US citizens are complaining about, ‘give in your device or go back’ attitude of border agents and also the legality of such action is under question. However, US laws regarding border prohibits searching of people’s credentials without any authentic cause.

Experts are now suggesting people visiting US to be vigilant, calm, and careful and to follow the measures to secure their privacy at US border. Also, the people who are planning to travel America should know; how to protect their browsing history, as agents are also checking the sites they visit.

To gain insights and learn about the issue we conducted and interview with Rebecca Jeschke, Media Relations Director and Digital Rights Analyst, EFF. EFF is the organization working for civil liberties in the digital world and they are also operative in solving the problems people are facing on US border regarding their privacy concerns.

BE ENCRYPTED: Tell us something about yourself:

I’ve worked at EFF for 12 years, fighting for privacy, free speech, and innovation online and in all of our digital devices.

BE ENCRYPTED: There has been the recent wave of complaints from people visiting U.S regarding unfair checking of their electronic devices. Could it be the start of turmoil and unrest in the country?

REBECCA: It’s clear that people do not like the increased, invasive searches at the border. I think people will continue to protest unfair searches and seizures.

BE ENCRYPTED: People today store their most intimate information on their electronic devices, reflecting their thoughts, explorations, activities, and associations. Is it correct to interfere with their privacy without any authentic reason?

REBECCA: No, it’s not fair or just to have a search at the border for no reason. We think that border agents should have a warrant before they search. That means they have to have probable cause that person committed a crime, and the judge has to agree. That’s not what’s happening now.

EFF has also mentioned in their report that, although the border agents as compared to people and interior police have more powers and people visiting the country have less privacy. But the border is not a  place without any constitutional restrictions. The powers of border agents are limited through First Amendment (freedom of speech, association, press, and religion), the Fourth Amendment (freedom from unreasonable searches and seizures), the Fifth Amendment (freedom from compelled self-incrimination), and the Fourteenth Amendment (freedom from discrimination).

BE ENCRYPTED: Many people travel for their business purposes or certain official matters. However, people in many professions, such as lawyers and journalists, have a heightened need to keep their electronic information confidential. So, what implications it could have as their information is confidential, especially in investigative journalism?

REBECCA: It’s definitely hard for journalists, lawyers, and others who are traveling right now. Journalists often have the information they have to keep secret in order to protect the personal safety of sources. Lawyers have privileged conversations with their clients every day, and those need to stay confidential for fairness reasons. You can follow the tips on how to keep your data safe here:

https://www.eff.org/document/eff-border-search-pocket-guide

BE ENCRYPTED: Under both the First and Fourth Amendments, the indiscriminate search of Americans’ electronic devices at the border is unlawful and they need to have probable cause for carrying such actions. In what position you see the legality of this initiative taken by the U.S Government?

REBECCA: We hope that Congress makes it clear that a warrant is necessary for border searches.

She pointed out to her previous answers regarding probable cause. What it means that a bill was introduced this month in Congress that would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection or other government agents to obtain a probable cause warrant before searching the digital devices of U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents at the border.

But CBP unreasonably argues that the privacy interest travelers have in digital devices is no different than that of luggage or other physical items travelers may bring with them across the border, thus CBP applies to digital devices the traditional “border search exception” to the Fourth Amendment, which permits warrant less and unsuspicious “routine” border searches.

Here is a bill that could help: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/04/border-search-bill-would-rein-cbp

BE ENCRYPTED: If you have traveled to certain countries connected to terrorism, drug trafficking, or sex tourism, it may draw additional scrutiny from border agents, said the U.S government. Would you consider it as the true cause of extreme vetting or it’s just a statement to justify their policies?

REBECCA: If the government gets a warrant based on probable cause, then they should be able to search digital devices. For the government’s reasons why they disagree with this, you’ll have to ask them!

BE ENCRYPTED: Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly says the U.S. may want improved vetting procedures for travelers from as many as 14 countries. In your opinion what will be the impacts of this discriminating behavior from certain countries.

REBECCA: We’d have to see the specific vetting procedures before we could see what the impact is. But I think there have already been many news stories about decreased travel to the U.S. in the wake of the executive order and other travel issues.

BE ENCRYPTED: After, U.S. President Donald Trump had signed the first travel ban executive order on Jan. 20, 2017. Initial contacts between Trump and leaders of Australia, Germany, Mexico, and China didn’t go well, resulting in negative publicity in countries that send lots of travelers to America. Do you think this movement by U.S government is affecting their global relations?

REBECCA: I certainly would think twice about going to nations that would potentially confiscate my computer and my phone – I would not be surprised if many other people felt the same way.

BE ENCRYPTED: How much positive you are that EFF, other civil liberties, and the law will be successful in stopping such intrusive practices on the order of Trump Administration?

REBECCA: We are doing our best! And we’ll keep working until we win.

BE ENCRYPTED: What are the measures EFF is taking in such a situation?

REBECCA: She pointed out towards the reports, blogs, guides, information papers etc which show that EFF in this regard, is working hard to eliminate the problems faced by the people. The guides to secure people’s privacy are been given so that anyone before visiting the US could follow those measures.

The EFF organization is also protesting against this unlawful act by speaking against such practices in front of the court.

We’ve done a lot of education, like our white paper and our information sheets: https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-privacy-us-border-2017,

https://www.eff.org/document/digital-privacy-us-border,

https://www.eff.org/document/eff-border-search-pocket-guide.

We’ve also filed court briefs:

https://www.eff.org/press/releases/border-agents-need-warrant-search-travelers-phones-eff-tells-court.

And we support bills for reform:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/04/border-search-bill-would-rein-cbp

BE ENCRYPTED: What’s your suggestion to the people who are planning to travel U.S, about the measures they should follow to secure their privacy?

REBECCA: See the white paper

https://www.eff.org/wp/digital-privacy-us-border-2017

and the one-pager

https://www.eff.org/document/eff-border-search-pocket-guide.

Everyone’s situation is different so everyone will need to do different things!

In these papers, the EFF organization has published a lengthy report to guide people about the security measures they should follow at U.S border. However, keeping in view about the situation of people, they have suggested different ways for the people in different condition.

The post Forced Search & Seizures at US Border is Abuse of Constitution – Rebecca Jeschke EFF appeared first on BeEncrypted.

Crowd pleasing social websites, tech giants and the most powerful governments have also been vulnerable to these attacks. A couple of days ago, the report disclosed Whatsapp user being prone to data breach which could transfer all their personal data to a Hacker very easily using a malicious image. Similar was the case with the White House’s members preferred Confide app, found exposed to the hackers who could access through and could also imitate friendly contacts, amend the messages in transit and spy on contact details, as told by a cyber security firm.

However, for individuals and companies who compromised their personal information and sensitive data in similar attacks, it’s been a great distress and a matter of concern how to keep their data secure from such vulnerabilities.

To encounter and overcome the probability of such malicious attacks people are moving towards encryption and VPN like technologies. To talk about these issues surrounding encryption, we hooked up with Marty P. Kamden, CMO of NordVPN to have some discussion regarding VPN and how it could be helpful in protecting our data.

Starting with his initiative, we have asked him about certain security tools which could help people protect their privacy.

BE ENCRYPTED: How did you come up with the idea of NordVPN?

KAMDEN: The problem with today’s communication is that your internet service provider knows who you are, where you live, what you do online, what your credit card number is, and the numbers you crunch electronically. Governments and hackers use such unprotected information for gains, without any formal authorization.

In the world where online privacy and security matters more and more, a  team of highly experienced professionals came together with a goal to bring back internet freedom. In turn, an easy to use VPN solution, NordVPN has built that ensures encryption technology is intuitive and accessible to everyone.

BE ENCRYPTED: Security experts recommend TOR. How will you suggest VPN over Tor?

KAMDEN: We understand the power of decentralized structure and the anonymity that TOR provides.  NordVPN offers a unique solution Onion over VPN that encrypts user internet traffic before entering TOR network, ensuring additional privacy.

BE ENCRYPTED: FBI Director purported encryption as a ‘dark corner’ of a room where criminals take shelter. What’s your say on this statement? What is encryption in your opinion?

KAMDEN: We disagree with this opinion because the main purpose of a VPN is to offer people security and privacy online. People have the right to keep their data private from hackers, tracking or even government surveillance. There are a number authoritarian governments that have severe freedom of speech limitations, intrusive state Internet surveillance, mass internet censorship, or no Net Neutrality protection issues that Internet users can mitigate with VPNs. Unfortunately, those who want to stay private for criminal purposes will always find a way, no matter if it’s through a VPN or any other method.

BE ENCRYPTED: Mass surveillance has become a debated issue lately and it’s not in the policy of the government to spy its citizen. What reforms do you think should be taken to ensure the privacy of people? Or will encrypting everything be an obligation for every person?

KAMDEN: Mass surveillance is an invasion of people’s privacy. When data is collected, it’s unknown if it will remain secure and it’s never clear in whose hands it will end up (i.e. in Australia, over 20 agencies have access to user metadata, which is retained and stored by ISPs for 2 years). Therefore, we encourage people to use VPNs and other ways of encryption (secure email, secure communications apps) to guard their privacy.

BE ENCRYPTED: I have heard many people say that they rather prefer a VPN in their home country than a foreign company. What is your opinion?

KAMDEN: It’s best for security if a VPN is located in a country whose government doesn’t require companies to keep customers’ logs. NordVPN is located in Panama, and we don’t store clients’ logs, therefore all their browsing data is completely secure.

BE ENCRYPTED: VPN companies (and some paid ones) generally claim that they do not keep logs; however, they do so anyway. What’s your stance and policy regarding the matter?

KAMDEN: As explained in the previous answer, NordVPN is located in a country, where companies do have to keep client’s logs by law. Our servers are set up in such a way, that all data is immediately sent to /dev/null directory. This directory acts like ‘black hole’ within the server. No information can possibly be retained from there. We cannot comment on other VPNs claims.

BE ENCRYPTED: Member FIVE EYES countries by law want every company to keep records for minimum 12 months. Since you have servers there, aren’t you liable to keep records as well? If not, how?

KAMDEN: We operate in Panama and we follow legislation of Panama that does not oblige data retention. Since we have control of the servers we have set up, all the data is immediately sent to /dev/null directory and the server does not keep any log to start with.  So, even in the unlikely scenario that a server was confiscated, there would be nothing of interest on the servers.

BE ENCRYPTED: Wikileaks reveals that CIA spied on citizens by exploiting the vulnerabilities in the devices previously unknown to the vendors; that gave CIA an opportunity to circumvent entirely the basic function that it was supposed to provide. Do you think your VPN client software might be compromised which could allow them access to the encrypted tunnel?

KAMDEN: The good news is that even though it was revealed that C.I.A. could potentially access and tinker with people’s devices (i.e. via injected malware), the WikiLeaks findings also show that encryption is still out of reach even for government spies. It is highly recommended to use secure privacy tools, such as VPNs, which help hide the user’s true location (IP address) and encrypt all the information that is being transferred through the Internet. NordVPN helps anonymize browsing the Internet with its modern security protocols and no logs policy.

BE ENCRYPTED: Speaking of VPN, people often ask what encrypted tunnel is and how does it protect data-in-transit?

KAMDEN: Encrypted tunnel keeps all the information private between the entry point (user’s computer) and the exit point VPN server.

BE ENCRYPTED: What’s your idea regarding future alternatives for VPN?

KAMDEN: Decentralized web might be the future of the Internet, since decentralization idea is gaining popularity among mainstream developer community. Till then, Internet users must be careful about their Internet privacy, and take initiative to implement available encryption tools.

There are already many existing ways to encrypt one’s Internet activities: secure email service providers or encrypted messaging apps, while, VPN services remain one of the must-have encryption services.

Overall, encryption – be it via encrypted email, messaging or VPN technology – remains the most secure tool available to protect one’s online privacy and security.

BE ENCRYPTED: In your opinion what might be the next great technological advancements in security features of your VPN?

KAMDEN: We have a number of features that we plan to unveil in the foreseeable future, which is confidential at the moment so you will have to wait for it.  Some of the latest improvements include improvements to our server picker algorithm, which selects the best server in a country of your choice, making NordVPN apps even more intuitive and simple to use.

BE ENCRYPTED: What sort of security tools are you currently excited about? What will you suggest people?

KAMDEN: For secure email, we recommend such providers as ProtonMail, and for secure communications, one of the most reliable apps is Signal. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that provides information from hundreds of sources and keeps the search private. Avira Antivirus Pro protects your Android device from malicious apps, banking Trojans, and other mobile threats. It comes with anti-virus scanner, app lock, and even phone finder. It is very important to ensure that any security tool you use, be it your firewall or antivirus, update the app to ensure any issues are patched. People must make sure they are cautious about their online privacy in general and take steps to ensure they are always secure.

The post Wikileaks, CIA, or FBI, Encryption Is Still Balancing Net Neutrality, Talks CMO of NordVPN appeared first on BeEncrypted.