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Ask Slashdot: Encrypted Digital Camera/Recording Devices?
Ransak writes "As we hear more and more about dashboard cameras catching unplanned events, I've thought of equipping my vehicles with them just in case that 'one in a billion' moment happens. But given the level of overreach law enforcement has shown, I'd only consider one if I could be assured that the data was secure from prying eyes (e.g., a camera that writes to encrypted SD memory). Are there any solutions for the niche market of the paranoid photographer/videographer?"
"Hrm. Well there, this SD card looks blank. Format."
And it's tossed in the trash because it was broken.
What you need is something that streams to off site.
Are there any solutions for the niche market of the paranoid photographer/videographer?"
Why yes, yes there is. It's called building it yourself. While encryption isn't illegal, you may have noticed despite the obvious benefits and lack of drawbacks to the consumer, it isn't found pretty much anywhere. This is deliberate: Various law enforcement agencies that don't want to be found out make backroom deals to keep companies from providing this most useful of features because it would make their job more difficult. Or at least, so they say. In truth, they just want access to "ALL THE THINGZ!" regardless of whether there's a legitimate judiciary need for it. And encryption means they'd have to serve warrants and stuff to get the keys, not just go clandestine copy-pasta on your personal data.
So your niche market isn't niche at all -- it would already be out there, if not for the authoritarian governments of the world (I'm looking at you "free" western society). Now with that out of the way, you can roll your own easily. Embedded devices with a USB connector and linux are a dime a dozen, and most sport the ability to store data to an SD or CF card, as well as boot off of them. It's possible to create one-way encryption so something can be written to using a public key, but only decrypted using a private key not located on the same physical device. This would provide you with a tamper-evident system, and simultaniously provide full protection for your privacy; You can't recover the data without the key, and the data cannot be modified without it either.
#fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
Hmm, an SD card plugged into your camera, sticking out in plain view, with nothing on it. A second card, installed under the dash, that does the recording. "Why no, officer, I don't believe the camera was turned on".
And the worms ate into his brain.
The only actual solution is to stream the video to off-site hosted storage, preferably in an inconvenient foreign jurisdiction. If it's stored on the device, it's subject to seizure - whether encrypted or not. Losing the video is often worse than having it viewed by someone against your will. And rest assured, if you record something really bad, there's a good chance someone will destroy the recording device (whether the perpetrator is government or non-government).
I am a geek attorney, but not your geek attorney unless you've already retained me. This is not legal advice.
Either it isn't thought through, or it is chimera. The thing is if you what you are worried about it corrupt cop does something you record, they stop you, and take the recording away, encryption does fuck-all to stop that. The cops steal the gear, that is that.
The solution to that is a backup, or a fake item. A setup where the obvious camera isn't the one that records, or that there is a second SD card elsewhere that has a copy or something.
Encryption is only useful if he wants to be able to cover his tracks, and selectively release video. This is precisely what corrupt police like to do with their dash cams. They use them to protect themselves, but turn them off or "lose" the video when they are breaking the law.
So to me it implies that he probably like breaking traffic law, and doesn't want the evidence of that around, but still wants to be able to record things.
Well you know that they can get a warrant to force you to decrytpt it
The 5th Amendment would tend to disagree with you, at least in the US. Now if they grant you immunity, then yes you have to decrypt it, but then you have immunity and are not at risk.
to be honest if you driving on the public highway is there any reasonable reason why you would want to deny law enforcement access to it?
Because I want to and it's a free society?
try to hide your footage implies that you have been doing something naughty driving wise.
It implies nothing more than I don't want other people to see it without my permission.
People in cars cause accidents....accidents in cars cause people