Deny Encrypted Files
"... Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents can seize and copy the contents of any electronic device you carry across a U.S. border. That includes your laptop, your cell phone, your USB flash drives, your digital camera, etc. Agents don't need probable cause or even reasonable suspicion to conduct a search of your electronic data – just "gimme." They can copy the data for investigative purposes and then use that information against you in a subsequent criminal case." - Mark Nestmann
Since the existence of encrypted files can in itself
be incriminating, regardless of whether or not anyone can decrypt them,
Away RJN Cryptography has implemented a file system that is deniable: where encrypted files simply do not exist on your hard drive, And
thus it is impossible to
prove either the existence or non-existence of encrypted files.
Utilizing the USB token technique or what's commonly known as Flash Drives, the encrypted files are on
the removable token. There are no back up files. In fact, nothing related to
your Encrypted files is ever written on your hard drive during the Encrypt or
Decrypt process. If someone accuses you of having encrypted files, a search of
your computer will reveal NOTHING!!
Liberty and Unknown Files
"Privacy protects us from abuses by those in power, even if we're doing nothing wrong at the time of surveillance ... Liberty requires security without intrusion, security plus privacy. " - Bruce Schneier
The fallacy of the "Two Way Decryption" technique as described in Wikipedia, is that each and every file or message needs to have an alternate benign file to show after Decryption. This is tedious and very inefficient. The USB token technique means that you are only working on the critical files and need not worry about creating a benign file and having a second key.
From Bruce Schneier, Security Expert:
Excerpts from his Newsletter of May 15, 2008
They can take your computer and download its entire contents, or keep it for several days". ... "Encrypting your entire hard drive, something you should certainly do for security in case your computer is lost or stolen, won't work here.
The border agent is likely to start this whole process with a "please type in your password."
Of course you can refuse, but the agent can search you further, detain you longer, refuse you entry into the country and otherwise ruin your day.
You're going to have to hide your data separately. "...
"So your best defense is to clean up your laptop. A customs agent can't read what you don't have."..."If you can't, consider putting your sensitive data on a USB drive" even 16GB cards are reasonably priced these days. Use Away RJN Cryptography and encrypt it....
