With reports that the witnesses in today’s murder by ICE were all detained (and their phones presumably confiscated), I’ve been thinking nonstop about if I were to record ICE or the cops doing something, how could I ensure that any videos I record are not able to be deleted, assuming my phone was confiscated? I’m talking about specific tactics.
My phone runs iOS. I already have a strong passcode which hopefully makes brute forcing difficult. I use ADP and the only thing I back up automatically are photos and videos. In theory, I think my setup is fairly secure, since it would be hard to get into my phone or my iCloud account. But I don’t know what vulnerabilities or tools I may be missing.
I’m asking for iOS, but I think it’s good to discuss Android and GrapheneOS as well.
59 Comments
yaroto98@lemmy.world · 52 pts · 199d
Set up syncthing on your phone and whatever other device (laptop/pc/another phone at home/etc). Point it to your photos/videos folder and sync to your device at home(or friend's house). If your phone is confiscated and they manage to get it deleted from the cloud, you'll have a copy on your device. Make sure you enable settings like trashcan or versioning so the files deleted on your phone aren't auto deleted on the device.
BlackCat@piefed.social · 25 pts · 199d
This. One-way sync to a home server/NAS or secure cloud storage that is not logged into on your phone (e.g. if you sync to NAS or a cloud service, don't be logged in on other apps/web).
if your phone is taken while filming, it Won't upload until it's done recording. The agents will probably hit stop, then delete. you'd have to do some testing to see if that will stop the sync.
fizzle@quokk.au · 3 pts · 199d
what?
I don't think there will be a reliable work around for this. It will take a while to upload anyway.
umbrella@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 199d
BlackCat@piefed.social · 2 pts · 199d
If you're one-way syncing your camera files to Dropbox for safe keeping, you don't want to leave a way for them to access Dropbox.
WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 199d
set the fs watcher delay to something small in the advancdd folder settings in syncthing.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/config?version=v1.29.6#config-option-folder.fswatcherdelays
Saapas@piefed.zip · 5 pts · 198d
Also set it not to sync deletions
captain_aggravated@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 199d
It is my understanding that iOS does not support Syncthing.
yaroto98@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 199d
Mayne that's old? My quick google show Mobius Sync and Synctrain are two syncthing clients that work on ios.
Nurse_Robot@lemmy.world · 41 pts · 199d
Live stream
bdonvr@thelemmy.club · 37 pts · 199d
Take a burner and live stream. Do not keep any sensitive info or log into anything other than the live streaming platform.
If you have your personal phone on you TURN IT OFF when law enforcement is nearby. The most secure state for your phone is before you unlock it after it boots up. The first unlock decrypts it and makes it much more vulnerable.
faythofdragons@slrpnk.net · 10 pts · 199d
Where do you livestream? I'm trying to find a service that isn't shit.
Scubus@sh.itjust.works · 7 pts · 199d
Twitch.tv is most peoples preffered option. Theyre corporate, so i would be surprised if violence doesnt violate their tos, but i see protest livestreams all the time so idk. It also automatically saves a video of your livestream for two weeks iirc
faythofdragons@slrpnk.net · 2 pts · 199d
Ugh. That's the best option I've been able to find, but I really don't trust Amazon to not just immediately roll over for the feds.
sharkfucker420@lemmy.ml · 34 pts · 199d
Encryption is good but even better is uploading it somewhere as soon as humanly possible
umbrella@lemmy.ml · 8 pts · 199d
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 199d
If it's just photo/video: Immich does the job very well.
If it's also files: Syncthing/resilio
communism@lemmy.ml · 28 pts · 199d
Auto upload to a remote location (e.g. VPS), ideally somewhere out of the country to really minimise chances of deletion. Could also have it auto upload to several places. You'll need good enough internet connection to upload it though, so if they're using signal jammers at a protest that could be a problem.
In terms of preventing deletion on the phone itself, you can't really stop them from "losing" your phone, even if they can't get into it.
solrize@lemmy.ml · 28 pts · 199d
If your phone is confiscated, you can't count on getting it back. Upload the video to a server or another nearby machine (maybe another phone) as you shoot it. There are apps for that purpose of course.
Weydemeyer@lemmy.ml · 19 pts · 199d
My videos already sync to iCloud. My concern is if the cops were to get into my phone, they could just go to the Photos app and delete it from the device and my iCloud account.
tanisnikana@lemmy.world · 23 pts · 199d
Disable faceID and secure your phone with a strong alphanumeric pin (which can include spaces to make it easy to remember) of at least thirty characters before going into any sort of situation where you know henchmen will be.
If henchmen get the drop on you and you’re not prepared, then ideally keep a six-digit pin at all times. It’ll be easier to get into, but it’ll still take them lots of work.
j4k3@piefed.world · 14 pts · 199d
All of this can be bypassed on most devices except Graphene OS using the tools they now have available.
tanisnikana@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 199d
Ah fuck.
Well, they’re not immune to getting killed.
j4k3@piefed.world · 4 pts · 199d
I was looking for the image to see if I saved it, but apparently not. There was a image floating around of a private meeting slide presentation that showed the various phones and their vulnerabilities. IIRC, the main things were some issue with the number of allowed log in attempts when all the mobile devices are in the initial boot lock versus regular lock state. The other was how the default USB behavior is handled in the locked state. These are default locked down in Graphene. Additionally, there are tools like a second lock screen password that factory resets the device completely in the background, and automatic reboots so that the phone goes into the initial boot locked state regularly.
If they can't get into the device, they will probably just steal it.
deranger@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 199d
iOS has lockdown mode. If you have proof of this being bypassed I’d love to see it.
reallykindasorta@slrpnk.net · 1 pts · 199d
How to activate?
deranger@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 199d
Settings > Privacy & Security > Lockdown Mode
tomiant@piefed.social · 3 pts · 199d
I'm not so sure this is the case, at least not trivially, but I'm no pro. There's a reason the feds sued Apple trying to get them to unlock that one guy's phone. Same goes for Android, the most important part is not using biometrics (face, fingerprint) and set a 6 digit pin (or whatever max it allows for).
Before going somewhere hot like a protest, make sure the screen locks automatically when you click power off button, and screen timeout to minimum. Make sure beforehand that your phone has device encryption turned on.
If you use something like google drive or whatever, make it auto-upload your photos/videos, and rather take many shorter videos than one long one, if you find it too technical to set up syncthing or similar, so finished film gets uploaded in the background while you take new one.
Instant screen lock is the most important I think, that way if the pigs come for you, just click the power button and your chances of keeping the vid are pretty solid. Oh, set "automatically backup over data" also, often by default it just does over wifi.
Batadon@feddit.org · 9 pts · 199d
Send it to someone else maybe, so there is a copy of it that can't be deleted from your phone.
MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz · 6 pts · 199d
If you have access to another device, you can log into icloud.com and remotely log out of the phone.
Files "deleted" from icloud can also be restored on icloud.com/recovery for up to 30 days after deletion.
solrize@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 199d
Oh that's interesting. Can you reach your iCloud stuff from a remote computer? Just have something on the remote machine auto-uoload the video from iCloud to some storage outside the US.
Balaquina@lemmy.ca · 2 pts · 199d
Try Proton. It's based in Switzerland, is encrypted, and way more secure than using anything associated with Apple or Google, aka the fascist regime.
Weydemeyer@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 199d
I pay for a Proton account already, this is a great suggestion, I’m going to look into this (can’t believe I forgot this)
nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 21 pts · 199d
if you want to be really super sure then you live stream the video. That's how it was done at occupy.
rimu@piefed.social · 14 pts · 199d
A live streaming drone would be ideal.
umbrella@lemmy.ml · 2 pts · 199d
nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 199d
live streaming from a phone is very practical. I don't think I'd be flying a drone around
stressballs@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 193d
DHS recently revised their guidelines to include their mobile operations in the no fly zones. So now you literally cannot fly a drone near them in the US. You need your phone and a good body cam or two to boot.
CascadiaRo@lemmy.zip · 11 pts · 199d
Lots of discussion around encryption states at boot / disabling FaceID
For iOS, Invoking the shutdown dialog (Lock+Volume) or activating Emergency Mode (Lock 5x Fast) puts the device into a “Lockdown” state where FaceID no longer works, PIN authentication is the only means to unlock the device.
umbrella@lemmy.ml · 9 pts · 199d
drmoose@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 199d
Auto upload to cloud that someone bas access to. Even Google photos with shared partners will automatically download your partners auto uploaded videos and photos. This should be more than enough until nazis take full control.
aberrate_junior_beatnik@midwest.social · 10 pts · 199d
Syncthing has "send only" folders
the_riviera_kid@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 199d
Remove any biometrics from your device, its easy to "forget" your pin but you cant forget your fingerprint.
WoodScientist@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 199d
This isn't realistically helpful. The cops will just smash your phone. OP didn't ask how to keep cops from accessing their video; they asked how to keep cops from deleting/destroying video.
fahfahfahfah@lemmy.billiam.net · 6 pts · 199d
For iOS (and I believe android), triggering an emergency call by hitting the lock button a bunch of times of times also disables faced/touchid
Chronographs@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 199d
Once the phone has been restarted you can’t use biometrics anyways
happydoors@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 199d
There is a deep setting on iOS for full encryption of everything. It can make it harder to retrieve your things if you forget your password but that’s exactly what you want here.
happydoors@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 199d
Also, on top of other great ideas. Make sure iCloud sync is on, low battery isn’t, and it should sync if it is topped up enough
SirHax@feddit.nu · 1 pts · 198d
OP mentioned having ADP and automatic backups enabled and I believe iCloud sync uploads photos continuously. The biggest risk is as you say battery saving and if it will upload data over mobile data (should be a setting for that).
Further than that I would say the big question is if someone else would actually be able to access the data if OP is detained.... and of course https://xkcd.com/538/ (I don't think the random chuds in ICE would have the know how for any technical bypass)
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 9 pts · 199d
https://guardianproject.info/apps/org.witness.proofmode/
Camille_Jamal@lemmy.ml · 7 pts · 199d
Keeping a live stream going on a burner phone is a good idea, removing biometrics and identifying information from main phone where possible, remote backup to a different location (preferably 1-way) keeping them both in the fully off locked state when not in use. Burner phone should only have your livestream/1-way backup passwords, nothing else. I hope you don’t have to experience this, but better safe than sorry
lemmylommy@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 199d
ADP is good. Use the iCloud foto upload. In the settings of the fotos app enable unlimited mobile data. In the mobile network settings enable „more data over 5G“. After recording if possible go to the fotos app and tell it to continue syncing if it stops because you are on battery or not on wifi, which it still sometimes does despite the settings. Before someone takes your phone click the side button five times. That disables faceid and makes it harder to unlock with spy tools.
Also in the Face ID settings:
Disable masks
Enable require attention (if the phone still accepts faceid and someone holds it to your face to unlock it, close your eyes and keep them closed. Don’t squint.)
Enable „erase data“ (after 10 attempts. Makes it practically impossible to bruteforce the phone).
jet@hackertalks.com · 6 pts · 198d
https://tella-app.org/ not capable of live streaming yet, but otherwise does all the activist safety and witnessing. Open source, can sync to clouds, but currently requires manual triggering.
Kinda stepping into the gap the ACLU left behind. Worth looking at
Weydemeyer@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 198d
That looks pretty great, actually.
hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org · 4 pts · 199d
would be nice to have an 'instant sync to remote location' shortcut, i kinda have this on android with termux and rsync but not sure for ios
a live streaming method would be good too, also a burner phone
davel@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 199d
The ACLU used to provide an app & service specifically for such situations, but they discontinued it a year ago.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ACLU_Mobile_Justice
Techlos@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 4 pts · 199d
set up a local VPN on your NAS/file server and add your phone to the VPN. Next, map a local drive on your phone to the NAS. Dunno if you can do that on iOS, but at least on android you can. Disable modify and delete permissions on the NAS folder, so that the phone can only write/read from it, then use a camera app that lets you choose the save location and set it to record video to the network drive. Requires a pretty solid connection, but is extremely robust.
hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org · 1 pts · 198d
how do I do this on android? NFS never seemed to work for me on android.
Techlos@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 198d
Hmm, CIFS document provider on fdroid might work?
hexagonwin@lemmy.sdf.org · 1 pts · 198d
i've tried it before, it's very unstable and prone to connection issues. only kinda works for manual file copying and still very slow. was wondering if you had some setup that works well
cynar@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 198d
On both IOS and android, you can activate the camera without unlocking the phone. On android it's via a double click of the power button, by default. This makes it far more difficult to delete it quickly.
Combined with an auto upload script makes their job a lot harder.
solrize@lemmy.ml · 3 pts · 199d
As a few people have said, using mobile data to sync to a remote server is susceptible to local jamming of your mobile signal. So you might want to sync by wifi to some nearby device(s) instead. I guess it depends on the location, whether you can have a car parked nearby, etc. Or if it's near your home or office, maybe you can have a fixed camera watching the scene.
Appoxo@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 199d
Keep a consistent sync between a server you control and the phone.
Something like immich will make it easy.