The recent federal raid on the home of Washington Post reporter Hannah Natanson isn’t merely an attack by the Trump administration on the free press. It’s also a warning to anyone with a smartphone.
Included in the search and seizure warrant for the raid on Natanson’s home is a section titled “Biometric Unlock,” which explicitly authorized law enforcement personnel to obtain Natanson’s phone and both hold the device in front of her face and to forcibly use her fingers to unlock it. In other words, a judge gave the FBI permission to attempt to bypass biometrics: the convenient shortcuts that let you unlock your phone by scanning your fingerprint or face.-
It is not clear if Natanson used biometric authentication on her devices, or if the law enforcement personnel attempted to use her face or fingers to unlock her devices. Natanson and the Washington Post did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The FBI declined to comment.
that’s precisely why i never stopped using a password to access my phone.
You actually type “hunter2” in every time you want to unlock?
Yep. The only time it ever feels like a legit issue is while driving, but nobody is supposed to be on their phone while driving in the first place, biometrics or not. It takes almost no time to pull over if absolutely necessary.
Why did you type *******? You could just type a made up pass to use as the example, like “hunter2”
These days it has to be something like 1Hunt3r2!l} because enhanced security.
i like those password managers that make up word strings so it’s like hunter2,facepaint,ducks, now
now i just have to type in CatsTheButtholeCut every time
Instead of using your face or fingerprint to unlock it they could demand that you just type the password, could they not?
Good question. In the U.S. It violates your fifth amendment right not to testif against yourself/self-incriminate… unless a person doesn’t know that and voluntarily unlocks it.
From a legal perspective, no. Passwords would be a 5th amendment issue.
“I don’t recall.”
Nope, believe it or not, that’s treated entirely differently. Considered to be covered by the 5th amendment since you would be required to provide information that could be self-incriminating.
No.
There is no search warrant for the contents of your mind.
Of course “rubber hose decrypt” is always an option, but we’re not quite there yet.
I really think we are.
Aren’t we?
I believe it gets a bit trickier because you can use your right to remain silent? They also can’t physically force you to speak the password but they can restrain you and unlock your phone by force.