to search it, make a copy of it, as well as confiscate it for up to I think the time span was a month or so, i forget. So, it becomes a let us see it, or we’re copying it (your also missing your flight), or confiscating it (you’ll hopefully see it in a month).

As far as uploading the entire contents of a laptop up to a server and back down again, seems only feasible if you don’t have much data or do just like typing and spreadsheets all day. Either that or I hope that time transferring and receiving that data is billable.

It’s utterly ridiculous though. The first court ruled it was illegal, second said it was legal, third confirmed the second’s decision. The case involved a guy coming from the philippines with pictures of a certain nature. Therefore once again pedo’s and terrorist become the gateway drug for more invasive search and seizure, further erosion of 4th Amendment Rights, etc.

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