Jailed for refusing to tell Police a password

[R1Geezer]

On the front page of the Metro it says that a teenager has been jailed for refusing to reveal a password. Does anyone know the law for this? It's in Scoitland so maybe it's different. It seems to me that you should not be forced to reveal passwords, seems a lttle out of order to sling him in jail. Presumably it's on some sort of "obstruction" charge, any thoughts and opinions on this? Anyone have a detailed understanding of this area? thanks

[jake-the-peg]

Here you go

http://lawiscool.com/...rds-are-the-new-guns/

[bibblebub]

http://www.independen...password-2098817.html

the officers are tackling child sexual exploitation

[R1Geezer]

Eek, didn't know about that one jake, when did that come in?

[society]

I guess it's like a live-in property, if the police have a warrant to enter your computer they should have access to.

[squarebear]

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 covers this.

[jake-the-peg]

2007 - you can get 5 years for a national security [ or child indecency] related offence or 2 for other types.

I'm sure you'll find reason (c) for such an order interesting:

//
disclosure requirement in respect of any protected information is necessary on grounds falling within this subsection if it is necessary—

(a)in the interests of national security;

(b)for the purpose of preventing or detecting crime; or

(c)in the interests of the economic well-being of the United Kingdom.

//

[AB Editor]

(C) Is very vague. How could this be interpreted practically?

It seems to fall in close to the logic of "give the bankers money because they make the country "rich" (not just themselves, or their companies obviously!)".

We do really need to get to a point where law-makers actually understand computers and the internet.

All the best,

Spare Ed

[DrFilth]

are we winning the war

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hATC_2I1wZE&feature=related

[R1Geezer]

So a Noo labour measure then!

Presumably they would seize the equipment before issuing a section 49, or you could just remove anything incriminating and give them the password.

[DrFilth]

R1 the police do not even need a search warrant to search your house these days

[Mosaic]

As the filthy perv has been downloading and distributing child porn, I'd suggest the refusal represents withholding cooperation. They'll get the password anyway, it'll just take longer - 50 characters is an unusually long password for someone with nothing to hide.

[R1Geezer]

I presume you are referring to the "terrorism" overide for a normal search warrant!

[Mosaic]

Not bothered about the niceties.

[R1Geezer]

I wasn't commenting on the crime mosaic just the legal technicalities. How will they get the password anyway? Passwords themselves are stored using irreversable encryption and I don't think they'll guess it with 50 chars.

[squarebear]

"Passwords themselves are stored using irreversable encryption"

I take it you don't work in IT?

[R1Geezer]

the terrorsim overide comment was for DrFilth

[Mosaic]

'They' won't guess, they will use software-driven logical elimination.

[R1Geezer]

Yes I do squarebear, what of it?

[squarebear]

Then you should know that software is available which will decrypt passwords. Granted, a 50 character one will take some time but it's certainly possible.

[R1Geezer]

How will they eliminate mosaic? the response doesn't tell you which characters are wrong.