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Dave
Ninja Editor
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Bay Area, CA
 
2012-01-24, 02:01

Quote:
Originally Posted by SpecMode View Post
Actually, if they had a warrant, they'd just break the door down if they couldn't get the combo. Whether or not you actually give them the combo becomes irrelevant. The difference between the two concepts is that authorities can brute force a door open without your active cooperation, but they can't reasonably brute force encryption past a certain point without some kind of backdoor - the only sure method they have for obtaining that evidence requires you to disclose the password, thus potentially incriminating yourself.
So... I'm only allowed to say no because they can knock my door down? That rather misses the point, doesn't it? I mean what good does the right to "plead the 5th" do you if it's only there in instances where they don't need you to plead anything at all? For the 5th amendment to mean anything, wouldn't it have to applied to digital evidence the same way it is physical evidence?

When I was a kid, people who did wrong were punished, restricted, and forbidden. Now, when someone does wrong, all of the rest of us are punished, restricted, and forbidden... and the one who did the wrong is counselled and "understood" and fed ice cream.
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