bocastephen

As mentioned in another thread, there are products out there that will boot to an empty Linux or Windows partition if you enter one password (when being searched), while booting to the normal partition if you enter the correct password. If you're concerned about these searches (by US or foreign officials), I suggest you install and use them.

All data should be encrypted by PGP, although the government is said to have a backdoor to the algorithm, making it likely they can eventually 'hack' your password - but it would still take them a long time. All encryption products sold legally in the USA (and other countries have their own requirements), must provide some information on the algorithm to the government.

What I'd like to see is some bright kid hacking the PGP model, changing the algorithm to something slightly different, adding some extra bits of encryption, then selling this new 'illegal' version through the Internet. That would

If they seize your laptop and hold it because you refused to disclose the password, you may need to hire a lawyer to file for the return of your property...depending on the cost of the laptop, it might be easier to let it go and buy a new one, restoring from the backup you should be making at all times.