What is Digg?81 Comments
- clownguyx, on 10/12/2007, -2/+113They shouldn't arrest him. They should send him a thank you card for exposing a huge hole and forcing the government to address it.
- Snowcat, on 10/12/2007, -5/+37Even better: bow down before him and thank him profusely. About time they addressed such a hole, which they probably knew about for years but couldn't be bothered to fix it.
- ShagNASTY, on 10/12/2007, -1/+32He made public a very blatant security weakness and arresting him won't resolve the main issue.
- lostboy, on 10/12/2007, -2/+31Are you nuts? The Government already knows about that loophole but won't do anything about it. you think that he's the first to point it out?
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/10/27/fake_boarding_pass_g.html - applebyte, on 10/12/2007, -4/+28Even if they shut down the site, it doesn't change the fact that anyone can create a a fake boarding pass and slip past security. We need to start electing political officials with common sense, starting with the head honcho.
- nipuL, on 10/12/2007, -1/+21Yes, totally inconcievable that a "terrorist" would actually just buy the ticket.
Fake tickets are not a security threat. It's a commercial threat.
Organized terror groups spend millions on training and equipment. You honestly think they can't afford airline tickets? - Hensworth, on 10/12/2007, -1/+17Yay, lets shoot the messenger!
- Bob042, on 10/12/2007, -2/+14How about they fix it, instead of yell at the person that exposes it? They wouldn't have to worry, if his thing wasn't effective.
- origclubsoda, on 10/12/2007, -0/+11If someone had common sense they wouldnt run for office...
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -5/+16flag are you retarded? Do you think a terrorist is going to be sitting there and suddenly he sees this generator and goes and blows up a plane? I think not...if he was a terrorist he'd already know about this loophole and make it himself or find another method. What kind of terrorist would use an online fake board pass generator. Seriously.
- usbserial, on 10/12/2007, -1/+12"For some of you, this may seem like some innocent prank"
No, you don't seem to be realizing that he is exposing a security threat. I doubt he's laughing over this.
@pilot
I totally agree with what you said. To actually make airports totally secure it would take trillions of dollars (and make stop people using airports). Then the terrorists would just find some other avenue. Airport security is a joke. Anyone with any true malicious intent would do their research and know how to get by it. - GlargTheKelfn, on 10/12/2007, -5/+15how do you equate murder with printing a piece of paper. ooo, i can get into the area i was able to enter for 30 friggin years and watch planes take off. wow, look at how many ppl that killed.
you are an idiot - lostboy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+9you can read more about the whole hoo-haa here:
http://www.boingboing.net/2006/10/27/fake_boarding_pass_g.html
it has lots of info. - NSMike, on 10/12/2007, -0/+8And why not expose it to the public? The general public outrage is a much greater motivating force. Besides, security officials are REALLY stupid if they didn't already know about it. It doesn't take much to scan a boarding pass and photoshop new dates, flight numbers and such on to it.
- pilot3033, on 10/12/2007, -3/+10The big issue is the term "Security Theater". It is what is happening and, like it or not, Congress is using it to avoid having to spend real money and time on anti-terrorism.
If a terrorist (or terrorists) wants to use a commercial jet for his/her/their own purpose(s) (whatever they may be) by the time he/she/they get to the security checkpoint, it is already too late. The funding needs to go to intelligence community, where they can do their job and stop these people months before they ever get to an airport.
This also means, congratulating these intelligence guys when they stop terrorists (not the idiots in Miami or whatever that was, more like the guys stopped in London), not using it as an exploit to expand the show.
Oh well, I guess people would rather "feel" safe and no "be" safe. - dhughes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6 Dugg for "security theater".
- robertc1964, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8Uh, robertcamb5 (and, ugh, I can't believe I have to share my name with a halfwit like you), A) Murder is already illegal, B) Trespassing is already illegal, C) Breaking and entering is already illegal, and D) folks already know this.
Oh, and, 1) I didn't know faking a boarding pass was so simple, but 2) apparently everybody else in the airline industry did, and 3) has known for years, but 4) couldn't be bothered to fix the problem. Lastly, 5) Printing fake boarding passes, like printing the instructions for making a bomb or a map to your house, is covered by various constitutional amendments.
How nice it would be if your fervor for punishing the messenger was directed at the people that ignored years and years of previous messengers. - SlackerCSB, on 10/12/2007, -4/+11Actually, Charles Schumer, a senator from NY, already proposed a bill to make this a crime back in April.
http://schumer.senate.gov/SchumerWebsite/pressroom/record.cfm?id=259517&&
PS - He's a democrat - it's ok to digg the comment. - an0nymous, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7@thurows
The "responsible" parties already knew. It was released to the public so that there would be a public outcry. Puiblic agencies have known for betterthan 4 years. And done nothing. - jarvelated, on 10/12/2007, -0/+7@flag564
People are always thinking that terrorists and criminals are stupid. If there is a loophole and a good natured citizen points it out, chances are a terrorist has already figured it out too.
That just means that by exposing the loophole to the general public, policy makers have to do something about it. - ucbrave92, on 10/12/2007, -8/+16flag564 i guess you are all for prosecuting thought criminals too. i mean he "could have"! I "could have" driven over an old lady this morning when I went to get my breakfast, i "could have" robbed the gas station, once we get into "could have" as a means for prosecution we have truly lost our freedom, oh wait, we are already there.
- darkstar949, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6@flag564 - If you had read the article you would have seen that the security hole was written about back in 2003, covered by Slate in 2005, and publicized Sen. Chuck Schumer in April 2006. How long do you have to wait after the announcement of a security hole before someone gets around to fixing it? Typically the fastest way to get something fixed is to make the public aware of it, that is exactly what Soghoian did.
- jtjenn, on 10/12/2007, -4/+10I think Digg is getting people in trouble.
- smaisch, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7Shame on those of you who believe in "security through obscurity."
Congratulations to this man on pointing out a loophole.
In response to this:
"Are you people nuts!
Exposing holes or not, this guy could have given a terrorist a easy pass onto an airline to cause all types of grief.
He could have just told the authorities of the hole, but he decided to set up a whole site to let people mill their own passes. He doesn't get a pass because some of you think he was sticking it to the man. And no person with a brain feels a bit sorry for this guy.
If you're smart enough to find this out, then be even smarter by telling these guys FIRST!"
Do you really believe a terrorist couldn't crack open photoshop and duplicate one anyways? Terrorists probably knew about this long before this guy exposed it. He didn't help the terrorists. He most likely exposed something that they already knew about. - NSMike, on 10/12/2007, -1/+7PLEASE. A scanner and some photoshopping could've produced the same thing 5 years ago. This is not a new idea, and if anyone should be in trouble it's the security officials who didn't think of this sooner. Especially when HIGH SCHOOL KIDS continue to get caught scanning and printing money. The concepts are hardly different, and it's not like it's a light-year jump from one to the next.
- chadkazulu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5Haven't 100% of all terrorists simply "purchased" a ticket?
Shouldn't we arrest the airlines for exposing this loophole?
Note: I made a boarding pass in about 20 seconds on my PC two years ago... finding parking at the airport was the more difficult task. This issue is like DRM for music and movies... just a pain in the ass for honest people. - usbserial, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5@flag
Remember Nathaniel Heatwole? To test security he took boxcutters and fake bombs on several flights. When he was not caught he sent an email to the TSA explaining what he did and his hopes that they would fix the holes in security. He now faces up to 10 years in jail. - Naveg, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6looks like we may have found our first "illegal enemy combatant"
- nekteo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+6@robertcamp5
what this guys did, is he tell the public the major issues involved. just as same as someone report to the police that a murder is going to happen - dlsspy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5If they make terrorism a crime, maybe that will stop, too.
- kevinmoore, on 06/13/2009, -0/+4Yeah, that's always been the most ridiculous thing about airport security to me. It's not like the technology to remotely detonate a bomb hasn't been available for years. Pack bomb in suitcase, check it, board plane, wait until takeoff, then detonate. Kind of makes the rest of airport security nothing more than an illusory pain in the ass.
I should watch what I post. My bit about the remote detonation could get me jailed! - WorldGroove, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4Not only did this not fix the main issue, but I just learned something new:
"There are enough loopholes at the backdoor of our passenger airplanes from not scanning cargo for bombs; we should not tolerate any new loopholes making it easier for terrorists to get into the front door of a plane."
I had no idea that the did not scan cargo(including check-in luggage?) before putting it on the plane. I have always assumed that they did - somewhere behind the scenes.
That's scary... at least to me. - tobyjoe, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Since when has anyone had trouble buying a plane ticket? The ability to print boarding passes that may or may not be usable doesn't necessarily help anyone do anything.
I guess it might help someone who lacks the resources to buy a real ticket or a fake ID, but they'd also have to assume the risk of using a fake pass. Overall, this would be someone with no organization and no backing (financial or otherwise). That doesn't fit any known terrorist profiles, IMO. It might fit the profile of someone wanting to fly for free, and that's a security risk.
The security hole is noteworthy because it's just that: a security hole. That doesn't mean it is necessarily useful to anyone looking to do harm outside of theft.
I believe someone should hire a reputable security firm to perform pen tests on airports, though. I'd love to see the final report. I'd still have no fear of flying, no matter what the alarmist have been shoving down our throats for five years. - an0nymous, on 10/12/2007, -5/+8@flag
It's not a prank. He's (patriotically) making America safer. Seriously.
Sure, it's embarrassing for the responsible parties and an easy soundbite for the politicians. But he is actually doing something to help.
And I have never liked the "if you don't agree with me you support the terrorists" argument, which I think I am detecting here. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3Scanner? Some airport websites let you print out your own boarding ticket, which you can just edit before printing out.
- Bob042, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Exactly. The problem isn't that this guy did some incredibly complicated computer voodoo magic to make a boarding pass generator, the issue is that the airline accepts home printed passes of any kind to start with, and it's easy to create your own.
Really, even an "official" pass probably isn't too difficult to fake for someone dedicated. - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -7/+9Man I fully agree. Never even thought about it like that lol. It appears he has taken his site down sadly. I've emailed him and offered to host it. There's no way he should back down to some ***** in a suit that is out of touch and knows nothing about the intrawebs.
- malaak, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Oh oh, he exposed a security hole?!?!?!?! Better lock him up for life - these DANGEROUS criminals need to be jailed at tax payer expense!!!
:-| - dlsspy, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2What's the risk? The only thing this site allowed for is theft of property. So fine, we'll shut it down because it encourages theft.
The use of ``terrorism'' in this thread is absurd. Terrorists are going to try to appear as legitimate as possible. Why would a suicide bomber risk the ultimate mission to save a couple hundred dollars? Why would they even bother hitting the same target more than once? We're just working retroactively.
Why do we have to go through all this extra crap for flying, when getting on a bus requires just a ticket? How does a boarding pass enhance security? How does verifying that I have a card with the same name as the name on the boarding pass enhance security? - Causemos, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Like it isn't difficult to edit NWA's own boarding pass generation page (has no one looked at what they send to your browser?). Or print it to a computer file (PDF, JPG, etc) and then edit it afterwards. A 10 year old could do this.
- Demagogue, on 10/12/2007, -1/+3I know for a fact that if ANY president was in office right now this guy would've been taken down. DO NOT blame bush for this--it's stupid
- pbjohnson79, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1lol. I went to school with Chris. Always knew he'd do something like this...
- zhatka, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I e-mailed the Congressman who wants him jailed and said it was disturbing to focus more on the guy who made it, then the security issue. Here was the response I got:
Thank you for sharing your views with my office. I appreciate your taking
the time to write. Due to the high volume of email messages my office
receives, we are unable to respond to messages from outside the 7th
district of Massachusetts.
Wow, so much for the US government. This guy is a tool. - petroK, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm normally quite a fan of Markey (Net Neutrality etc), but by calling to shoot the messenger here, Markey really screwed the pooch.
- inactive, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2Regardless of whether the gov't knew about the hole he knew that he was opening a can of worms when he made a site like that. He may have had good intentions but he should have seen this coming from a mile away. Lets just hope this helps fix the holes that do exist and he doesn't get raped in prison.
- TNHitokiri, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1wtf is wrong with you flag564?
Your arguments are that of a 12 year old's
The guy was trying to point out a security flaw and he actually PROVED that there was a security flaw and now the government wants to sue him? Theres a saying "Don't bite the hand that feeds you"... this is comparable to that - inactive, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1What other kind of reaction can you expect from those morons with single digit IQ's up there calling the shots?
- bigEndian, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Please send your comments to Congressman Edward Markey (D-MA):
http://digg.com/political_opinion/Send_Congressman_Edward_Markey_D_MA_your_opinion - randal2k, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3 This would have been many fold more effective to give to the NY times or other news outlet, and to have them spotlight it, rather then bring the thunder of a thousand morons with power on his head.
On that note, let me say that this should be fixed.
Mod me down if you choose, but
A] he wasn't smart to put it online.
Although it did cause the effect he wanted, and that is people to know of the issue, it also caused a counter effect, that will probably be bad for him and the Internet.
B] This should go as a warning signal to all, that handing this over to news orgs or other outlets would have been better, but do not trust one news company, take this type of thing to many, after all.. not all News outlets are true, some are just propaganda machines. -
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