[3209] in cryptography@c2.net mail archive
Re: Encryption is like a locked suitcase
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Mike Stay)
Fri Aug 21 13:40:14 1998
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1998 17:56:31 -0600
From: Mike Stay <staym@accessdata.com>
Reply-To: staym@accessdata.com
To: cryptography@c2.net
CC: coderpunks@toad.com
Are there any stego filesystems out there? If they want to open your
briefcase, be sure it has a hidden compartment...
Ian Brown wrote:
>UK Customs' view of encrypted laptop hard disks...
>
>http://www.telegraph.co.uk:80/et?ac=000116192758126&rtmo=keZ71kkp&atmo=gggggggK&P4_FOLLOW_ON=/missions/connect/ecnlap20.html&pg=/et/missions/connect/ecnlap20.html
>
>Customs targets laptop hard drive contents
>By Simon Davies
>...
>A spokesman for Customs and Excise said officials would routinely
>scan laptops for illegal material such as pornography. Encrypted
>files will be treated in the same way as a ordinary luggage. "So far
>as we are concerned, there is no difference between an encrypted
>file and a locked suitcase," said the spokesman. "All travellers
>entering the country should be prepared to have their equipment
>scanned.".
>
>Laptop carriers will have little choice but to submit to the demands
>of Customs officials. People refusing to open files or divulge keys
>will be subject to a court order. Refusal to obey the order would
>constitute contempt of court - an offence that can result in
>imprisonment.
>
>Unlike cases involving body searches, Customs officers are not
>required to establish grounds for "reasonable suspicion" before
>conducting a computer search.
>
>The Home Office has not issued specific guidelines on the practice,
>leaving Customs officers free to take copies of disk scans. This has
>alarmed business leaders, who have raised concerns that sensitive
>commercial data could be compromised.
>...
--
Mike Stay
Cryptographer / Programmer
AccessData Corp.
mailto:staym@accessdata.com
