this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2023
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Technology

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What a newsroom police raid teaches us about encrypting our devices (freedom.press)
submitted 1 year ago by Elephant0991@lemmy.bleh.au to c/technology@beehaw.org
35 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Summary

  • The Marion County Record newsroom in Kansas was raided by police, who seized two cellphones, four computers, a backup hard drive, and reporting materials.

  • A computer seized was most likely unencrypted. Law enforcement officials hope that devices seized during a raid are unencrypted, as this makes them easier to examine.

  • Modern iPhones and Android phones are encrypted by default, but older devices may not be.

  • Desktop computers typically do not have encryption enabled by default, so it is important to turn this on manually.

  • Use strong random passwords and keep them in a password manager.

  • During the raid, police seized a single backup hard drive. It is important to have multiple backups of your data in case one is lost or stolen.

  • You can encrypt USB storage devices using BitLocker To Go on Windows, or Disk Utility on macOS.

  • All major desktop operating systems support Veracrypt, which can be used to encrypt entire drives.

Main Take-aways

  • Encrypt your devices, drives, and USBs.

  • Use strong random passwords and password manager.

  • Have multiple backups.

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[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 14 points 1 year ago (2 children)

If you encrypt your device, and dirty cops like these decide they want in, they'll just toss you in the slammer and forget about you until you either cough up the password or die of dehydration. Either way works for them.

[–] marco@beehaw.org 17 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Similarly when you cross a border... you don't have to give them you password, but they can just keep you for a few days. Also note:

Currently, police officers have the authority to demand that you unlock your mobile phone using face recognition and fingerprint identification. When unlocking your phone, police officers have no right to demand that you disclose your passcode or pattern.

https://esfandilawfirm.com/can-police-unlock-your-phone/

[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 19 points 1 year ago (2 children)

They can also kill you where you stand with total impunity, so I'm not sure I see how these limitations of their supposed rights are at all meaningful.

[–] marco@beehaw.org 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

should have complied

[–] argv_minus_one@beehaw.org 10 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Law enforcement routinely makes demands that are intentionally impossible to comply with, such as the deadly game of Simon Says that was played by the officers who murdered Daniel Shaver.

It's like a cat playing with its prey. The prey is not intended to survive.

[–] RickRussell_CA@beehaw.org 2 points 1 year ago

It's layers on an onion. Every extralegal step they take provides a possible mitigation if you go to trial.

Obviously, if they straight up murder somebody, that's a whole different problem. But in general, you should invoke your rights at every step of the process, so that if they trample over those rights you'll have an argument in court to get evidence or charges thrown out.

[–] Laitinlok@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

No I won't give the password

[–] davehtaylor@beehaw.org 10 points 1 year ago (1 children)
[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 9 points 1 year ago

Make the authentication a biological indicator of consensual, free, unhindered existence.

“Sorry officers I literally can’t unlock this computer while I’m in your custody. Unless you can find a way to make me want to be here, that is”

“Well then we’ll just torture you”

“Nope, as you can see pain I experience burns this fuse here. Once the fuse is consumed, data begins to progressively degrade”