From: Mark Hahn <mhahn@tcbtech.com>
Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 10:40:50 +0800
To: Mok-Kong Shen <cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Stego-empty hard drives... (fwd)
In-Reply-To: <199809220116.UAA20070@einstein.ssz.com>
Message-ID: <3.0.1.32.19980922113203.0097b4b0@mail.aosi.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain



At 03:33 PM 9/22/98 +0100, Mok-Kong Shen wrote:
>Mark Hahn wrote:
>> 
>> 2) If you can't leave your floppy at home, carry your sensitive data on
>> a PCMCIA Type-II Hard Drive. Kingston sells one sporting 500MB
>> of capacity. Pop it out and put it as far away from the laptop as you
>> can. Inside your other luggage somewhere.
>
>I am ignorant about hardware. Question: Wouldn't it be possible to
>somehow put information on a music CD?

Sure. Simply trade offs of what's important to you and the situation you
might be in. 

If disguise is a primary factor, then a write once music CD would be
excellent.  If you need re-writable capability, use a CD-RW (re-writable
CD). However a CD-RW appears gold underneath, not sliver-ish, so
you have less of a disguise.

If you need fast random access, then neither version of CD will be
suitable. Hence the PCMCIA Hard Disk. However, you may have 
difficulty coming up with a cover story if, indeed, you do not want
to tell  a customs officer, "Oh, yeah, that's a portable disk drive".

As another trade off, most Laptops don't have CD-ROM writing drives,
so you would need an outboard drive. There are probably slick, portable
versions available, but that's more junk to lug through the airport
(and to explain, if necessary.)

Also, I was trying to suggest something practical to address the problem.
I.e. can be done in a week and under $500. Some of us could re-write the
BIOS and flash in the update in that time frame. Others of us will find
a credit card and mail order an easier route to take. (uh... minus the
lack of anonymity of buying mail order....)

-MpH
--------
Mark P. Hahn                    Work: 212-278-5861
mhahn@tcbtech.com               Home: 609-275-1834
TCB Technologies, Inc (mhahn@tcbtech.com)

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