Naked X-Ray Scanners to Be Removed From U.S. Airports

[Devil's Advocate]

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration will remove airport body scanners that privacy advocates likened to strip searches after OSI Systems Inc. (OSIS) couldnt write software to make passenger images less revealing. The agency removed 76 of the machines from busier U.S. airports last year. It will now get rid of the remaining 174 Rapiscan machines, with the company absorbing the cost, said Karen Shelton Waters, the agencys assistant administrator for acquisitions. The TSA will instead use 60 machines manufactured by L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. (LLL), the agencys other supplier of body scanners. It became clear to TSA they would be unable to meet our timeline, Waters said. As a result of that, we terminated the contract for the convenience of the government. The decision to cancel the Rapiscan software contract and remove its scanners wasnt related to an agency probe of whether the company faked testing data on the software fix, Waters said.

Link to full story at Bloomberg.com...

 

[fairviewroad]

Rapiscan = Worst. Brand. Name. Ever.

 

[The Davy Crockett]

Already being covered here

 

[Ryan]

It's worth noting that this only refers to the Backscatter machines. The milimeter wave naked scanners are still in use.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

It's worth noting that this only refers to the Backscatter machines. The milimeter wave naked scanners are still in use.

If you consider generic anatomically incorrect cartoon figures to be "naked" then I guess it's the same thing.

^ On the left is the backscatter x-ray image and on the right is the millimeter wave image as the TSA staff see it.

Big difference in my view.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Unfortunately for Me i'll get to Sample the Infamous TSA Gaunlet (Thousands Stand Around) when I FLY (a 4 Letter Word!) from AUS-SEA in Feb. on the start of my Canadian Trip from VAC-TWO!! (But heh, a $118 Fare Tax/Title/License included for a 4 Hour Non-Stop is Worth it, I Guess?

 

[jis]

Personally I don't mind the millimeter wave scanners too much, and can live with them. Although these days because of Pre-Check on domestic flights all that I get is the old magnetometer.

 

[SarahZ]

That image on the right is hilarious. I'm going to look like a fat gingerbread man.

 

[leemell]

It's worth noting that this only refers to the Backscatter machines. The milimeter wave naked scanners are still in use.

Not just those in use, the TSA is replacing the backscatter machines with the millimeter wave machines.

 

[CHamilton]

Retired US airport body scanners fail to spot guns, knives

A type of body scanner in wide use across U.S. airports through last year fails to spot well-concealed weapons including guns and knives, computer security researchers contend.

The Rapiscan Secure 1000 full body scanner provides only “weak protection against adaptive adversaries,” according to their paper, which will be presented on Thursday at the Usenix Security Symposium in San Diego. The researchers also set up awebsite with their findings.

“It is possible to conceal knives, guns and explosives from detection by exploiting properties of the device’s backscatter X-ray technology,” the paper said.

Although the Rapiscan Secure 1000 was retired from U.S. airport use last year, it is still used at court houses and prisons. Airports currently use millimeter-wave scanning technology, which the researchers have not tested.

 

[rickycourtney]

Retired US airport body scanners fail to spot guns, knives

A type of body scanner in wide use across U.S. airports through last year fails to spot well-concealed weapons including guns and knives, computer security researchers contend.

The Rapiscan Secure 1000 full body scanner provides only “weak protection against adaptive adversaries,” according to their paper, which will be presented on Thursday at the Usenix Security Symposium in San Diego. The researchers also set up awebsite with their findings.

“It is possible to conceal knives, guns and explosives from detection by exploiting properties of the device’s backscatter X-ray technology,” the paper said.

Although the Rapiscan Secure 1000 was retired from U.S. airport use last year, it is still used at court houses and prisons. Airports currently use millimeter-wave scanning technology, which the researchers have not tested.

Hurray for unnecessary government spending!!

I doubt they will be allowed to test the millimeter-wave scanners for fear that they will find they are flawed too.

But as much as I despise being forced to be an actor in the giant live performance of "security theater"... I have grown to like the millimeter-wave scanners. I find that they tend to make the line move faster since the machines don't have as many false triggers (they can tell if you left a coin in your pocket and that your belt buckle isn't dangerous).

 

[fairviewroad]

false triggers

Just don't say "false triggers" as you're going through security. Things will get awkward mighty fast.

 

[Devil's Advocate]

false triggers

Just don't say "false triggers" as you're going through security. Things will get awkward mighty fast.

One time when I was in the line for the x-ray machine and grope fest I simply had enough. I was talking with a friend and for whatever reason I started trying to see how many vaguely threatening words I could fit into a single conversation. I was talking about the local basketball team and started saying things like "Did you see last night's game? They were the BOMB, they took no HOSTAGES, and absolutely KILLED the other team." This went on for a while but amazingly nothing happened. I figured there would be an uproar but I guess people couldn't figure out what to do. Maybe they didn't want to be delayed even further by making a scene out of it. No questions, no detention, not even a spot on the no-fly list. Their last silly directive finally got me though. When flying back from Germany I had to submit to the sudden enforcement of "turn on every electronic device in your luggage and anything which doesn't turn on gets stolen confiscated." Thank goodness my phone and tablet and laptop all turned on. My camera had a dead battery but luckily that was the one thing they didn't bother checking. Go figure.

 

[railiner]

Personally, I could care less if they required me to go naked in full view. What I vehemently object to, is any of them putting their hands on me in a "pat-down" type exam, even if fully clothed....So what they 'see' on any of those machines doesn't matter, and I think is a good thing, if it gets us thru security faster.

 

[Ryan]

Not if they don't actually catch what they're supposed to.

Also, not all of us are as willing as you are to throw our privacy away. The number of people authorized to see me without clothes on is pretty darn small, and it doesn't include the security "experts" at the TSA.

 

[leemell]

Never been in the military have you? You get used to it pretty quick.

 

[William W.]

TSA PreCheck is the best. I first got it last year, and my first use of it was Thanksgiving. I walked up to security in DCA, and saw a half hour long line (at least). I stepped over to the PreCheck lane and was through in five minutes. No body scan (I've never actually had to go through one, as I have an injury to my left arm that makes it impossible for me to raise it above me head), no shoes or belt off, and no pat downs. It was great. It was a similar experience to what security was like pre-9/11. With PreCheck, air travel feels civilized again.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

Never been in the military have you? You get used to it pretty quick.

Ryan? Are you kidding? He was in the Navy I think.

 

[SarahZ]

Never been in the military have you? You get used to it pretty quick.

Ryan was in the Navy.

 

[William W.]

The last few posts of this conversation make me think of a certain obnoxious song...

 

[NW cannonball]

The last few posts of this conversation make me think of a certain obnoxious song...

I totally hope that you are not thinking of a certain submariners song. Those who sing it --- are always s*faced drunk.

Not here please. Please.

When I took a TIGER cruise on a Nimitz-class

There was sniffer dogs, there was baggage inspection. There might have been other scans I didn't notice.

There was no body-search no millimeter radar crap, and no groping.

I Figure the NAVY secures their ships really well. So far anyhow -- nobody has stolen one .

Yeah -- the airport scan thing is a total joke -- or total payoff subsidy thing.

Just another cost of doing business.

 

[GG-1]

I Figure the NAVY secures their ships really well. So far anyhow -- nobody has stolen one .

I thought most retiring sailors brought one home in their seabags



:lol:

Aloha