$1B of TSA Nude Body Scanners Made Worthless — How Anyone Can Get Anything Past

[BobCox2]

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http://tsaoutofourpants.wordpress.com/2012/03/06/1b-of-nude-body-scanners-made-worthless-by-blog-how-anyone-can-get-anything-past-the-tsas-nude-body-scanners/

Transcript
I’m publishing this video because I want the world to know how much danger the American Transportation Security Administration is putting all us all in with their haste to deploy the expensive, invasive nude body scanner program. When the machines came out, we were told that the invasion on our privacy, doses of radiation, and trashing of our Constitution were necessary because the old metal detectors weren’t good enough. That “non-metallic explosives” were a threat, even though no one has boarded a plane in the US with any type of explosive in nearly 40 years. But while America was testing these devices, Rafi Sela, who ran security for Ben Gurion airport in Israel, which is known for being one of the most secure airports in the world, was quoted saying he could “overcome the body scanners with enough explosives to take down a Boeing 747,” and Ben Gurion therefore refused to buy scanners. The US ignored this warning, and Mr. Sela never publicly explained his statement. But it stuck with me.
As a scientist, engineer, and frequent traveler, as well as the first person to sue the TSA when they rolled out the scanners as primary in Nov. 2010, I studied and learned about both kinds of scanners currently in use by the TSA. Here are several images produced by TSA nude body scanners. You’ll see that the search victim is drawn with light colors and placed on a black background in both images. In these samples, the individuals are concealing metallic objects that you can see as a black shape on their light figure. Again that’s light figure, black background, and BLACK threat items. Yes that’s right, if you have a metallic object on your side, it will be the same color as the background and therefore completely invisible to both visual and automated inspection.
It can’t possibly be that easy to beat the TSA’s billion dollar fleet of nude body scanners, right? The TSA can’t be that stupid, can they?
Unfortunately, they can, and they are. To put it to the test, I bought a sewing kit from the dollar store, broke out my 8th grade home ec skills, and sewed a pocket directly on the side of a shirt. Then I took a random metallic object, in this case a heavy metal carrying case that would easily alarm any of the “old” metal detectors, and walked through a backscatter x-ray at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. On video, of course. While I’m not about to win any videography awards for my hidden camera footage, you can watch as I walk through the security line with the metal object in my new side pocket. My camera gets placed on the conveyer belt and goes through its own x-ray, and when it comes out, I’m through, and the object never left my pocket.
Maybe a fluke? Ok, let’s try again at Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport through one of the TSA’s newest machines: a millimeter wave scanner with automated threat detection built-in. With the metallic object in my side pocket, I enter the security line, my device goes through its own x-ray, I pass through, and exit with the object without any complaints from the TSA.
While I carried the metal case empty, by one with mal-intent, it could easily have been filled with razor blades, explosives, or one of Charlie Sheen’s infamous 7 gram rocks of cocaine. With a bigger pocket, perhaps sewn on the inside of the shirt, even a firearm could get through. It’s important to note that any metal object of any size can use this technique. …and I don’t urge you to try to bring contraband through security, as the nude body scanners often have false positives: so while the metal on your side might get through, a button on your shirt or a sweaty armpit might “look suspicious” and earn you a pat down anyway.
Now, I’m sure the TSA will accuse me of aiding the terrorists by releasing this video, but it’s beyond belief that the terrorists haven’t already figured this out and are already plotting to use this against us. It’s also beyond belief that the TSA did not already know everything I just told you, and arrogantly decided to disregard our safety: anything to force Americans to give up our liberty to the federal government and our tax dollars to companies that are in bed with that government. The nude body scanner program is nothing but a giant fraud, which should come as no surprise after the Fast & Furious scandal that sent thousands of guns to Mexican drug cartels and cost a Customs and Border Patrol agent his life. THIS is a disgrace. So let’s fix this problem — now — before the terrorists take this opportunity to hurt us: the TSA must immediately end the nude body scanner program, and return to the tried-and-true metal detectors that actually work, and work without invading our privacy, as well as implement better solutions for non-metallic explosives, such as bomb-sniffing dogs and trace detection machines.
The TSA is worse than ineffective: they are an epic fail placing us all in danger. Beyond the scanners, Demand of your legislators and presidential candidates that they get rid of this $8B a year waste known as the TSA and privatize airport security. Ask for their commitment to our rights in exchange for your vote. And no matter which party is in the White House or holds on to Capital Hill, the issue of ending TSA abuse is of interest to all Americans; it’s NOT a partisan issue. We must all stand together and demand an end to the organization that molests our families while placing us in danger by directly ignoring blatant security flaws.
Thank you.

[MrH]

Now that's a wall of text if ever I've seen one.

[BobCox2]

The season premiere of South Park is about the TSA?

TRAGEDY STRIKES IN SOUTH PARK
After a South Park citizen meets with an unfortunate accident, the TSA steps in to prevent it from happening again in an all-new episode of “South Park” titled, “Reverse Cowgirl,” premiering Wednesday, March 14 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT on COMEDY CENTRAL.
One of the boys had been told time and time again about leaving the toilet seat up after he goes to the bathroom, but he didn’t listen. His actions have consequences and ultimately result in an unimaginable catastrophe.

“Randy gets a ticket for not wearing his seat belt” in this preview clip:

[Leopold Stotch]

MY EYES!

:cool:

yeah! so what does that say now?

[BobCox2]

MY EYES!

:cool:

yeah! so what does that say now?

TLR: TSA Scandal - still Wasting money our time and Rights for no reasons.

[krischan]

TL;DR: Which scandal? Isn't it obvious that a nude scanner cannot detect anything?

If somebody told you that nude body scanners are all you need to ensure "security", he's either incompetent or he lied. And if you believed them, you would be naive and stupid. Did anybody really make these claims? If yes, that seems to be the only point of the article which was worth making.

Would you stop locking your door because it won't prevent expert burglars from entering your house or get upset about the "waste of money" for buying doorlocks?

Metallic objects will obviously be detected by the metal detector which anybody has to pass on airports as well. You still have them at your airports, right? And you still have people who have a close look at you and might make a more thorough scan... randomly or if somebody is acting in a suspicious manner.

Regarding other materials, it's certainly easy to find a lot of them which cannot be detected by a nude body scanner. Many explosives are organic substances and many are easy to blow up, like nitroglycerin. Drop it to the ground and it will explode. You need just small amounts to cause a tremendous explosion. I wouldn't be surprised if a nude body scanner cannot detect it if it's carried in one's butt.

In spite of it, I would only accept nude body scanners if (a) they don't provide more of a risk to one's health than let's say crossing the road... and I seriously doubt the claims of their supporters regarding that, (b) if they are made openly and (c) if I have an alternative to passing a nude scanner.

[BobCox2]

Metallic objects will obviously be detected by the metal detector which anybody has to pass on airports as well. You still have them at your airports, right? And you still have people who have a close look at you and might make a more thorough scan... randomly or if somebody is acting in a suspicious manner.

No it's pretty much a replacement of the metal detector here.
You could have just clicked the video and not read the transcript.

Germany banned the scanners because they generated too many false positives and required unnecessary pat downs. This isn't an improvement just further government invasion of our privacy and erosion of our rights.

Due to a 54% false positive approximately half of those using the scanners receive some form of pat down, adding 8 to 30 seconds to the process. Further, the scanners to detect hidden items 44% of the time, most of which would have been detected using the metal detector as the primary screening device. Almost all of the items found by TSA in 2011 were found using the x-ray belt and walk through metal detectors, not the scanners.

They also claimed the images were suitable for Readers Digest last year until the privacy software was installed on the millimeter wave systems.. In August Denver TSA area director Pat Ahlstrom, said the scans " were graphic, no doubt about it." The MMW scanners still produce the naked image but TSA has added a software overlay to hide the image shown to the public. The Rapi-Scan units will continue to produce the naked image.

Neither system has been demonstrated to be more effective than the metal detectors, which still are the predominant weapons detection used in airports. It is disturbing that a government agency would sacrifice passenger privacy and put their health at risk to protect private manufacturers’ profits. There is clearly an implication of corruption in the deployment of the scanners, which bears further investigation by Congress.

Remember that TSA isn’t paying for the scanners and abuse; taxpayers are, to the tune of $8 billion a year. Consequently, taxpayers are also paying TSA to strip search old women, grope children and harass them at checkpoints.

[krischan]

No it's pretty much a replacement of the metal detector here.

Well, that's stupid.

You could have just clicked the video and not read the transcript.

Not while I'm at work. I cannot switch on the speakers there.

This isn't an improvement just further government invasion of our privacy and erosion of our rights.

That depends. I generally support strict security rules in critical areas, like airports, if it's made in a professional manner. Besides, the constitution doesn't protect you from people or companies doing that, only from the state. If I theoreticcally demand from people to get scanned like that before entering my property, then they can either do it or stay away. Otherwise I will do what's necessary to keep them away.

Due to a 54% false positive approximately half of those using the scanners receive some form of pat down, adding 8 to 30 seconds to the process. Further, the scanners to detect hidden items 44% of the time, most of which would have been detected using the metal detector as the primary screening device. Almost all of the items found by TSA in 2011 were found using the x-ray belt and walk through metal detectors, not the scanners.

Then don't enter the airport. You have to? Well, life is tough. That's what happens if there are monopolies in private property, but maybe it's just a matter of convenience because that airport is a bit nearer to you than another. You can as well go to an airport with security measures being more to your liking. But beware, if they are less thorough there, the terrorists will prefer their flights for the same reason. Now you know it, so don't complain in case your flight gets hijacked and nobody warned you .

Consequently, taxpayers are also paying TSA to strip search old women, grope children and harass them at checkpoints.

Old women and children are searched as well because there is a certain quota of completely random searches, to avoid terrorists taking advantage of appearing as people who are allegedly harmless. Why should a terrorist not try to hide explosives on a child? Or on an old woman? Why shouldn't the old women be a terrorist herself? Which criteria are applied to decide about which children or old women are harmless? Is it unavoidable if a child successfully smuggles a bomb into the plane?

The public indignation about that part is a typical "dumbass" reaction, by people who ignore or refuse to hear detailed information or an explanation because it won't fit to their overly simple view of the world or thery simply lack the mental capabilities (which is no shame) while keeping up a delusion of understanding the issue well enough - which is the root of (guessing) 50% of all evil. I'm sure that a lot of the same people would be upset about scurity measures after a child has successfully smuggled a bomb or gun into a plane.

A lot of people like to get upset, it's human nature. A few of them fail to distinguish between a justified outrage (like about harassment) or one out of ignorance, hypocrisy, narcissism etc. A few of them (let's call them lobbyists, trolls and agitators) even do it with intent while they know it's a distortion, manipulation or lie, to promote their own goals or the agenda of others.

[Stevinator]

Old women and children are searched as well because there is a certain quota of completely random searches, to avoid terrorists taking advantage of appearing as people who are allegedly harmless. Why should a terrorist not try to hide explosives on a child? Or on an old woman? Why shouldn't the old women be a terrorist herself? Which criteria are applied to decide about which children or old women are harmless? Is it unavoidable if a child successfully smuggles a bomb into the plane?

The public indignation about that part is a typical "dumbass" reaction, by people who ignore or refuse to hear detailed information or an explanation because it won't fit to their overly simple view of the world or thery simply lack the mental capabilities (which is no shame) while keeping up a delusion of understanding the issue well enough - which is the root of (guessing) 50% of all evil. I'm sure that a lot of the same people would be upset about scurity measures after a child has successfully smuggled a bomb or gun into a plane.

A lot of people like to get upset, it's human nature. A few of them fail to distinguish between a justified outrage (like about harassment) or one out of ignorance, hypocrisy, narcissism etc. A few of them (let's call them lobbyists, trolls and agitators) even do it with intent while they know it's a distortion, manipulation or lie, to promote their own goals or the agenda of others.

My desire to get on an airplane does not constitute probable cause. I can cause a lot of havoc getting on a subway in a big city, or on a train, and they don't require a warrantless search of my person (including photographing my man bits). Why don't they instead focus on profililng and hire some sky marshalls--you could dramatically reduce the number of TSA people and it would be jobs positive.

[stillman]

I had a problem with this part: "Ask for their commitment to our rights in exchange for your vote." As we all should know by now, they are allowed to say anything to get votes, and aren't accountable afterwards.

Besides, the constitution doesn't protect you from people or companies doing that, only from the state.

But you can't build an airport/company without submitting to a million or so regulations and laws forced on you by the state, making them almost indistinguishable.