Re: Judge orders defendant to decrypt PGP-protected laptop - CNET News

["Michael Painter" <tvhawaii () shaka com>]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tvlillard () msn com>
To: <security-basics () securityfocus com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 03, 2009 8:00 AM
Subject: Judge orders defendant to decrypt PGP-protected laptop - CNET News


> Reference below is an interesting article concerning a Judge's order to decrypt of a harddrive.
>
>
> Judge orders defendant to decrypt PGP-protected laptop - CNET News
>
> URL: http://news.cnet.com/8301-13578_3-10172866-38.html
>
>
> Federal court orders defendant accused of having illegal data on his laptop to type in his PGP passphrase so prosecutors 
> can access decrypted files.
>
>
> Thanks
> Terrence


Lengthy, but timely, article from Electronic Frontier Foundation...Surveillance Self-Defense.

https://ssd.eff.org/home

Under "What can I do to protect myself?" | "Encrypt Your Data":
"A lawyer may be able to get your property back if the warrant was improper, negotiate a deal with the government's 
attorneys to limit the search or get important files back, or convince the court to strictly limit the search so that they 
won't search files that are legally privileged (like confidential legal or medical records), protected by the First 
Amendment (like private membership lists), or irrelevant to the case.

Alternatively, a prosecutor may ask a judge to order you to turn over your password. The law is unclear on whether such an 
order would be valid, but that is a matter to face with the assistance of counsel. No one other than a judge can force you 
to reveal your password."