Privacy vs. border security: Critics say laptop searches cross the line

News Type: Event — Seeded on Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:07 PM EDT

Article Source: The Seattle Times

us-news, security, seattle-times, homeland-security, washington-state, border-patrol, us-customs, susan-gurley

Diverse groups, including Muslim associations, law firms and corporate and technology organizations, increasingly are concerned about the search and seizure of laptops and other electronic devices at borders, saying such scrutiny raises privacy issues and could compromise lawyer-client privilege and corporate confidentiality.

Jawad Khaki, a corporate executive from Sammamish, was returning home from a business trip to Ireland and Germany last year when a customs agent at the airport asked him to turn on his cellphone.

He already had told the agent in detail where he had traveled and why, so when the agent began looking over the to-do list and calendar in his phone, Khaki was shocked.

"It was an invasion of privacy," he said. "I thought it was going too far."

Khaki's story joins what seem to be growing numbers of similar reports from people — many of them Muslims or of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent — who say that their laptops, cellphones or other electronic devices were searched or seized at airports or U.S. border crossings, and that they've been questioned extensively.

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{"commentId":2265254,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

I sure would not want someone digging thru my laptop and if they are doing this, all my files are going to be encrypted fast.

{"commentId":2265254,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

3 votes

#1 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:08 PM EDT

{"commentId":2266052,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

JoulesBeef

they wont let you in without giving up your pass.

{"commentId":2266052,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

1 vote

#1.1 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:12 AM EDT

{"commentId":2266141,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

Oh....well screw that great idea !

{"commentId":2266141,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#1.2 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:24 AM EDT

{"commentId":2266517,"authorDomain":"jwbuchan"}

jamiewb

Obviously, the right to privacy is limited at international borders. If they can search your luggage, why not the computer?

{"commentId":2266517,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"jwbuchan"}

1 vote

#1.3 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:47 AM EDT

{"commentId":2266581,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

Well all they can do is mess up my underwear and packing job, but they could destroy a computer if they don't know what they are doing.

{"commentId":2266581,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

1 vote

#1.4 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:01 AM EDT

{"commentId":2266854,"authorDomain":"pwtenny"}

Paul William Tenny

they wont let you in without giving up your pass.

I've never heard of this happening before, and I question whether they would try it. If someone is carrying private information such as health records, decrypting them so a border agent can view them would be a violation of federal privacy law. It'd be even worse if the information was classified -- then the border agent would be open to treason.

I find it likely that any corporate trade secrets would be protected and that forcing them open would likewise be illegal, under corporate espionage laws.

Many very reputable journalists and privacy experts recommend encrypting your data. True Crypt is a good program because it allows you to hide one encrypted volume within another. The outer volume contains data that isn't terribly sensitive but is still private that you can reveal with one pass phrase, while the inner volume remains hidden, containing the really sensitive information with an entirely different pass phrase. Given how encryption works, it's impossible to tell whether or not one volume contains another, as a hidden volume looks identical to the random data that occupies free space.

And that's assuming the border agents take enough time to find the stuff -- it's not hard to hide True Crypt volumes that are stored on the file system as opposed to encrypting a partition. Nor is it easy if at all possible to prove that an encrypted partition is really that, or just empty disk space.

Takes plausible deniability to an entirely new level, no?

{"commentId":2266854,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"pwtenny"}

4 votes

#1.5 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:03 AM EDT

{"commentId":2267430,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

It'd be even worse if the information was classified -- then the border agent would be open to treason.

That would be my concern as I travel "across the border" all the time, its a smaller one then many as it is from Washington to Canada and I carry my laptop and have documents, files and programs that are company confidential, NDA (Non disclosure Agreements) and often Classified. Any of those would also get me in trouble if I open them and I would fail my next lie detector test.

When I mention that the one or two times both in Canada and International flights where they wanted to look at my PC (UK-Heathrow, Germany-Frankfurt & Ukraine-Kiev ) the response was always was always as strong "NO ! we do not want to see them, go ahead" Sometimes I had to go thru some Questions and Answers as to why I had that material, but with ID, that always helps.

{"commentId":2267430,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

3 votes

#1.6 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:21 AM EDT

{"commentId":2356008,"authorDomain":"crankyman"}

cranky old man

Lie detector test????

I have taken many of them, never failed, never passed. Guess that is why the military liked me so well.

They even said I was inconclusive with my name and date of birth. I think it was just the tester.

I agree with the True-crypt idea. It works good. There are still some files on my laptop that I can't get into.

Another thing that can help is bio encryption. My laptop has a finger print reader on it. I have one finger for the main OS and another for my other OS. I can log onto either based on which finger I give it. This also took a little tweeking in the bios also. Not standard equipment if you know what I mean.

So if they want to check out my laptop, they are more than welcome. I will always tell them thank you for wasting my time.

{"commentId":2356008,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"crankyman"}

1 vote

#1.7 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 5:23 PM EDT

{"commentId":2356254,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

Lie detector test???

Yep...Gotta keep Uncle Sam happy on those cleared projects and make sure I did not have sex while standing in the rain or some idiotic question they like to throw in. Kinda out of that world for the most part however.

They caught me lying twice, both times on my age, I need to learn how to count on day, I get the year right, but keep saying 30 yrs old, for some reason, cannot admit that extra 22 that got added on my mistake..

I was thinking of the finger print thing, but decided against it if the software crashed or I cut my finger, I would be in trouble..

{"commentId":2356254,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

3 votes

#1.8 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 6:13 PM EDT

{"commentId":2265403,"authorDomain":"crazymail"}

heyheynow

LOL!!!! Muslims are concerned with the searches as well.

{"commentId":2265403,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"crazymail"}

#2 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:34 PM EDT

{"commentId":2265502,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

I don't think it matters who or what you are, I don't think anyone wants big brother snooping thru your stuff.

{"commentId":2265502,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

4 votes

#2.1 - Wed Jul 23, 2008 10:48 PM EDT

{"commentId":2266080,"authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

JoulesBeef

we arent at war with islam.
no matter how many times the right wingers say so.
it isnt just muslims bu they are oviously targeted.
would you laugh and say "oh my them jews are complaingin about the star of daviod we make them wear.. I mean geez, they are jews"
I hink you might need to look in the mirror for some time..
do you think the oppression of one group, helps things? do you think it prevents terror? did you see the 9-11 terrorist? did they look like muslims? how could you tell? did they have on a turban? does that have anythign to do with islam? You seen he american terrorist al quada trots out to talk now and then? I guess for you, sicne he is a white boy, american as apple pie.. it is ok o not searhc hiim as he don't loook like them brown muslims?

{"commentId":2266080,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"JoulesBeef"}

3 votes

#2.2 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:16 AM EDT

{"commentId":2266293,"authorDomain":"crazymail"}

heyheynow

Woe, I think we are at war with Islam, last time I saw the news. Oh, you mean Islamic Extremist?

{"commentId":2266293,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"crazymail"}

#2.3 - Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:53 AM EDT

{"commentId":2354420,"authorDomain":"mindydamico"}

Mindy DAmico

I posted a seed as Reuters has now picked up on the story and there will be more discussion in this regard.

Must we all ship a computer separately to be on location when we travel and ship back prior to departure???

Microsoft offers online storage in the form of Skydrive...should we trust our information to Microsoft or another online file storage service to access remotely or to the Department of Homeland Security...

{"commentId":2354420,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"mindydamico"}

2 votes

#3 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 11:41 AM EDT

{"commentId":2354479,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

I back up all my data on USB Flashdrive's, Microsoft SkyDrive and Apple's .mac service as I don't want any chances of not being able to get to the data if I need it and if its company NDA data or classified information, then sorry, they are not going to look at it and that is what I have told customs and border patrol and sometimes you just have to say no, but on those area's I cannot cross that line or legally I get in trouble.

{"commentId":2354479,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

2 votes

#3.1 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 11:55 AM EDT

{"commentId":2356030,"authorDomain":"crankyman"}

cranky old man

Well Ted, maybe the next congressional bill that is passed will address your issues about being legally liable. The did it for the big telecoms...:-)

{"commentId":2356030,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"crankyman"}

2 votes

#4 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 5:27 PM EDT

{"commentId":2356265,"authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

Tedd Riggs

cranky old man,

Yeah right, Open door policy for ATT, Verizon and the rest, even provide free coffee for the NSA guys, you really think they give a rats @ss about me ? hah.... I wish....

{"commentId":2356265,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"TeddRi"}

1 vote

#4.1 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 6:15 PM EDT

{"commentId":2356042,"authorDomain":"Griff69"}

Griff69

Critics say laptop searches cross the line

I wasn't aware we had a line anymore. Aren't lines only allowed in Free Speech Zones?

{"commentId":2356042,"threadId":"318562","contentId":"1690553","authorDomain":"Griff69"}

2 votes

#5 - Sun Aug 3, 2008 5:29 PM EDT

{"canLink":false,"threadId":"318562","isPrivate":false}

TEDD RIGGS

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Privacy vs. border security: Critics say laptop searches cross the line

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