<<< Date Index >>>     <<< Thread Index >>>

[IP] more on Web Site Lets Anyone Create Fake Boarding Passes



Dave,

The security check of the boarding pass is at best useless as has been well documented. The critical item is the actual boarding of the plane.

Dave

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dave Crocker <dcrocker@xxxxxxxx>
Date: October 28, 2006 5:04:28 PM EDT
To: dave@xxxxxxxxxx
Cc: ip@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [IP] Web Site Lets Anyone Create Fake Boarding Passes



David Farber wrote:
This grad student would be an ex grad student if I were there or at least a very very yelled at one. To do what was done is not research -- in fact it is not hard and everyone knows the weakness so " just pointing it out " is no excuse.
Then again maybe it is the Universities job to talk about ethics
Web Site Lets Anyone Create Fake Boarding Passes
Student Says Site's Meant to Show Loopholes, Feds Don't See It That Way
...
Web Site Lets Anyone Create Fake Boarding Passes
...
The passes look virtually identical to the ones printed from the airline's site, and are intended to get you past security -- but not onto an airplane.


Dave,

We have a continuing and very basic national failure to pursue meaningful security measures, while continuing to spend vast amounts of money and energy on security-for-show. Simple and direct statements by security scientists and engineers are being ignored.

That leaves concerned experts with a basic problem: How to get folks to pay attention to reality?

The pressure between the consequences of violating some rules, while seeking to gain a higher good -- public awareness and meaningful action -- is what leads to thoughtful civil disobedience.

Keeping in mind that there have already been other demonstrations of the basic flaws in airport TSA procedures, this latest one strikes me as merely one more effort to encourage the public dialogue that should be happening.

Take the student to task for the dangers of the path he chose to follow. OK.

But also *please* can we all focus on the very legitimate and very serious point that he has attempted to get us to focus on?

d/

--

  Dave Crocker
  Brandenburg InternetWorking
  bbiw.net


-------------------------------------
You are subscribed as roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To manage your subscription, go to
 http://v2.listbox.com/member/?listname=ip

Archives at: http://www.interesting-people.org/archives/interesting-people/