CBP Wants New Tech to Search for Hidden Data on Seized Phones

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agency is seeking new technology that can help agents search for hidden data on seized phones.

As phone encryption methods become more sophisticated, CBP is finding it increasingly difficult to access potential evidence on mobile devices that have been confiscated during border searches.

The agency is looking for tools that can bypass encryption or find hidden data in apps or cloud storage services.

CBP hopes that the new technology will allow agents to more effectively investigate potential criminal activity, such as drug trafficking or human trafficking, that may be stored on smartphones.

Privacy advocates have raised concerns about the potential for abuse of such technology and the impact it could have on individual rights.

CBP argues that the use of these tools is necessary to keep pace with advances in technology and to protect national security.

The agency has not specified which companies or technologies it is considering for this purpose, but it is likely to spark debate among lawmakers and civil liberties groups.

It remains to be seen how the use of this new technology will be implemented and whether it will lead to legal challenges in the future.

Overall, the CBP’s quest for new tech to search for hidden data on seized phones raises important questions about the balance between privacy and security in the digital age.