gHacks technology news » united states http://www.ghacks.net A technology blog covering software, mobile phones, gadgets, security, the Internet and other relevant areas. Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:33:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 en hourly 1 Proxy Server Usage To Extend Jailtime In The US http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/15/proxy-server-usage-to-extend-jailtime-in-the-us/ http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/15/proxy-server-usage-to-extend-jailtime-in-the-us/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:10:44 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/15/proxy-server-usage-to-extend-jailtime-in-the-us/ torA proxy server can be used for a number of things. People can use it to overcome censorship in their country, to access contents they could otherwise not access or to remain anonymous while performing research on the Internet. Proxy servers to provide a level of anonymity and privacy that makes them a good choice in many situations. A new federal law in the United States is up for voting at the united States Sentencing Commission that can increase the jail time by up to 25% if a proxy server has been used.

Privacy advocates have already expressed great concern as proxy servers are not only in use by individuals who want to protect their privacy but also by companies and even Internet Service Providers, sometimes without the knowledge of the end user. VPN (Virtual Private Network) would for example be classified as proxy servers under the new legislation. As is the popular Tor client that has been created specifically to counter censorship in the world. Several web browsers like Opera Mini or Opera 10 are also making use of proxy servers to compress data to decrease the time it takes to load websites.

The United States Sentencing Commission will vote on the new legislation on April 15. It is set to take effect on November 1 if is is passing the voting process. You can read up on the EFFs stance here

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2009/04/15/proxy-server-usage-to-extend-jailtime-in-the-us/feed/ 8 Federal Agents Can Seize Devices And Papers At Borders http://www.ghacks.net/2008/08/03/federal-agents-can-seize-devices-and-papers-at-borders/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/08/03/federal-agents-can-seize-devices-and-papers-at-borders/#comments Sun, 03 Aug 2008 08:02:19 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/?p=5809 The Washington Post published an article about two policies issued by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agencies. According to those policies border agents can seize any electronic devices, including but not limited to notebooks, PDAs or storage devices and any form of documentation and paper, even in written form, without suspicion for an undisclosed amount of time.

They may also send the data to other agencies and even private entities “for language translation, data decryption or other reasons”. This policies do not only affect foreign visitors of the United States but also United States citiziens.

The data has to be destroyed after the review and private entities have to send the data back to the agencies. Everything that has been documented however does not have to be deleted.


“They’re saying they can rifle through all the information in a traveler’s laptop without having a smidgen of evidence that the traveler is breaking the law,” said Greg Nojeim, senior counsel at the Center for Democracy and Technology. Notably, he said, the policies “don’t establish any criteria for whose computer can be searched.”

This in effect means that even if you cause no suspicion you can have your electronic devices and papers seized and will have to wait a long time before you can get them back. Think of business plans, private videos and photos, electronic diaries not only of “how to build an a-bomb in seven days” type of material. Frightening it is.

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/08/03/federal-agents-can-seize-devices-and-papers-at-borders/feed/ 11 Those who would give up essential Liberty.. http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/20/those-who-would-give-up-essential-liberty/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/20/those-who-would-give-up-essential-liberty/#comments Tue, 20 May 2008 07:38:35 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/?p=4202 to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety. This quote by one of the founding fathers of the United States dates back more than 200 years ago but it has a huge relevance to the current situation in our world. The so called democratic countries of the West are reducing the rights of their population in every legislation by tracking and spying on them, storing information about them and controlling them all for the sake of fighting terrorism.

Data Retention Laws (firmly pushed by the United Kingdom) are already in place which forces every European ISP to record communication data of their users. Apparently though that is not enough for the British Home Office who have plans to create a database of electronic information holding details of every phone call and e-mail sent in the UK according to the BBC.

All for the sake of national security, fighting terrorism and crime of course. The data will be “subject to strict safeguards to ensure the right balance between privacy and protecting the public.”

Am I the only one thinking all those laws that reduce the liberty of the individual and the population are way out of proportion ? There is zero difference between some laws in Europe and the United States and some oppressive regime in the rest of the world.

I’m sorry that it got a bit political but this is an issue that is affecting everyone living in those countries.

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]]> http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/20/those-who-would-give-up-essential-liberty/feed/ 12 Protect your data when travelling to the US http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/16/protect-your-data-when-travelling-to-the-us/ http://www.ghacks.net/2008/05/16/protect-your-data-when-travelling-to-the-us/#comments Fri, 16 May 2008 18:29:08 +0000 Martin http://www.ghacks.net/?p=4155 I personally think this is outrageous. Border Agents in the United States can not only search your laptop, mobile phone or any other electronic device that you might be carrying while traveling to the United States; They can also download computer contents or keep it for further examination. There are no written rules yet on the dos and don’ts of the process and while it is unlikely that they will confiscate or examine every single electronic device they might examine yours.

That would be bad luck and one thing that you should do before traveling to the United States, or any other country that is giving their border agents such rights is to protect your data; Or don’t visit the country which I prefer to do. The easiest way to protect your data is to leave it at home. If that is not possible because you do need your notebook for work you should prepare it so that the important data is protected and hidden.

I’m not accustomed to US laws and do not know if they can force you to reveal a password for an encrypted partition. But even if they cannot they probably can keep the notebook for a certain time to examine it and probably also question you for a while which would make the trip rather unpleasant.

Your best bet is to use encryption and another encrypted container on that encrypted drive. This way you can cooperate and enter the password: Here Office, take a look, I have no problem with it. The important data would still be encrypted and inaccessible and you would definitely not reveal that password. It’s impossible to tell for them anyway if there is another container unless you leave clues on the drive.

You need to make sure that all sensible data, like documents, emails, browser cache, passwords, cookies, pictures, videos, plane flying manuals, Atombombs for Dummies is stored on that second encrypted container.

Important data could be stored on a web server as well and downloaded while in the country. Just make sure it gets erased properly before leaving again. Any other ideas ? Let me know.

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