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Richard Pieri wrote: > Tom Metro wrote: >> Are you using full disk encryption? > > I don't. I take care of my gear. I made this statement before: I > see WDE as enabler for carelessness. The EFF article I quoted references a prior EFF article on border crossing inspections. The encouragement to encrypt was more for privacy than for theft prevention. As someone who goes through US Customs several times a year, this gives me some concern, albeit minor. You may think you have nothing to hide, but why open yourself up to a potential fishing expedition? With the way copyright laws are trending (see SOPA), it wouldn't surprise me if being caught with a downloaded broadcast TV show on your computer will someday result in felony charges. > Never mind that I have a pair of Mac Minis playing server. Sometimes > they need to be restarted remotely. Can't do that with WDE. I guess for that you'd need a console server. Daniel Feenberg wrote: > I don't see much point in encrypting data on a network server - if the > disk is mounted then the plain-text is available to an intruder and the > addition of an encrypted version doesn't enhance security. It does if the intruder is physically stealing the disk drive or the server. This would also likely apply in a government seizure scenario. They'd likely remove the equipment from the premises first, and attempt access later. (Though maybe they've wised up to this possibility?0 So yeah, you're guarding against a highly unlikely scenario, but it still has some benefit. > I have used Truecrypt, but am put off by the documentation, which > suggests that the primary purpose of encryption is to avoid police > inspection. As xkcd pointed out, this is hopeless > ( http://xkcd.com/538/ ). [The cartoon makes the point that you can be tortured with a $5 wrench to give up your password, so your high-tech encryption is pointless.] But this is what plausible deniability is all about: http://www.truecrypt.org/docs/?s=plausible-deniability If you're in a situation where law enforcement *knows* you have something they want on your disk, you've got bigger problems than your choice of full disk encryption software. :-) -Tom -- Tom Metro Venture Logic, Newton, MA, USA "Enterprise solutions through open source." Professional Profile: http://tmetro.venturelogic.com/
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