Re: Forensics on PDAs, notes from the field

Sunder wrote...

And PGP won't stand out because.... ?

Just wondering. Is it possible to disguise a PGP'd message as a more weakly encrypted message that then decrypts to something other than the true message? OK...perhaps we stego an encrypted message, then encrypt that photo using something weaker. Not like they haven't already thought of that, though. And it seems to me to be a difficult task getting ahold of enough photos that would be believably worth encrypting. -TD

From: Sunder To: Morlock Elloi CC: "cypherpunks@al-qaeda.net" Subject: Re: Forensics on PDAs, notes from the field Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2004 14:11:36 -0400 (edt)

On Fri, 13 Aug 2004, Morlock Elloi wrote:

...

The purpose would be that they do not figure out that you are using some security program, so they don't suspect that noise in the file or look for stego, right?

The last time I checked the total number of PDA programs ever offered to public in some way was around 10,000 (5,000 ? 100,000 ? Same thing.) That can be trivially checked for. Any custom-compiled executable will stand out as a sore thumb.

How? Not if you get something like a Sharp Zaurus and compile your own environment. "Hey, I want to get as much performance out of this shitty little ARM chip as I can."

...

You will suffer considerably less bodily damage inducing you to spit the passphrase than to produce the source and the complier.

What makes you think they'll have enough of a clue as to how to read the files off your PDA without booting it in the first place? 99% of these dorks use very expensive automated hardware tools that do nothing more than "dd" your data to their device, then run a scanner on it which looks for well known jpg's of kiddie porn.

If you're suspected of something really big, or you're middle eastern, then you need to worry about PDA forensics. Otherwise, you're just another geek with a case of megalomania thinking you're important enough for the FedZ to give a shit about you.

...

Just use the fucking PGP. It's good for your genitals.

And PGP won't stand out because.... ?

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