How To Send HDD ( Data Only ) Safely to US ?

I have been living in another country & now moving back to USA.

I have 500 GB of data on a Hard disk.

I am going to carry one copy of that HD with me in carry on luggage in my flight.

But I would also like to send another copy of the same HD to USA either by post or thru a courier as a back up just in case something happens to the HD I am carrying with me.

How safe the second HD would be if I protected it with an OS password ? If someone gets hold of it, can they open that HD ? If yes, how do I send it by Post so that the data will be protected ?

Thanks

 

Well, what's on the disk?

In today's world, you may face questions -- and TPTB may want to keep a copy. (Writing that, I wonder how much storage they have.) Anyway, they may request/demand to keep the disk, and it may be damaged when you get it back.

Do you really need all 500 GB? You could store whatever you really need in one of the online backup services -- in a TrueCrypt volume. To be safe, do it 2-3 times, using independently-created TrueCrypt volumes.

 

A mere OS password wont protect anything. Anyone with even a modicum of technical knowledge can get right in. You will need to encrypt the drive with something like TrueCrypt, as the guy above said.

 

hierophant,

Let me see if I understood you correctly.

TPTB meaning authorities at US airport OR if I send it by post then US Postal service might want to keep the HD to check what is in it ?

If that is the case that you pretty much can't take laptop with you on an international flight ?

Please accept my ignorance but I think you might have some experience or detail knowledge of this.

So can you please clarify it ?

What if I Encrypt it ? Would they force me to open it ?

I am confused.

Thanks

 

Most every day, millions of people travel internationally with data -- on computers, drives, music and video players, cellphones, etc. Most of the time, nothing happens. And, for most of them, there's nothing at risk.

The fact that you've posted a question on Wilders about this implies to me that there might be something at risk for you. If there isn't, don't worry about it. If there is, well ...

Just think it through. Let's say you encrypt the disk, or create a TrueCrypt file for some "private" data. Now, if you're picked for random screening -- or if you look nervous -- they might want to look. If they see encryption, perhaps they'll wonder what you have to hide. So they'll ask questions. And ...

Anyway, if there's nothing to hide, just carry the disk, and either ship a copy to yourself, or leave one with someone whom you trust, as backup. If there is something to hide, don't carry it, IMHO. Figure out another way.

 

To put everyone who is helping me, I want to let them know that I have absolutely nothing to hide & won't mind showing anyone my entire hard drive.

I have lots of world stock market data that I have collected Painstakingly over the years & if anyone is trading stocks or Forex or Futures would know that it takes lots of disk space ( GBs ) to store tick data.

That is what I want to protect. It will be extremely difficult if not impossible to recollect that data & cost & time would be outrageous.

That is the reason I want that data for rest of my life & wouldn't mind going thru any steps to achieve that.

Uploading that data to a storage site is not possible due to very low uploading speed of the internet.

Hope this clarifies any questions you might have.

 

OK, cool. DHL is good, too.

And even so, I wouldn't count on the one in your bag. If it's searched, it may be damaged.

 

It is India & I hope that wouldnt come under one of the red flag countries.

 

Use Truecrypt and encrypt entire disk with a good(long and random) password. If they want to sniff around it and give you "gestapo" questions, demand a layer and practice your right to remain silent, do not speak at all no matter what. If there is nothing personal on that drive but you wouldn't like that anyone who opens it can copy your work, encrypt the drive and when you get asked what is inside, say "stockmarket things", when they want to take a look saying "if you have nothing to hide, why don't you decrypt it," demand for a layer and remain silent, your representative should do the rest. Even if you decrypt the drive, "you know who" might still want to confiscate your drive "just in case."

 

1) Backup the Disk using Acronis, splitting into 700mb (CD size) files.
2) Encrypt each separate file in its own TrueCrypt container.
3) RAR each container for protection against data corruption during FTP up and down processes..
4) Get yourself a hosting account with Dreamhost.
5) Upload everything over two or three days. Use SFTP instead of FTP for this step.
6) Travel.
7) Reverse when you reach destination.

I have done this myself in similar circumstances, although with only around 350GB of private files.

If you don't want to leave the HDD behind, destroy it using DBAN, then burn.