IT Security: Data at borders
Publication:
Saturday, 8 June, 2013 - 02:21
chiefofficersnet
For all aircrew and other travellers (which is, of course, pretty much all of us) - the US Border Security says that it has the same rights as Australia's Customs to examine the contents of portable data devices without warrant (remember various aircrew have been arrested over pornography on their laptops going into Aus?)
See http://nakedsecurity.sophos.co...
But on the other hand, a US court has said that the power of search does not extend to requiring a person to de-crypt the contents of such a device in the case of suspicion of child pornography:http://nakedsecurity.sophos.co...
The decision appears to be on its specific facts - i.e. relating to child porn and not to suspicions of other offences e.g. terrorist financing or terrorism per se.
Why does this matter? Because the device could be a phone or tablet or a data stick and it could contain your financial records including e.g. bitcoin data.