From: Krenn <krenn@nym.alias.net>
Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 00:07:49 -0800 (PST)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Airport security [no such thing]
Message-ID: <19970115080734.4134.qmail@anon.lcs.mit.edu>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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On Tue, 14 Jan 1997, Lucky Green wrote:

> I recently took a domestic flight from the Oakland, CA airport. While
> waiting for the airplane, I spent some time observing the security measures
> at the X-ray machine.
>
> As most readers probably know, laptops are often subject to manual
> scrutiny. From my non-representative sample, about four out of five tote
> bags clearly containing laptops will be manually searched. Typically, the
> attendant requires that the laptop is powered up. In none of the 20+ manual
> searches I witnessed did the security personnel wait past the RAM check
> before clearing the passenger. I could not help but contemplate how much of
> the insides of the laptop could be replaced while still obtaining an
> identical display.

I have had the same experience. I am sure that removing all components of
the laptop not required for its functioning would yield a significant amount
of room inside, especially for larger (non-"notebook") machines. I'm not
an expert on explosives, but I would imagine a laptop-full of whatever could
be pretty nasty. Someone with determination could even make it look like
it had a floppy, a CDROM, etc, just by replacing the devices themselves with
facades. Not that the airport security would notice, but anyway.

But wait - won't the all-important "did you pack your bags yourself" and
"did anyone give you bags to take on the plane" stop them? ;-)

It just obviates the fact that airport security is really useless against
a determined attacker, but manages to be extremely annoying to everyone else.

Krenn



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