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Terror Watchlist "Crippled By Technical Flaws"

Posted by kdawson on from the little-bobby-datas-we-call-him dept.

I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes "The database used by the government to generate lists like the No-Fly List is 'crippled by technical flaws,' according to the chairman of a House technology oversight subcommittee. And the upgrade may be worse than the original. Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC) says that 'if actually deployed, [the upgrade] will leave our country more vulnerable than the existing yet flawed system in operation today.' It seems that the current database doesn't have any easy way to do plain-text matching, forcing users to enter SQL queries. That might not sound so bad until you learn that the database contains 463 poorly indexed tables. How long until there's a terrorist named Robert'); DROP DATABASE; —?"

8 of 324 comments (clear)

  1. It'll all work itself out ... by daveime · · Score: 5, Funny

    The amount of people they want to include on their "t3rr0rz l1zt" it'll only be a matter of time before we have

    Osama Bin CREATE INDEX;

    and

    Saddam OPTIMIZE TABLE;

    Then everything will be hunk dory again.

  2. the first person by nimbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    to code an exploit that automatically populates tables in the watchlist with entries from the TSA employee database wins.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
  3. Re:That's what happens when.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I heard they douse you in Holy Water. If it tastes like burning, you're hired on the spot.

  4. Re:It's _not_ crippled by technical flaws. by elrous0 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Actually, I'd be pretty cool with banning 5-year-olds from planes.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  5. Re:It's _not_ crippled by technical flaws. by samweber · · Score: 5, Funny

    But hey, it's not that bad! After all, since all terrorists use their real names when flying, it is sure to catch them all.

    Ever wonder why no suicide bomber has been able to strike twice? It's because of the no-fly-list, I tell you!

  6. Re:is this "obvious news day" again? by sheldon · · Score: 5, Funny

    I just put you on the list.

  7. Re:It's _not_ crippled by technical flaws. by clickety6 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Apparently Nelson Mandela was on the list, until the fact was embarrasingly publicized and he was finally removed.

    So, easy solution - if you don't want to be bothered by the no fly list then change your name to Nelson Mandela...

    --
    ----------------------------------- My Other Sig Is Hilarious -----------------------------------
  8. Re:Why Would You Expect Otherwise? by Random+BedHead+Ed · · Score: 5, Funny

    This airline is sounding better and better. Kill switches to blow it up in midair, marines to put passengers in their place. I can see someone running with this idea and making a fortune, and to think we were part of the thread that first hatched the idea.

    My addition to this would be that to ensure the safety of people on the ground the planes in this hypothetical airline shouldn't be allowed to actually take off, but should instead hug the ground throughout the flight, perhaps on some sort of stabilizing rail, or a magnetic hover track. We might even build a system for running these planes across North America.