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Comment by m_eiman | Hacker News Reader

Wouldn't it be possible to conveniently hide your usual filesystem from the border officers by using the new APFS shared-filesystems-in-single-container feature, without having to pre-allocate and waste space for an additional hidden data partition?

Just install macOS like you normally do, set it up with a user and some basic data. Then create a new partition in the same container and install what you normally use (or even clone the first one, if that's possible).

Then set the basic one as default boot source, and hold alt on boot to select the other one to get work done.

A light version of the "hidden encrypted volume" solution, without any risk of overwriting your files.

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It's probably obstruction of Justice.

I thought that's only the case when there's already an investigation?

Maybe I used the wrong words. I am not a lawyer, so I don't know the exact name of it. But I know using special configs to hide stuff from a federal agent is the same as lying to them which is a felony, I think. Not sure if it is the same in Canada though.

You’re not required to do their job for them, so just entering the password when they ask you to and don’t mention that there are multiple partitions in there and you’re good to go. If they look carefully and notice the other partition (which you’re not even hiding) you’re back to the original problem of course.

very clever and it would almost certainly work. But what do you do for your phone?

Backup your phone to the cloud, factory reset. Restore when you get to the destination.

A bit of a hassle, and after you restore to factory reset you will need to add the basic contacts, info if you need for travelling. And any messages/updates on the phone in the meantime will be lost when you restore from backup.

Will need to download the backup so most likely need a good wifi connection. Or you could save it to your laptop in that aforementioned hidden partition. You could do it on the plane so the window of using factory reset would be short. And restore just after customs.

Is there a better idea?

> A bit of a hassle

Something went wrong with iOS12 for me, and so I reinstalled several times. It isn’t that bad. The only niggles for me were re entering a couple of wifi networks and making the damn thing silent and blank again (why are keyboard clicks on by default?).

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