Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

[hydruh]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

I am trying something different this trip to DefCon, that I would only use inside the country.

First, I got a Pelican lockable suitcase. I'm using this to transport my Ruger, along with my laptop, leatherman, other electronics, and anything else valuable. Per Deviant's instruction, I'll declare to the airline that I am traveling with firearms, and watch them search it. Then I will lock it with an Abloy PL321.

The laptop itself is Ubuntu 10.04, with nothing installed except VirtualBox. All of my VMs are encrypted on a terabyte USB 2.0 drive that I am shipping to the hotel.

I walk onto the plane carrying nothing but a nook, and buy a bottle of water when I get over the line.

(For overseas travel, Microsoft for one no longer allows employees to travel with laptops (or so I am told). You ship it to the destination, or pick up a loaner from the MS Office there, then download your VM.)

I'll report back on how it goes if anyone is interested.

S

[Deviant Ollam]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

sounds like a very sweet plan, man!

Ibuy a bottle of water when I get over the line.

you can save yourself some serious money by bringing an empty bottle with you through the security screening. it's allowed, and you can fill it at a fountain in the terminal.

[imperialwizard]

Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRnSn...eature=related

[JMC31337]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

Laptop searches have been going on for years. Remember reading a case where airport security asked a guy to turn his mac os on and he got a sad mac. He said damn i gotta bomb and of course was detained until he explained that they are called sad mac bombs
as for boarder jumping, who cares? Its been practiced to a fine art in states such as AZ to the point where local AZ govts are suing federal govts. That's right, border jumping has the U.S. so f*ckd up its suing itself over the issue. As for encryption and passwords from govt prying eyes, setup a hidden drive with truecrypt or something. Keep it out of plainview

[acoustica]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

What on earth is the point of them asking us to turn on our laptops?? Are they really going to search through what we have on it?? What if I have like naked pictures of a significant other or something on there? I might actually drive there instead of flying... Rawr

[TheCotMan]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

What on earth is the point of them asking us to turn on our laptops?? Are they really going to search through what we have on it?? What if I have like naked pictures of a significant other or something on there? I might actually drive there instead of flying... Rawr

The issues brought up here have been primarily on inspection of laptop contents by US Customs officials, which applies to international travel , into the US. I have not heard this as a problem for people traveling by domestic flights. During the 90's, as part of domestic travel with laptops and electronic devices, a hand-on search of laptops was conducted to search for explosive, but this was mostly limited to xray and/or wipe-down with cloth that is scanned for explosives and a request to "power on the computer" (only enough to see it was functional and not a facade for explosives or something else that is restricted on planes.)

If you have information about illegal search of laptops by TSA federal employees or airport employees when flying domestic, feel free to provide links.

[DarthSnader]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

I tend to Rsync via SSH everything, including browser history and sessions, documents etc...everything to a server I pay for, then delete everything from my laptop. If they search it, they won't find anything (well, they will if they *really* search it) but generally its easy to say I just use it for checking email and someone else set it up for me....

Of course, I've never had my laptop searched yet, but like to be prepared based on the horror stories I have heard.

I would say this is better than the shipping method, as customs can still hold your laptop and search it if they have a reason.

[hexjunkie]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

I have never had a problem, but I generally have everything retained on a server at home and only ssh for the stuff that I actually need at the time. I then work from a fresh image prior to defcon and install only web browsers and such, then when I get home prior to rejoining my network I get another fresh image installed. I'm not at defcon to "work" or produce any work product. I am there to learn and enjoy the company of friends.

Although an interesting thing happened a couple of weeks ago on my way from SFO to IAD. When I got to the boarding gate and passed the ticketing agent, the TSA (4 if I remember) were standing prior to boarding and checking bottled waters that were purchased after the TSA security checkpoint.

Has anyone encountered this?

Looked like PH test strips but they offered no explanation upon questioning only they were "checking my water".

[bascule]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

Steganography exists for a reason

[[Syntax]]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

I will by driving in again this year.. I don't see traveling with the GeoChallenge puzzles going to well..
plus the logistics of Toxic BBQ stuff and GeoChallenge stuff make it a pain in the ass.

I carried 50lbs of electronics as carry on one time. Security wasn't overly happy. 15 minutes of
swabbing a dozen pockets of 2 backpacks, cameras, lenses, laptops and batteries.

Surprisingly @ DC16 The El Paso border patrol checkpoint asked where I was going? "Vegas" for? "Hacker Convention" and then waved me thru after probing the back cargo area with a wooden stick.

Was I not the first person to pass thru there?

[ninjahippie]

Re: Airport searches of laptops, other devices intrusive

Like usual the government is behind reality. Notwithstanding all of my rights as a US citizen, what makes them think I would actually carry anything incriminating on a laptop across a border where there is any chance of a search? Never. I would no more do that than carry paper printouts on my person.

Anything I think would even be an inconvenience will be sent encrypted or just rsynced across a VPN well before I travel. It's really kinda cute/sad that US gov thinks incriminating digital data would EVER be carried in physical form. If you do - well you deserve whatever you get.

Then again I've sat on juries and seen the reality of D-U-M-B criminals. Terrorists? The current batch cant set their underwear/shoes on fire and manage to lock their keys in the car... I'm sure there are smart ones out there, but these policies will never catch them and will just continue to cost us our tax dollars.

I must say that I love the idea of sending your personal stuff through with your firearm. I know guys that have taken up traveling with starter pistols just to make sure that their bags don't get lost. I've yet to see a system that can't be worked to advantage.