TSA Software Bug Creates Airport Bomb Scare

192939495969798999 writes "An article at CNN's website reports on a serious software bug at the Atlanta airport." From the article: "TSA screeners are given tests around the clock to check their alertness. Images of bombs and other suspicious devices that are hard to detect are put up on the X-ray machine, followed after a brief delay by an alert that reads, 'This is a test.' After reviewing a tape of the images, Hawley said the software failed to alert the screener of the test."

Comments

Fun with false images

[TripMaster Monkey]

I didn't know the TSA employed such software to test their screeners. This incident raises the possibility of tampering with the software to either:

1. purposely display an image of a dangerous item where none exists, inciting a scare like the one witnessed Wednesday, disrupting thousands of lives and paralyzing a major terminal, or:
   
2. display an image of an innocuous item instead of the actual image of the luggage containing a dangerous item, allowing terrorists to smuggle said items onto aircraft. Obviously, this scenario will require far more sophisticated timing of the false image than the previous scenario, but it should still be possible.
   

Given these possibilities, and given the fact that Wednesday's incident proves that such a thing is possible, I'm betting the TSA is currently debating whether or not the decision to make the scanners capable of displaying false images in the first place was a wise one.

Re:Fun with false images

[Ihlosi]

This incident raises the possibility of tampering with the software to either

3. Display "This is a test" right after Mr. Terrorists luggage containing dangerous items has passed through the X-Ray machine.

Re:Fun with false images

[apoc.famine]

Worse than that, it shouldn't be too hard to display the "that was just a test" message on a more and more frequent basis. As the screeners are already familiar with this notice, they'll probably start to become desensitized to it. Then it becomes pretty easy to slip stuff past them.

This is very, very similiar to the "click ok to continue" problem which plagues Windows, and is really the root cause of many spyware installs. If warnings are too frequent, users treat them as irritations that they need to get around rather than important info that they need to read, understand, and pass judgement on. In this case, all that needs to be done is to up the frequency, something that shouldn't be too hard to do.

Re:Fun with false images

[Anonymous Coward]

No. It's nothing like the Windows "Click OK" problem at all.

With "Click OK", you are expected to respond to a warning/message box. You become desensitized to the warning and just click "OK". The system provides no feedback about this whatsoever. Click OK, and you're finished, you don't learn the repercussions of your act until weeks later (if ever).

With the airport software, the screener has to respond to images of contraband on the screen. In theory, after each test image appears, there will be a message, saying "That was just a test", providing valuable feedback, not only for the screener, but also for his/her boss, who will likely reprimand the screener if they miss any test cases.

No feedback=no learning
Feedback=learning

inconvenient but reassuring

[God'sDuck]

better than the parallel-universe headline: study shows screeners oblivious to obvious bombs in test images...

There is No Software Design That Is So Good ...

[rewinn]

... that is cannot be implemented badly.

Sounds pretty good to me

[Billosaur]

While screening carry-on luggage, a TSA employee identified the image of a suspicious device but did not realize it was part of routine testing for security screeners because the software failed to indicate such a test was under way, Hawley said.

Willie Williams, the airport's federal security director, said the screener saw something suspicious and notified a supervisor. The two manually rechecked all the bags on the conveyor belt but could not find anything resembling what was seen on the screen, Williams said.

Put aside the software failure and I'd say this was a more successful test than the actual test. I mean, if screeners know this kind of thing is going to happen every so often and they see something suspicious, they may become a bit jaded after a while and assume it's a test, even if the indication doesn't appear. This screener took no chances and called a supervisor and then went about trying to find the device. I believe that's how the system is supposed to work.

So the software failed, but in the end it didn't really fail, because it showed someone was doing their job as they were supposed to be.

Good!

[AntiTuX]

To be honest, I think it's a great thing. Least I know that they're following protocol. The guy did exactly what he was supposed to do.

As for the software, all software has bugs. I'm just glad that someone found out that it wasn't something terrible getting on a plane.

Re:Not clever to desensitise them

[rayde]

should they get an adrenaline rush? wouldn't that lead to potential panic? I think i'd rather if they were able to calmly react to such situations, knowing that most often it will be a test. i think they'll more likely play by the book in those situations, than do something more emotionally driven.

Why malicious items?

[VxJasonxV]

Why put in images of bombs and such? Someone eyeballing that that isn't a screener would blow a gasket if they saw it.

How about pictures of assorted dildos/vibrators? No, I'm serious. That'll catch your eye, male or female.
How about 'to scale' midgets (wow, that sounds awful... as much of a joke as it is) fighting in a mini suitcase?
Or a very carefully and perfectly laid out bra of panty?

Seriously, give these people something they wouldn't mind seeing (well, sans the dildo/vibrator) and you'll get (1) a chuckle and (2) some extra energy for productivity.

You know, on second thought, I'm going to patent the concept, brb.

"calm" is not "desensitized"

[ScentCone]

That's insane. Images to test their alertness sure, but images of bombs? That's just plain crazy. All you're doing is desensitising them and guaranteeing that even if they're alert they won't get the adrenaline rush they should. What brainiac thought this one up?

The same ones that know that combat simulations help cops and soldier generally make more level-headed decisions. The same ones that know that simulating in-flight emergencies in flight simulators takes the "holy crap!" out of handling such things. There are VERY good reasons that you want your bag screeners to be able to react calmly or subtly to what they see on the screen in front of them. They may need to be able to signal armed support, depending on their assesment of the person in line, without Freaking Out while they're looking at their equipment. These are supposed to be professionals, and it sounds like the person involved acted like one (absent the "this is a test" message).