Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

If he had disclosed the password. I think he may have got a lot longer than 16 weeks. depending on what they found.

how do they know it's a 50 character password?

and if you think about it. unless you disclose your password to personal/private material on your computer. they can only assume the worst. and you not disclosing it so that they can read and view it is a criminal offence.

who makes these laws?

I think the lesson here is. if you have anything on your computer that will get you locked up for a long time. refuse to give them the password. you'll get a lot less longer sentence.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-11479831

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

I found it a bit odd. I thought anything could be cracked these days. If the crime would have been terrorist related you'd have thought (hoped) they would have managed to crack it

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

It's not like it is on the tele. not even with beeping noises either :)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Hang on, I'll just make a GUI interface in VB to trace that IP address :D

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Like you speepyfreak I thought that they would be able to get anything of the hardrive. Strange that they cant crack the password on this one. What happens if they never dont get pass the password? :erm: Do they keep him in jail until they do get past the password and see what exactly he has on his computer?

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

He's obviously hiding something on the machine, maybe if they pass it over to the FBI or something.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Depends if they can afford the 50 years of compensation they owe him :)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Random off topic question, how many laws and regulations are there in the UK?, they seem to have something for everything.

I never even knew they had a "Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000"

:dozey:

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

You can't assume the worst just because he has it passworded. that would mean child porn goes with encryption. unless it's government. then it's just data.

Officer Smith has a locked draw in his desk. He is obviously trying to hide evidence of corruption. The fact he has curtains in his windows also shows he doesn't want people seeing him beat his wife. He no doubt has vast quantities of child porn as proven by using a password to get into his laptop.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

:erm: Compensation for what. Sorry if I sound a bit dim :(:dunce:

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

For keeping him locked up for 50 years for hiding pictures of his wife modelling her new PVC dress and leather boots from them.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

You got me on that one. :(:D:D:D Very good. ;)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

The FBI? 0_o

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

The police must have had a tip of that there was something dodgy on his laptop as they dont just go arresting people just for the sake of it. Nothing on the report says what the reason was that brought them to their attention to this guy and his laptop

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Oh no, if he has curtains he must be a terroroist ;)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

You mean "Spooks" isn't a documentary? :(

seriously though, I would have thought a password could be cracked though you make a good point, how can he be jailed. Like I said I found the story strange

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

I thought it could be cracked as well but you learn something new everyday :(:D

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

So does this mean that the right to remain silent does not extend to computer passwords?

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Would look like it as he is locked up for remaining silent:erm: and very interesting question :D

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

I'd guess the fifty days are purely for refusing to disclose the password, he won't do fifty days and then walk away, when his time is done he'll go before the judge once more and be asked again for the password, that is if they have not cracked it by then.
If he refuses, he'll get another fifty days...and so on.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

I would say that's covered under double deopardy, but that's another human right our Labour dear leaders have unburdened us with.

I don't know if it's urban legend or not and wether it happened here or abroad, but didn't a priest get an indefinite prison sentence for refusing to divulge details of a murder obtained under confession. Even if it happened again iu;m sure the European Court would overturn it.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Double jeopardy was done away with in 2005.

I haven't heard that story about the priest.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

There are plenty of examples where the right to remain silent doesn't exist.

Having to provide the name of the driver of a vehicle is the example that immediately springs to mind.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

You can download encryption from the Internet free of charge and encrypt a message that is unlikely to be broken in your lifetime, even assuming there are massive advances in computing power during that time.

The only option is to try every possible combination of letters, numbers and punctuation. Think about how long that will take given the 26 letters of each case, 10 numbers, and various bits of punctuation over 50 characters ;)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

I wonder if they've tried 'password123' :)

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

He'll just do the fifty days. they won't keep going around in circles asking him for the password, and putting him away again if he won't or can't tell them.

---------- Post added at 09:38 ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 ----------

What if you genuinely can't remember it? what if you had a piece of paper with a line of 50 characters hidden in a safe deposit box on the otherside of the world, that you said is the correct password that doesn't work when they go and bring it back?

---------- Post added at 09:58 ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 ----------

That's only got 11. this one's got 50 and might even work :)

SIERRA MIKE FOXTROT CHARLIE YANKEE CHARLIE SIERRA CHARLIE

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

50 alpha characters is crazy, entropy of 256 bits + (more like 270)

Even if it could be cracked I very much doubt that the black helicopter squadron would admit they had the capability.

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Well even if he dodges being charged this time he'll be under watch until he slips up..:erm:

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

There are many encryption programs available free on the internet that use algorithms that if properly implemented are nigh impossible to crack. 3DES & Blowfish 256 are a couple that spring to mind.
A couple of techniques:
Brute force every option that will take longer than the age of the universe...seriously
Rubber hose decryption which involves hitting him with a rubber hose until he reveals it.

Nobody can remember a random 50 character passwords unless it's a phrase or lyrics to a song he may have in his music collection. A decent personality profile should indicate what it might be.

Brute forcing a password like "johnny" has to be started from scratch if he changes it to "Johnny"

Re: Man jailed over computer password refusal
 

Spot on, and as you point out they're actually not even 'cracking' (although that's the terminology that they use) they're 'brute forcing' it.

Given that they're probably having to try the most common characters a conservative estimate suggests that they're most likely going to looking at somewhere around about 10^56 years to try all the possibilities.