US customs agents can examine, copy data from searched laptops

US customs agents can examine, copy data from searched laptops

rawstory.com

Customs agents have the prerogative to examine and even copy data from travelling citizens' laptops they search, CNN's American Morning reports.

"A new alert for travellers: be careful what you store on your laptop or your BlackBerry when entering the United States," warns CNN's John Roberts. "Customs agents can examine your computer and even keep your private information."

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
blogs.guardian.co.uk
yro.slashdot.org

This sounds like big news to me. Customs agents coping the data on the hard drive in your note book computers, or any other electronic storage devices. Like the story referenced above states, that means things like banking records, or Corp. classified material could all wind up in the hands of the customs. Having your luggage searched was always understood, but now with the electronic age, we are having our personal data copied. Perhaps a DNA sample will be next.

rawstory.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I have yet to travel with a laptop, if I did this would frustrate me beyond belief. I do however travel with a flash memory drive which I keep in my carry-on.

It might be worth travelling with an dummy laptop filled to capacity with viruses just waiting for a reason to multiply.

Originally posted by Evasius
I have yet to travel with a laptop, if I did this would frustrate me beyond belief. I do however travel with a flash memory drive which I keep in my carry-on.

It might be worth travelling with an dummy laptop filled to capacity with viruses just waiting for a reason to multiply.

That would get you imprisoned for terrorism charges probably...unfortunately because I think that is the funniest thing I have read in a while.

I don't think I would like having all my info. copied, but at least they are telling us this is a possibility and it isn't just done without our knowledge like all other things seem to be. I guess if you don't want it to happen, leave the laptop at home and let the gov't access it and copy it all down remotely like they do now, without your knowledge

reply to post by Evasius


Thanks for posting
I do travel with a computer. I have just not traveled over seas in a long time. I doubt I will the way the exchange rate has been, to bad because I would like to see several other countries. The idea of having a computer loaded with viruses is an idea that I wonder if customs is ready for? I don't know how long this has been going on but I would like to think they are ready for that to deal with that.

the potential for misuse of this is astounding.... insider trading, industrial espionage, blackmail etc etc.

i hope that americans will accept the same treatment given to them at foreign airports.

If security requests to connect their device to your hardware, they are responsible for whatever happens to their device. They will more than likely have a nice firewall and security software, however if something malicious gets through (while they're connected and in control of both devices) then they are responsible.

One option is only use the dummy laptop for visiting virus-laden websites. Once it gets to the point where it barely works, just never turn it on until security asks to look at it. Then sit back and watch the show (that is if the laptop even works).

Originally posted by justyc
the potential for misuse of this is astounding.... insider trading, industrial espionage, blackmail etc etc.

i hope that americans will accept the same treatment given to them at foreign airports.

I do agree with everything you have said. Even if the U.S. customs do act with integrity, which I have heard it go both ways, there is no way to tell if foreign customs agents will be do the same or not. So yes I think this could escalate into a big mess.

reply to post by tacocheesey

I don't think I would like having all my info. copied, but at least they are telling us this is a possibility and it isn't just done without our knowledge like all other things seem to be. I guess if you don't want it to happen, leave the laptop at home and let the gov't access it and copy it all down remotely like they do now, without your knowledge

This seem to clearly be unreasonable search and seizure without probable cause, plain and simple, a violation of the 4th amendment for US Citizens at a minimum. If they told you that they will start conducting random strip and body cavity searches upon entry to the US would it make it any more legal or reasonable that they told you through some obscure news article?

It seems there are few responses on this thread. This seems like a big deal, as someone has said earlier. Any more thoughts?

I also wonder if people think there's any relation to the following topics all heating up simultaneous to this:
RIAA Wants your Anti-virus Software to Screen your Downloads
or this:
Users Face Net Ban in Crackdown on Piracy

[edit on 12-2-2008 by lifestudent]

How much storage space do you think it would require for Customs agents to copy every file, on every computer/electronic storage device, and how much time do you think they have to accomplish this task? Do you think perhaps the more likely course of action is to copy only things that are suspicious, if they need it as evidence?

Oh, I do hope to God that they are stupid enough to connect to my flash drive! I have some very exotic viruses stored there that are itching for a nice new home - and some government network with loads of storage would suit them just fine - lots and lots of data to feed on and corrupt!

I had a friend of mine, a programmer, imbed a few viruses in the root directory of the flash drive to ensure that as soon as the file tree displays it is too late - infection!

I've always carried this flash drive along with my "other" flash drive just in case... Should be loads of fun if they get a hold of it.

If I were to design a system to monitor/scan hard drives and store EVERYTHING found, I think you would be surprised at how possible it would be to do with today's tech.

Originally posted by lifestudent
If I were to design a system to monitor/scan hard drives and store EVERYTHING found, I think you would be surprised at how possible it would be to do with today's tech.

It's not the technology to store info, it's the space and time it would take that I'm talking about.

Originally posted by BlueRaja
It's not the technology to store info, it's the space and time it would take that I'm talking about.

I understand, and what I mean is that I think you would be surprised at what could be achieved given real world constraints on both.

papers.ssrn.com...
Legal to search iphone.

I would imagine that this can be stretched to apply to laptops as well. And not just at the border. Any attorneys want to weight in?

[edit on 2/12/08 by kattraxx]

i went through this last time I came back into the US from europe. They had me turn my laptop on (as usual, to make sure its not a bomb I guess) but then they took it a step further.

some lady sat down and started going through files, opening pictures, etc. luckily, she was about as computer literate as my grandpa, so she just ended up opening the default windows backgrounds (only files in my "My Pictures" folder) for about 20 minutes (yes, she looked at each picture like 10 times each). My friend tried complaining when they did it to him, but that was a bad idea. I kept my mouth shut, although I was furious.

I mean, I have NDA (non disclosure agreement) material all over my laptop, so technically what they did was violated that agreement and broke the law (im guessing).

Really, I was just happy to be back home, but irritated that I was treated like a terrorist coming back into my own country. YOu know, coming through US customs really makes you evaluate how much you appreciate being a citizen sometimes.

I was about to mention that.

At the moment I work for a company which shields electronics against wireless espionage, the equipment is sold to NATO military organizations worldwide.

I of course do not take documents home from work... however, some of my peers do have to travel internationally with classified information. What the hell are they supposed to do when some lowlife, janitor wage receiving customs officer wants to start pilfering through highly classified information?!

I agree with one of the previous posts. I hope the yanks are ready to have the rest of the world steal their data when they travel.

Sorry to tell you all this but in a nation like ours that privacy is just a joke why will anybody will carry personal information to be accessible to the joke we call now our government.

Do not give the morons any chance to make a case of your privacy, just learn to live without your favorite gadget until your get home.

lesson I learned:

start keeping really really obscene pictures (think, fecophilia) on my laptop when traveling. As disgusting as you can get without breaking the law.

Originally posted by marg6043
Sorry to tell you all this but in a nation like ours that privacy is just a joke why will anybody will carry personal information to be accessible to the joke we call now our government.

Do not give the morons any chance to make a case of your privacy, just learn to live without your favorite gadget until your get home.

some of us travel with our laptops / etc for work. For example, I go overseas and shoot thousands of photos. I'm certainly not going to wait until I get back home to go through them all.

Also... ironically... I did have thousands and thousands of photos on my laptop, and she could still only find the default windows backgrounds. haha. ah man, that really makes me feel secure.

[edit on 12-2-2008 by scientist]