more on Web Site Lets Anyone Create Fake Boarding Passes

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

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 () bbiw net>
Date: October 28, 2006 5:04:28 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: ip () v2 listbox com
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


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