Researchers Easily Slipped Weapons Past TSA’s X-Ray Body Scanners

&quot;The only useful airport security measures since 9&#x2F;11, were locking and reinforcing the cockpit doors, so terrorists can’t break in, positive baggage matching and teaching the passengers to fight back. The rest is security theater.”[0] --Bruce Schneier<p>[0] <a href="http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2011/12/tsa-insanity-201112" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;www.vanityfair.com&#x2F;culture&#x2F;features&#x2F;2011&#x2F;12&#x2F;tsa-insan...</a>

Hi! Lead author here.<p>We&#x27;ll be giving a talk on this work tomorrow at the USENIX Security conference, but I&#x27;d be happy to answer questions here before then!

It is disappointing just how compliant people are with the stupid procedures.<p>But then you see the stories about people who are in the right, and are complying with the TSA procedures (going as far as having letters from TSA) who get terrible treatment.<p><a href="http://rt.com/usa/154672-tsa-breast-milk-settlement/" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;rt.com&#x2F;usa&#x2F;154672-tsa-breast-milk-settlement&#x2F;</a>

The article title is false. Within the article it admits the TSA no longer uses this type of body scanner.

The article notes the $1 billion spent to deploy the machines, and later states that these machines are no longer in use. What is left unsaid is the cost to deploy the machines that replaced this model–suggesting another billion spent on more security theatre.

I wonder how much of a dose of radiation they exposed themselves (or their grad students) to while researching this?

I wanna know how this kind of experiment actually works.<p>&gt; Bill: &quot;Hey Joe, we&#x27;re gonna do an experiment, and we need you to smuggle a chainsaw through airport security.&quot;<p>&gt; Joe: &quot;All right. Hold my sign, I don&#x27;t wanna lose it.&quot;<p>&gt; TSA: &quot;Is this a chainsaw?&quot;<p>&gt; Joe: &quot;I&#x27;m a researcher, I swear.&quot;<p>&gt; TSA: &quot;Likely story. FULL CAVITY SEARCH, FELLAS.&quot;<p>&gt; Bill: &quot;Hmm, that didn&#x27;t work. Next up, flamethrowers. Hey Frank...&quot;