Convicted Man Sues HP After Encryption Failed to Keep Him Out of Prison

Iria · May 7, 2006, 09:12 PM

Source: Daily Tech
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Michael Crooker had his lawsuit concerning Hewlett-Packard's DriveLock encryption software tossed out of court. Crooker had his Compaq laptop seized by FBI agents in 2004 after bomb-making materials were found at his home. He claimed that the FBI then used an HP-provided hack to break the DriveLock encryption used on the hard drive even though he had no evidence to back up those claims.

Not surprisingly, the FBI's attempts to break the encryption succeeded and incriminating evidence was found on the laptop. Crooker's contention is that HP shouldn't have provided the FBI with the means to break the encryption on his hard drive. From the Hartford Advocate:

"Even if it´s the CIA and the NSA, it´s wrong for HP to say, 'we can´t help you if you lose your password´," he said. "It´s causing people to hide things on their computers, and they´re not secure."

May 7, 2006, 09:12 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Convicted Man Sues HP After Encryption Failed to Keep Him Out of Prison Source: Daily Tech ____________ Michael Crooker had his lawsuit concerning Hewlett-Packard's DriveLock encryption software tossed out of court. Crooker had his Compaq laptop seized by FBI agents in 2004 after bomb-making materials were found at his home. He claimed that the FBI then used an HP-provided hack to break the DriveLock encryption used on the hard drive even though he had no evidence to back up those claims. Not surprisingly, the FBI's attempts to break the encryption succeeded and incriminating evidence was found on the laptop. Crooker's contention is that HP shouldn't have provided the FBI with the means to break the encryption on his hard drive. From the Hartford Advocate: "Even if it´s the CIA and the NSA, it´s wrong for HP to say, 'we can´t help you if you lose your password´," he said. "It´s causing people to hide things on their computers, and they´re not secure."