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LA Airport Uses Random Numbers To Catch Terrorists

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the better-than-searching-me-whenever-i-have-a-beard dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is using randomization software to determine the location and timing of security checkpoints and patrols. The theory is that random security will make it impossible for terrorists to predict the actions of security forces. The ARMOR software, written by computer scientists at the University of Southern California, was initially developed to solve a problem in game theory. Doctoral student Praveen Paruchuri wrote algorithms on how an agent should react to an opponent who has perfect information about the agent's choices."

20 of 321 comments (clear)

  1. Security Through Obscurity! by he1icine · · Score: 4, Funny

    Sorry it had to be said.

    --
    Ignorance is the Agent of Fear; Fear Is the Agent of Violence - >1
    1. Re:Security Through Obscurity! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      So, to be exact, the security staff is going to play DnD?

      Staff sergeant: "Ok, Ralph" *rolls dice* "you are going to move 4 feet to the left."

    2. Re:Security Through Obscurity! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      I know!!!

      You number the place by sectors, then get a piece of cardboard and draw squares on it. Then you get another piece of cardboard with times on it!!! Then you get the captain blindfolded with some darts!!! If he gets a little too predictable...then we get him drunk!!!

      Open source, Random, Algorithmically sound, AND absolutely intoxicating!

    3. Re:Security Through Obscurity! by bhebing · · Score: 5, Funny

      If they use your comma placement as a random seed, the system will be absolutely secure.

  2. Behind the scenes in Homeland Security... by StandardCell · · Score: 5, Funny

    [Tour of Accounting] Accounting Troll: "Over here we have our random number generator" Number Generator Troll: "Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine Nine" Dilbert: "Are you sure that's random?" Accounting Troll: "That's the problem with randomness: you can never be sure"

    1. Re:Behind the scenes in Homeland Security... by smallfries · · Score: 4, Funny

      On a similar vein:

      int numCheckpointsToday()
      {
                return 0; // This is a random number chosen by a fair method
      }

      (With apologies to xkcd).

      --
      Slashdot: where don knuth is an idiot because he cant grasp the awesome power of php
    2. Re:Behind the scenes in Homeland Security... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Or more likely, the random parrengers picked up: Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab, Arab! Random! I Swear!

    3. Re:Behind the scenes in Homeland Security... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      oh but it IS random. They choose random Arab people, see?

    4. Re:Behind the scenes in Homeland Security... by laejoh · · Score: 1, Funny

      int numCheckpointsToday()
      {
      return 11; // This is a random number chosen by a fair method
      }

      Mine goes up to eleven!

  3. Doesn't Microsoft hold patents on that? by jkrise · · Score: 3, Funny

    They've been using that technique to identify and fix bugs in Windows... even incorporated that into Excel 2007 multiplication recently.

    --
    If you keep throwing chairs, one day you'll break windows....
    1. Re:Doesn't Microsoft hold patents on that? by JackMeyhoff · · Score: 5, Funny

      Somebody ban him for actually reading an article

      --
      http://www.rense.com/general79/wdx1.htm
  4. wily terrorists by sentientbeing · · Score: 3, Funny

    wily terrorists can easily defeat this lame attempt at security.
     
    All they have to do is predict these random numbers ahead of time... Using a dice.

    --

    ------
    beware he who would deny you access to information, for in his mind he dreams himself your master
    1. Re:wily terrorists by Nibbler999 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Let's hope they roll 3 doubles.

  5. Discovery Institute is mad. by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 2, Funny

    They are going to create a huge grassroots information and education campaign against this. They believe the security should intelligently designed and should not depend on random chance of security people and the bad guys coming together.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
  6. What happens if... by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 3, Funny

    The terrorists start using a random number generator too?!?

    --
    Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
  7. Why, I think you are wrong! by rolfwind · · Score: 3, Funny

    Only GOVERNMENT run security gives me free colonoscopies while I fly. Not only do I save a trip to the doctor, I ensure I stay in good health.

  8. Why not? by mmell · · Score: 4, Funny

    They apparently already use a random number generator to determine when flights will leave.

  9. Where's the news? by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Funny

    They've been using randomization at identifying terrorists for a while now.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  10. Re:Randomizing responses to break a protocol... by Cowclops · · Score: 2, Funny

    Or when you're in court, you could start talking about Chewbacca and how he was born on Kashyyyk but lives on Endor.

  11. Re:Just send more operatives by vuffi_raa · · Score: 3, Funny

    new reality show?