indystar.com — The FBI has discontinued an investigation into an Indiana University computer security student whose Web page included a feature to print fake Northwest Airlines boarding passes, an agency spokeswoman said today. The boarding pass generator he created was intended to illustrate flaws in airport security.
Nov 28, 2006 View in Crawl 4
Closed AccountNov 29, 2006
Yeah... but he won't ever see his computers again...
Closed AccountNov 29, 2006
Soghoian said federal officials took his computers and passport during the investigation but have since returned them.
cyggieNov 29, 2006
Domestic flight security is still just a big joke. It?s only meant to stop people that are too lazy to think up a good plan. I travel quite a bit for business and every time I have to show them my ID/boarding pass before the security check point I can?t help but wonder what it?s for.Example: Person on the ?no fly list? purchase ticket online using fake name (they never ask you to provide any kind of proof when you purchase the ticket, and you don?t even have to use your own credit card to buy the ticket). He does online check-in and print out his boarding pass/scan it/photoshop it back to his real name on his ID. He?s now using a boarding pass (valid bar code) with a real ID and going through the checkpoint without any problem. And they never look at the name on the boarding pass when you actually get on the plane? So what?s the point of those people checking off your boarding pass before the security checkpoint other than to slow you down???? I?m still trying to figure that one out?
cyggieNov 29, 2006
Hahhaa... nice... I'm now a terrorist for stating the obvious... :D
marnaqNov 29, 2006
Couple of times. Consult Gitmo guest list.
bigfoot48Nov 29, 2006
If they're at Gitmo, they haven't "disappeared", have they?
jackdoyleNov 30, 2006
There is a reason to bitch. He didn't break any laws, and wasn't SUSPECTED of breaking any laws. If you look at the takedown order for the website, the laws that the Department of Homeland Security refer to relate to USING a fake boarding pass to pass security checks, etc. There is NOTHING in there, at least nothing they quoted, indicating the creating them is illegal. And as far as I know, he wasn't suspected of actually using one, was he?
jackdoyleNov 30, 2006
I agree. Also the liquid thing? s**t, people have been blowing things up with liquids for over a hundred years! Why is it all of a sudden a concern? And who came up with the 3 oz. thing anyways? I had to throw away my 4 oz. toothpaste yesterday. If I had only thought to split it into two 2 oz. containers I would have been able to go through security.As long as your stuff isn't more than 3 oz. per container and fits into the quart bag it doesn't really matter what it is... so here's my theory.Mr. Terrorist decides to go through security with 10 cleverly disguised (shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, etc) 3 oz. bottles. What's in them? Nitroglycerin, don't you know... 3 oz. of Nitroglycerin should be fine to go through security, since it's only 3 oz. and in a clear plastic quart size baggie.Okay, now that he's got his 30 oz. of nitroglycerin in the airport, he'll buy his King Size Coke from Burger King. Drink it because he's thirsty from all the waiting at the security checkpoint, then go into the bathroom and pour all of his nitroglycerin into that cup... carefully, of course, since it's nitroglycerin.Now, he'll wait til it's time to board the plane. Once he boards the plane, he'll throw the cup at the partition that seperates the first class passengers from the rest of us.... BOOM!!!!But, those of us out of the blast zone feel safer knowing that my 4 oz. toothpaste is safely in the trashcan OUTSIDE of the security checkpoint.
wooteryNov 30, 2006
@strictneinAh, now I get it.And no I don't fly often.