Best way to bring passwords file overseas?

When I travel out of usa, I want to bring my password manager and the data file with me. There are several approaches:

(1) use a password manager that stores a file on the laptop (e.g. roboform). However, the laptop could be stolen along with the password file which could be subject to brute force decryption attempt. Or at the airport the search agent may ask for the file to be decrypted.

(2) Use a cloud based password manager like lastpass. Since there is no password file on the laptop, there is nothing to be stolen. And it can't be searched. But lastpass server could be hacked and password files stolen.

(3) use a password manager that stores a file on the laptop, but move the file to my private web storage before I depart, then move the file back to my laptop after I arrived. I think my web storage is less likely to be target of hackers than lastpass' server, plus the file is only there for a day while I travel.

I'm leaning towards (3). What do you think?

 

Hi, yeah 3 is the better option there IMO.

But i would put my PW's into notepad, that is Notepad not Word etc, then encrypt it with a stong PW and email to yourself. But don't label it PW etc.

When you arrive, DL the file and unencrypt it. You can always recrypt it, and/or securely delete it after use. Also you could re DL it etc as many times as you like after deleting from your comp.

 

Umn... does airport security have authority to tell the passenger to decrypt his/her files?

 

Short answer: No.

Long Answer: Depends on what country. For instance in Canada and the US they cannot force you to hand over the password or decrypt it but in the UK they can. Under UK law they can sentence you for not turning over you password. Also in countries like Canada and the US while they can't force you to give up the password the can hold you up to 48 hours (or is it 72 now?) before releasing you.

Personally I store it in a keypass data base that I email to my self in a TC container with a key file sent to another email address inside of a picture (using steg hide). (the keyfile is also encrypted with GPG/S/mime). The second email NO ONE knows about and has no connection ( Not even IP address) and a new one is made every time i go on a trip. This my favorite way of doing this. My HDD is also encrypted with TC and I use a modified Grub boot loader and store the TC boot loader on a flash drive. This way it boots linux (Which looks used but really it isn't. It creates files and "touch" them to that date using Cron). The other partition doesn't show up so no one checks (so far at least). The usb drive is encrypted and the bootloader is just the ISO TC gives you to burn which i just put back on when I get to the hotel Paranoid? Maybe but it is also fun to set these things up. Makes you feel like a spy