[ciphershed] Re: Plausible deniablility and hidden volumes

  • From: Bill Cox <waywardgeek@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: ciphershed@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2014 09:36:47 -0400

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On 6/13/2014 7:48 AM, Kyle Marek wrote:
> On 06/13/2014 07:41 AM, Bill Cox wrote:
>> There seems to be some discussion in different FOSS crypto
>> projects about the value of a hidden secondary volume.  I've
>> never used one, and don't plan to (just try to prove otherwise!).
>> Here's a list of countries, including Canada, the UK, and
>> Australia, who have given themselves the right to force you to
>> decrypt TrueCrypt volumes:
>> 
>> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_disclosure_law#Legislation_by_nation
>>
>>
>> 
At least in the US, the Fifth Amendment still has some life, unlike
>> the Fourth.  I think hidden volumes support the right not to 
>> incriminate yourself.
> Are most of these laws in effect when you're a suspect or do they
> have to have some kind of proof? (such as logs on a server showing
> you launching a DOS attack)
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>  At the time of sending this message, I have not been contacted by 
> any government official or worker regarding my participation in 
> CipherShed or any related project. I have not been asked to supply
> any information to them that may be used to impersonate me nor have
> I been asked to aid the government or it's officials or workers in
> modifying part of CipherShed or any related project. I am not aware
> of any of my property or anything regarding me being bugged,
> searched, or compromised in any way. Anything that accepts PGP
> encryption or signing should have been cryptographically secured
> with my PGP key.
> 

It depends on the country.  Here in the US, they can force you to
decrypt an encrypted file or volume if they "know" you have illegal
files there.  They can put you in jail indefinitely until you comply.
 In the UK, it's even worse.  They can order you to decrypt anything
without any knowledge or proof of any kind.  You can spend 2 years in
jail for not complying.

Why the US decided that they can every force you to decrypt anything
is beyond me.  The ruling is post-9/11, when the US was even arguing
that torture is legal.  In this environment, I think the secondary
hidden volume has value.

Bill
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