9 ms·

Phone applications and their data are so abstracted these days, it would be difficult for even an IT expert to differentiate between cloud and local data if sea

Phone applications and their data are so abstracted these days, it would be difficult for even an IT expert to differentiate between cloud and local data if search takes place using the device itself (which I assume is what happens). If they connect the phone via USB and browse the contents with a workstation, that might be a different story. So in practice, nothing has changed.

lb1lf 9y ago
Just put the phone in flight mode. Wireless interfaces are deactivated, and any attempt at accessing online material is greeted with a message stating that you're offline.
- fuzzybeard 9y ago
  Some apps won't let you access any of your content without authenticating with their servers. So even if it's local content, not having an internet connection would deny access. I can envision CBP saying they need to crack your phone to get to the local stuff.
  - eridius 9y ago
    What apps do that, besides games?
  - riffic 9y ago
    local data can still be viewable if the device is imaged and the content is unencrypted.
- pavel_lishin 9y ago
  And watch the border patrol agent to make sure he doesn't turn it back off?
  - riffic 9y ago
    Require all searches to be performed in a faraday cage? A better solution would be to disallow all searches of electronic devices since this seems unnecessarily intrusive.
- askvictor 9y ago
  There is also the issue of cached data.
  - compiler-guy 9y ago
    Cached data is "physically on the phone", and so searchable within the scope of this policy.
chrismeller 9y ago
I was thinking the same thing - for purposes of making a record of the evidence and to ensure some forensic integrity (as well as only obtaining local data) a USB connection is the best approach. FWIW, my laptop and phone were searched going into Canada and there was no special technology used - the officer just made me unlock them and hand them back to him.

lb1lf 9y ago

Just put the phone in flight mode. Wireless interfaces are deactivated, and any attempt at accessing online material is greeted with a message stating that you're offline.

fuzzybeard 9y ago
Some apps won't let you access any of your content without authenticating with their servers. So even if it's local content, not having an internet connection would deny access. I can envision CBP saying they need to crack your phone to get to the local stuff.
- eridius 9y ago
  What apps do that, besides games?
- riffic 9y ago
  local data can still be viewable if the device is imaged and the content is unencrypted.
pavel_lishin 9y ago
And watch the border patrol agent to make sure he doesn't turn it back off?
- riffic 9y ago
  Require all searches to be performed in a faraday cage? A better solution would be to disallow all searches of electronic devices since this seems unnecessarily intrusive.
askvictor 9y ago
There is also the issue of cached data.
- compiler-guy 9y ago
  Cached data is "physically on the phone", and so searchable within the scope of this policy.

chrismeller 9y ago

I was thinking the same thing - for purposes of making a record of the evidence and to ensure some forensic integrity (as well as only obtaining local data) a USB connection is the best approach. FWIW, my laptop and phone were searched going into Canada and there was no special technology used - the officer just made me unlock them and hand them back to him.