Homeland InSecurity.

This might be the closest to the thought police we'll ever experience. At least I hope it is. Seizing and scanning any electronic device that crosses the border seems like a large invasion of privacy. Yes, it is unreasonable to randomly seize a laptop, copy its contents (which may include any information stored online that cookies or stored passwords will access), crack any encrypted file that might be found and store the results in a massive government database for undisclosed periods of time.

But we're talking about ANY electronic device capable of storing information. So your pda, blackberry, cell phone, iPod, usb drive and cd collection are all up for grabs too. (the feds won't have to coerce telcoms into illegally releasing phone records, they'll just download them from our handsets). But lets not stop there. What else do you have that carries information? Got any credit cards? Gift cards? Transit cards? Key fob? Library card? Wristwatch? Pedometer? It all goes into the database. No suspicion needed, just because you're there.

Remember carnivore? Well forget having to send data to someone else to have it intercepted. All you need to do is cross one of the borders of your own god damn country and your govenment will help itself to all the information you never had to consider was personal or private.

Proponents say they're preventing "criminals and terrorists with a means to smuggle child pornography or
other dangerous and illegal computer files into the country" with this warrantles (yet currently legal) policy. But lets face it, there are better ways of smuggling data into the country than shoving a usb drive up your backside and standing in line at customs. (are you guys searching all the UPS boxes that cross the border too?)

But lets say you're not at all concerned about feds finding anything on your discs that could be construed as criminal evidence. (you're gonna delete that mp3 library when you get home, aren't you?) Fine, you honestly feel comfortable about you personal and secure information being duplicated and stored by any number of federal agencies with little or no oversight? You don't worry about the possibility of impropriety or all too common digital security or confidentiality breach? Can I introduce you to my government?

Policies like this should make the entire population cringe and hold their breath, hoping they don't get their own rights caught up in the mix of ensuring "freedom" in general.

• Homeland Security: We can seize laptops for an indefinite period | The Iconoclast - politics, law, and technology - CNET News.com

What? This ISN'T My Car?

Ah the old switcheroo turned accidental car thief.  Its a story as old as the '85 Camry.  A mother went to pick up her daughter's car from school and used the key to open, start and drive home in the wrong grey Camry.  The victim doesn't blame the mother but said " Her key fit not only my lock, but my ignition as well - so high-five for Toyota, I guess."  A spokesman from Toyota said this was due to the key technology of two decades ago.  Hmm... yeah 4,000 years of using locks, but in the last 20 we finally figured out how to make different keys.  Sounds like you guys were just lazy.

• BostonHerald.com: Case closed in accidental car theft

Secur-umor-pple-ity

Ok, so I'm going to do a security post combined with a small rant against Apple, bisected with a little Australian humor.

I really don't like those commercials with the two guys and one says he's a Mac and the other says he's a PC. Sure it illustrates some of the key differences in a semi-abstract way, but it also misleads consumers into poor assumptions based on incomplete information. Like that one where the PC is sick and the Mac says that he doesn't get sick. Yeah, that's cause there aren't enough of you to make viruses worthwhile, not cause you've got bulletproof security. Its kind of a security through obscurity tact, which isn't really the best policy. So check out this Mac adware proof of concept. The company that produced it says it was actually easier to do than on a PC, someone just had to get around to doing it.

• Techdirt: Even Security Breaches Are Easier On Macs

Next, you know about Trojans. Yeah, they're banana sheaths (huh, I'd never though of that product in the context of slipping something in unnoticed before) , but I mean the kind of computer virus. They ride in disguised as something else, a reference (everyone knows) to the Trojan horse. Watch this clip of an Australian show that decided to see if anyone would still fall for the old Trojan Horse stunt.

• YouTube - Chasers - Trojan Horse

And lastly, back to Mac security. On Tuesday Apple released a patch for 22 security holes in OS X. Yeah, that slick talking young-type person in the commercial didn't say anything about that, did he? And I know that Microsoft is constantly releasing patches (for many more security holes) but what do you think when they do? That's right. "Sure they got these ones, but how many more are still at large?" Well the answer is that there will always be holes wherever people apply themselves. Sure you could be completely secure, but what good is a castle without gates? Sounds like a prison.

So to all you Mac owners out there rubbing your Powerbooks in my face, quit advertising how great Macs are. Your best hope for security is the continued unpopularity of the brand. Remember, just cause no one takes the time to smell your shit, doesn't mean it don't stink.

• AppleInsider | Apple patches 22 security holes in Mac OS X