June 9th, 2008
Airport security part 2: TSA is failing us, let my associated ranting begin thusly
I want to start out by saying that I take great personal risk of getting black listed before my flight to K.C. tomorrow morning, but I thought I’d talk about an article by Rafal Los on how the TSA is failing us again. This actually reminds me of an older article that I posted on this subject, and I’ve been meaning to follow up on this larger topic as part of the thoughts we’ve put into what our government is doing about security, er, I suppose I mean what it’s not doing, and well, I think you’re getting the picture.
Before I talk about Rafal’s article, I got to thinking… do you ever feel like there is just too many dumb people making big kid decisions in this world? I mean, things like rules that say you can’t carry more than a four ounce stick of deodorant on a plane? Seriously? Because five ounces would be one ounce too many buddy!
Decisions like this rob us of the opportunity of living in a world of intelligent decisions. You know what I was thinking, if TSA (or whoever is in charge) has deemed more than four ounces of deodorant dangerous, then what’s to stop me from having me and four of my jihadist buddies bringing four ounces each and combining our 16 ounces of deodorant into one massive plane destroying bomb?
Am I the crazy one here, or are these rules just ridiculous? It’s frustrating.
Anyways, here’s Rafal’s tail of terror on the tarmac:
I am still in shock, and absolutely horrified by what I saw today. First, let me explain the situation and then I will paste the letter which I sent to the TSA directly… maybe they’ll respond.
1:05 PM Central Daylight Time: I arrive at O’Hare Int’l Airport, and go through security check (I only have my 2 carry-ons so no need to check anything). I am hassled in the security checkpoint because I have a 1 oz. bottle of hand sanitizer, and they immediately throw it away, without asking if I would like to put it in the quart-sized bag that is in the other bin I have, with my suitcase… no matter, it was cheap. I am reprimanded by someone from TSA (I will keep the name out of it, as it’s of no relevance) who impolitely reminds me that these “safety measures” have been in effect for quite some time and that they are for my safety (more on this in a minute). I then watch a very old wheelchair-bound woman being made to walk through the security screen, then patted down, searched, as if she was spouting Jihad… unreal.
… my flight takes off 40 minutes late (weather delays, you know) and we land in Lexington, KY airport and everyone starts to deplane. It is then that I discover, much to my horror - a lighter sitting on the floor under row 6, seat C. My eyes about popped out of my head, and my heart sank to my stomach. I can’t believe that in this day of ultra paranoid TSA personnel (poorly trained as they are) I’m still able to find this lighter, a combustible object unlike my hand sanitizer… on the plane. UNREAL you say? I mean, it must have been that 90+ year old lady who wasn’t throughly cavity-searched enough, right? I’m absolutely befuddled, baffled and dumbfounded.
Now - ask yourself… do you feel any safer today than before 911? I certainly don’t.
The answer is, I actually feel less safe. To be perfectly honest, we’re probably safer, but I FEEL a lot less safe. Seriously, Rafal had to give up one ounce of hand sanitizer, but I’m thinking that if some MacGyver terrorist can put together a bomb with one ounce of hand sanitizer, his seat belt, and the “What to do in case of a crash” instructions in his seat pocket, then I’m freaking terrified of LIFE. What’s to stop the evil looking toddler I saw walking down Michigan ave. today, with his mom, from making a rifle out of his big league chew gum and shoelaces then taking a shot at me cause he doesn’t like my beard? Rafal continues:
Here is the email I sent directly from the TSA website (http://contact.tsa.dhs.gov/default.aspx), with a
Security Issues (Choose One)*
Urgent/Time Sensitivedesignation… Let’s see what the TSA folks have to say for themselves. Who wants to bet that I get some standard answer about “no one being perfect” and some crap about how “they’re always improving”… waste of my taxpayers money, if you ask me…
To the TSA
This afternoon I was on United Flight 5802 from Chicago, IL [ORD] to Lexington, Kentucky [LEX] at 2:19pm CDT. As we were de-planing in Lexington, and in utter horror I passed seat 6C I saw a green BIC lighter on the floor. If I can’t bring a hand sanitizer on board, how is it that someone walks onto this plane with a (potentially) EXPLOSIVE device? We are being told that our privacy is being violated in the name of safety - I demandto know how this could possibly happen, and who will be held accountable.
Thank You.
Here’s to flying at an increased cost, with increased delays, with an increased sense of fear and poor customer service… we truly are living the American dream.
-Nate
P.S., note that Rafal’s blog is now “Nate McFeters Certified”. Get yours today!
Nathan McFeters is a Senior Security Advisor for Ernst & Young's Advanced Security Center in Chicago. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own and do not represent the views and opinions of Ernst & Young Advanced Security Center or Ernst & Young, LLP. Nathan has performed web application, deep source code, Internet, Intranet, wireless, dial-up, and social engineering engagements for numerous clients in the Fortune 500 during his career at Ernst & Young and has spoken at a number of prestigious conferences, including Black Hat, DEFCON, ToorCon, and Hack in the Box. He can be found at his Pwn* blog and XS-Sniper, a blog with Billy Rios. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
