| US border control looking through files on computers - Click HERE for Original Thread |
| SilverNeonRacer |
Have you heard about this shit?
quote:
We have been made aware of possible confiscation of personal electronic devices By US border and protection services. Personal electronic devices include but are not limited to all of the following:
Portable Computers,
PDA's
Cell phones
We are aware that at any time a person may be asked to turn the computer on, as well as let the US border agent look at files on the hard drive for no reason. We do not know if they are technically adapt, or what they are looking for.
In certain situations in the past electronic components have been confiscated for no reason. They have allowed the person to proceed to the destination with all components and hardware. In some cases they send you on your way while keeping the portable computer, and send it back in the mail in some point in time.
If the traveler refuses, they probably will not be allow to cross the border.
Where I work is coming up the policy and procedures regarding this and talking with Lawyers. Our portable computers here have student data, FOIP protected data on them, so this is a concern. I wonder if you encrypt stuff if they'll take it, or what?
I've only been to the states once by plane, but that was before this... my issues with this is I have client data, client passwords and such on my computer, I have signed non-disclosure agreements and what not... so how does that apply?
I think if I tell them they don't have the appropriate clearance level to view my files, think they'll take it?
I heard one law firm has switched to keeping all their files on a secure server, crossing the border with a fresh image laptop.. then accessing the files remotely.
Sheeeesh |
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| Graphicdude |
| Where's the link to this article? I want to read the whole thing. |
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| Inzane |
| Fuck, this is getting insane. |
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| SilverNeonRacer |
quote:
Originally posted by Inzane
Fuck, this is getting insane.
No shit... I heard it took a lawyer 6 months to get his laptop back.
**Edit**
that second link I think is older.. but still...
quote:
Romm was eventually sentenced to two concurrent terms of 10 and 15 years for knowingly receiving and knowingly possessing child pornography.
Don't get me wrong here.. Child porno is wrong but if I get spammed with child porn and I just delete it as I get it I could be charged? WTF!!!! |
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| Invalid Zero |
| You hear about border guards busting people with child porn all the time. Maybe that's what they're looking for. :dunno: |
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| SilverNeonRacer |
I heard words floating around the office.. they included "terroristy" heh
But they should say what their looking for.. cept well then people might wise up and delete it or what not...
My issue is that these border security people could end up looking at priviledged information... aka not for their eyes.
For shits and giggles... I'm almost tempted to buy a cheap cheap e-bay laptop(Like a thinkpad with the finger print reader) put some picutres/word files on it that basically say "You wasted your time looking for this?"
encrypt the hell out of it and try to drive across the border then give them a hard time... heh just make sure I don't have to come back to work anytime soon heheh |
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| Ruiner |
| SDCards Ftw. handful in your pocket and they wouldnt even know. |
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| SilverNeonRacer |
quote:
Originally posted by Ruiner
SDCards Ftw. handful in your pocket and they wouldnt even know.
Ground.. prolly not.. by plane they would... they make you empty your pockets to go through the metal detectors... I oops'd once.. had the Air canada cheapy earphones in a cargo pocket when I went through... it set it off :P So did my wallet... There ya go.. put it in your wallet.. mine has metal snaps... they never think of looking in the wallet once they see the snaps.. |
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| Ruiner |
airports have shit security.
i had two lighters in my pocket, i had forgotten i had two, i gave them one to throw out.. the other went into the plastic bag.. .. and yet i still had a third lighter in my laptop pocket.
they pulled out my laptop, looked at it, (in standby so the light was on), put it back in the bin, and let me put it back in the case.. they dont open them. |
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| devin_mm |
| I walked through an airport metal detector just yesterday with a metal watch on and a cucumber wrapped in aluminum foil shoved down my pants (wait scratch the second one) but it didn't go off. |
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| SilverNeonRacer |
I dunno if airport metal detectors can detect aluminium.. they detected my Timex Ironman watch.. which is mainly plastic and the rivots on my jeans heading south(coming back I was wearing the cargos)
When I went in October.. I didn't even have to open my laptop.. they just had be pull it out of the bag so they could x-ray it seperately. They didn't touch it.. they had the passenger take them out and put them in trays.
The thing is from what I was hearing today it's changing.. I dunno if they're gonna inspect every laptop... that would suck... International flights show up 2 hours early, 6 hours early if you have a portable computing device. Or if it'll be random.. hmm he looks like a pervert.. or hmm he looks shady... |
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| BigTrucker |
| Going through customs in Las Vegas they asked me to turn on my laptop and prove it worked. I just flipped up the screen, turned on my newly downloaded 'I am Legend' and they waived me through. |
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| Graphicdude |
quote:
Originally posted by SilverNeonRacer
.....
Don't get me wrong here.. Child porno is wrong but if I get spammed with child porn and I just delete it as I get it I could be charged? WTF!!!!
I also wonder the same thing. With all the spam shit/trojan viruses that leak around the net, you could have this crap on your computer and not even know it. Then your looking at prison. This whole thing is fucked. Why would I want to go the US anymore? Seems more like a witch hunt country and everyone's going to be on edge everytime they enter security. I'm thinking I won't be spending my money on US vacations anymore. |
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| SilverNeonRacer |
I just thought of something... take the harddrive out.. over night ship it to your destination... laptop still turns on... just doesn't boot... :P
But then again, shouldn't have to do that.. I mean come on... privacy.. I think they forgot what it means.. and that one judge ruled they can do pretty much anything they want at border security.... |
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| AudiInProgress |
| Yes. When my wife went to the USA, she brought a desktop and a notebook PC, and she was told to wipe the hard drives or they would go through the files. |
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| Graphicdude |
| W-T-F?! :omg: Why? Absolute bullshit. US Tourism is really making it easy for me NOT to travel to the US anymore. |
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| ae1969 |
Uhmmm ... I have gone through the border numerous times. (flights)
They used to ask you to turn it on........ now they just put it through xray.
Just got back last week....... and no issues. |
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| Perilous_Enterprises |
quote:
Originally posted by Graphicdude
W-T-F?! :omg: Why? Absolute bullshit. US Tourism is really making it easy for me NOT to travel to the US anymore.
Ya, you and the Americans.
quote:
Snippet from source
In sum, while the government may have a right to search a laptop at the border without a warrant, it should have a reasonable suspicion before it does so. Moreover, it should explain the criteria it uses to make such searches, so that these criteria can be examined, commented upon, and shown to be free of racial, ethnic or religious profiling.
I really don't how border patrol agents are going to determine "reasonable suspicion". Like, what does a person with child-porn on his computer look like? Same deal with terrorists, right? I like to think that if they can justify the search in terms of "National Security" then they should go right ahead. But really, what kind of file could you possibly have on your HD that could used a weapon? This is a witch hunt.... |
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| AudiInProgress |
quote:
Originally posted by Perilous_Enterprises
Ya, you and the Americans.
I really don't how border patrol agents are going to determine "reasonable suspicion". Like, what does a person with child-porn on his computer look like? Same deal with terrorists, right? I like to think that if they can justify the search in terms of "National Security" then they should go right ahead. But really, what kind of file could you possibly have on your HD that could used a weapon? This is a witch hunt....
That's a very good point. |
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| jordanturbo |
| My car got pulled apart when I was comming back frim a ski trip in colorado, and they wanted to look through my computer. I turned it on for them and went throught it myself with them watching, but I refused to go through my work files. I said they were confidential, and contained data on when many of the power boilers, compressor sites, and refineries would blow up, and that my clients paid alot of money for this info. Little did they know that my job was inspections and Quality control. I lol'ed when they went ballistic at me. When they threatened to detain me I just gave them the 24hr hotline for my company, anfter they talked to our legal department, they let me go without checking my work files. |
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| stealth |
But what good, would that information be in regards to when a Power Boiler, Compressor, etc would blow up?
The only way they would blow up would be under very abnormal operating conditions, if someone physically broke into the control room, but the panel on bypass, changed the set-points, over pressured the boiler, or fucked up combustion mixes in the furnace, went to the field and increased the PSV settings to prevent them from lifting, etc...
In other words, it is nearly impossible for someone who doesn't work their to do it, unless they launch a rocket at the plant. So their would be no harm in showing them.
As for being checked when I travel internationally, I always carry my laptop without a bag, as that nets me another carry on item. I never was once asked to turn it on.
Maybe if I traveled to the states they would, which I refuse to do if I do not have to. |
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| jordanturbo |
quote:
Originally posted by stealth
But what good, would that information be in regards to when a Power Boiler, Compressor, etc would blow up?
The only way they would blow up would be under very abnormal operating conditions, if someone physically broke into the control room, but the panel on bypass, changed the set-points, over pressured the boiler, or fucked up combustion mixes in the furnace, went to the field and increased the PSV settings to prevent them from lifting, etc...
In other words, it is nearly impossible for someone who doesn't work their to do it, unless they launch a rocket at the plant. So their would be no harm in showing them.
As for being checked when I travel internationally, I always carry my laptop without a bag, as that nets me another carry on item. I never was once asked to turn it on.
Maybe if I traveled to the states they would, which I refuse to do if I do not have to.
LOL I was just being a jackass to them saying that all these boilers etc were gonna blow because of me. And many of the power/pulp companies and their boilers are unlike the oil companies when it comes to spending money for repairs. I have found many oil companies are thankfull for problem soptting, to save them shutdown time. THe current energy company I am working with wants to hide most bad resluts under the rug, and not have them mentioned on paper so they can run without repairs, and then when they get a squirter, sue whoever for the emergency down time. |
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| stealth |
LOL, yea thats awesome, always good to blow shit out of proportion to people who don't know.:lol:
Yea Pulp & Paper and Power Generation tend to be like that, since they don't make as good of revenue as O&G. |
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