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Congressman Calls for Arrest of Security Researcher
Posted by
Zonk
on Fri Oct 27, 2006 05:28 PM
from the that's-a-pretty-cool-project dept.
from the that's-a-pretty-cool-project dept.
Christopher Soghoian writes "Yesterday, I published a tool that allows you to Create your own boarding pass for Northwest flights. This was an attempt to document the fragile and broken state of identity/security for domestic flights in the US. Today, Congressman Markey (D-Mass) has called for my arrest." From the ABC article: "'I don't want to help terrorists or help bad guys do bad things on airplanes, but what we have now is what we in the industry call security theater. It's made to make you think you're secure without actually making you secure,' Soghoian said. 'As a member of the academic research community, I consider this to be a public service.' Soghoian admits that he hasn't actually tried to use one of the boarding passes yet."
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News: FBI Raids Security Researcher's Home 516 comments
Sparr0 writes, "The FBI has raided the home of Christopher Soghoian, the grad student who created the NWA boarding pass site. Details can be found on his blog including a scanned copy of the warrant. The bad news is that he really did break the law. The good news is that Senator Charles Schumer did it first, 19 months ago, on an official government website no less. The outcome of this trial should be at least academically interesting. At best, it could result in nullifying some portion of the law(s) that the TSA operates under." Read on for Sparr0's take on what laws may apply in this case.
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Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:4, Insightful)
With a supreme court with 7 republican appointees? I doubt it.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Note that all four of the dissenting justices in the Kelo decision were appointed by Republicans.
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:5, Insightful)
More like a misconception. This country really needs more so-called conservative justices. By "conservative", I don't mean conservatives pushing their agendas from the bench (like O'Connor), I mean justices who follow the Constitution (like Scalia).
It's no surprise that Kelo went the way it did. You're thinking is that "liberals are for the little guys, conservatives for business". But, in reality, having the power of central planning is crucial to the liberal agenda. Kelo was exactly what the liberals needed: the power for government officials to confiscate your personal property in the name of a "greater good" by calling it a "public purpose" (not public use, however, as the 5th Amendment says).
Scalia, on the other hand, follows the Constitutional principle that the federal government can only regulate interstate commerce ("commerce among the states," as is in the Constitution). Using that principle, it would be Unconstitutional for the federal government to prohibit the growing of Marijuana on private property. States could still outlaw it, of course, but the feds couldn't do a thing. Does that sound "conservative" to you? Nope, but it is what the Constitution says.
This is not about your party, the Constitution gets in the way of BOTH parties, but it's not for the parties, it's for the PEOPLE. So back the Constitution, because it's just in the way of the Democrats and the Republicans. It's time for both parties to face the hard truths: you can't execute unwarranted searchs (too bad, GOP). And Democrats: stop trying to control guns, unless you want to try to pass an Amendment. The Constitution says these things, plain and simple. Oh, and when you get a chance, read the 10th Amendment, too.
Right now the idea that we are following the Constitution is a joke. We cling to a few scraps of the Bill of Rights, and ignore much of the rest of it. Congress "Authorized the use of force"?! What is that supposed to mean? What about a declaration of war? Meanwhile the Supreme Court passes arbitrary edicts fabricated out of thin air, like "privacy" meaning that it's Unconstitutional to ban abortions. I don't think it's a good idea to ban abortions, but why did 9 people make that decision for the entire country, when it's clearly a state issue?
Parent
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:5, Insightful)
Much like the guy who looks at your boarding pass, you're trusting your life to something that's just a goddamn piece of paper.
Parent
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:4, Insightful)
In other words, I think the professor's research is silly, and I think the congressman is equally silly for calling for his arrest.
Parent
not likely (Score:3, Insightful)
Otherwise, you know, you couldn't be prosecuted for faking a bill of sale for a car, or a life insurance policy, or printing counterfeit currency, or most other forms of fraud that involve a printed document -- and you surely can.
Re:not likely (Score:5, Informative)
I just created a fake bill of sale for a car. I have committed no crime, because I have not proffered it as genuine to anybody.
Fraud is a crime of intent.
KFG
Parent
Re:not likely (Score:5, Insightful)
Finkployd
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re:not likely (Score:5, Informative)
This is why every American should immediately go visit FIJA [fija.org] and learn the truth about serving on a jury. Hint: you can judge the law as well as the facts, and juries ARE the "last line of defense" against oppressive government / bad laws. See Jury Nullification [wikipedia.org] and/or Peter Zenger [wikipedia.org] for more.
If I'm ever serving on a jury, I can guarantee you that I won't be voting to convict in any "victimless crime" situation, or anything where somebody is being charged with violating some bullshit law. Hung jury or acquittal, here we come.
Parent
Re:YANAL and you don't play one well on the net (Score:4, Insightful)
Steer clear of illegal activity???? HELL no! That's the dumbest idea I've ever heard. As good citizens we have a responsibility to ignore and break bad laws...
Parent
Re:not likely (Score:4, Interesting)
Passing a fake bill is illegal. Selling a printing press is not, even if that printing press can be used to print bills.... Telling people how to make a plate based on existing currency... it's the same as making any other kind of plate, so also not illegal in all likelihood.
There isn't anything here that hasn't been obvious to every single person who reads Slashdot for years. It's all smoke and mirrors, and anyone with even a modest level of intelligence knows this, not just geeks. The only thing surprising here is that we have a Congressman who is so completely computer illiterate and clueless that he actually believes that the stuff in this article would be a surprise to anyone.
You know, now that I think about it, given the quality of federal legislation in the past few years... it's not really that surprising after all. In fact, it explains a lot.
Parent
Re:not likely (Score:5, Insightful)
Come on, security researchers, you know what the political climate is! Is there no other way to point out that something may be easily forged besides actually creating a tool to forge it!?
No, because anything less will be dismissed as fearmongering.
Parent
Re:not likely (Score:5, Interesting)
Don't know what became of that. (This was long before 9/11.)
Parent
Re:not likely (Score:5, Insightful)
Come on software security researchers -- is there no other way to demonstrate exploits in Internet Explorer than to actually create and release the exploit code?!
I mean seriously -- isn't this the same question in a different wrapper?
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
The problem is that for every tale like yours, there are a thousand stories of people who found holes in a computer system, told the responsible party, and were promptly threatened with administrative action for "cracking". After all, if you weren't trying to break in, how did you stumble across the security hole to begin with?
And as I said, we've all been saying this for years. It simply took somebody having the guts to make a really visible, easy-to-use exploit for the problem before anyone would list
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:5, Funny)
Finkployd
Parent
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:Ummm. The First Amendment? (Score:4, Insightful)
Face it. So long as we say, "Everyone has a right to habeus corpus, except for group X," then all the government needs to do is claim you're a member of group X to deny you access to the courts.
Final note: We are not at war. Legally, we are not at war, because Congress has not declared war. Morally, we cannot declare a war that amounts to a war against anyone, anywhere who might be plotting violence against us. That leads directly to a state of eternal war, because we cannot even conceive of a future state of affairs that could be called "victorious."
The U.S. knew the war was over when Lee signed his surrender at Appomattox. How will we know that the "global struggle against islamofascism" is at an end, that America is safe, and we can demand these so-called "war powers" back? Who is going to have to surrender their arms to make that day come? The answer, of course, is nobody. This "war" won't end with a resounding military victory or the fall of some great tyrant. It only ends when the people of the U.S. rise up and take back the liberties they traded for false security.
November 7, people. Mark it on your calendars.
Parent
This is nothing new.. (Score:4, Insightful)
Or, gee, the terrorists could just have someone else buy a plane ticket, or buy it themselves, or buy for a different flight, whatever.
The whole thing is ridiculous. It's ridiculous that this is thought to be some newly discovered weakness, and it's ridiculous that the powers that be are actually getting upset over it.
This is actually quite brilliant (Score:5, Insightful)
1) Go to 7-Eleven and buy a pre-paid credit card with cash using a fake name. This will be the name you fly under.
2) Buy a ticket with this credit card.
3) Print out an ADDITIONAL ticket for your real identity. He gives you an HTML form to do this.
Now, show up at the airport. Go through security with the fake ticket... it will match your ID, but since it's not in any computer systems, they won't check to see if you're on the no-fly list. When at the gate, provide the ticket you actually bought. Nowadays you don't need an ID at the gates anymore -- just have your ticket scanned and hop on the plane!
Now, I'm not exactly sure if you can check bags. If you have to go to the counter before security, they ask for your ID. But if you can avoid that (and you can now, as far as I know), you can fly on a fake identity.
Parent
Arrest? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Arrest? (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Not only boarding passes... (Score:3, Insightful)
The wide spread use of e-commerce has expedited the adoption of regular printouts as tickets, receipts, passes and other situations I can't think of right now.
Are people so dumb as to not realize, how simple their official 'logos' are to create using an image processing software? Agreed, most of these 'receipts' merely provide a number, which acts as an 'index' in some internal database somewhere.
But this guy does have a point. Merely admitting a person holding a an easily reproducible printout of an 'eticket' or boarding pass is just lame.
Newark (Score:5, Insightful)
Creating loopholes? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Creating loopholes? (Score:5, Insightful)
Something is amiss here.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
but of course (Score:5, Interesting)
One, shouldn't they already be on the lookout for frausters and terrorist.
Two, this isn't a new loophole. It's been there a while folks.
Well (Score:5, Insightful)
I suppose Congress is a bit different, I have no problem believing most of the genuinely are clueless and believe wholeheartedly that keeping lighters, tweezers, and bottles of water off airlines is critical to our national security. That also seem to really believe that torture and massive surveillance is an effective way to combat terrorism, further displaying a total lack if understanding. The Republicans (at least those loyal to the Whitehouse) are in a unique position where they have to pretend all of this fluff is important, but somehow selling the ports to Middle East companies, looking the other way on illegal aliens, and ignoring Bin Laden to focus on the mess we created in Iraq are perfectly acceptable.
Finkployd
Called them up: talked security vs obscurity (Score:5, Insightful)
1. Arresting the messenger doesn't help security- it makes people more afraid to point out security holes.
2. Security holes don't shrink by pretending they don't exist
3. Just before elections isn't the best time to make people in Silicon Valley rethink democrats on security. Markey has usually been thoughtful on security- he should rethink his policy of calling for arresting the messenger.
Impossible. (Score:5, Funny)
What Does This Have To Do With Anything? (Score:5, Insightful)
Political spectrum (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Political spectrum (Score:5, Interesting)
There's a very popular case study in business school about Coke and Pepsi, and how they're both very happy with approximately 49% of the market. People think they have a real "choice". Neither one has to worry about "monopolies". And, they already know each other. It's a fake battle to make people think that they actually have a choice, all the while, both parties are very happy with half of a FUCKING HUGE pie.
Sound familiar?
Parent
Prediction (Score:3, Insightful)
And what do you think the TSA's response to this will be? My money is that they decide to no longer allow people to print their own boarding passes. It will be paper ticket or nothing (and yes I'm aware that these can be forged too). So no more checkins at the gate -- stand in line along with those that have baggage to check. Just great.
Well if all else fails... (Score:3, Funny)
Failure to Legi$late (Score:4, Insightful)
Now, lets get to the reasons why this was the dumbest thing to do.
1. It puts egg of the face of every big federal contractor muscling their way into the "homeland security" budget.
2. We're at war with an enemy and tactical end that won't ever be defined. To maintain that heightened state of fear and social control, this individual must be criminalized. (he's helping the terrists after all.)
3. No contractor has a product ready to replace it. It will be a tough day for the contractors that have to explain this to gov't types.
4. It fires off a "something must be done" storm, that no politician really wants. They've got too much fund raising to do.
5. Whistle blowing is contrary to the nation-state's goals. An individual this smart and not working for the State must be criminalized in order to maintain the heightened state of fear and sustain a compliant population.
Never, and I mean never, should an individual take it upon themselves to publish this kind of information.
Except if you want to be known as "notorious" and probably a felon in prison for a couple of administrations at least.
Reminds me of an old southwest.com "HOST" bug (Score:5, Interesting)
When southwest first started offering online checking, i discovered a small bug, when you got the the "Print your boarding pass" screen, with my name in all caps, the letters "HOST" were replaced with "southwest.com"
The first time it happened i thought it was ammusing, I emailed their tech support, saved the HTML to a file and edited it so it had my name again and would match my ID when i checked in.
4 or 5 flights and at least 9 months later it was still happening and I spent a good 3 hours on the phone being transfered arround to different people trying ot get them to understand what the problem was and how fucking ridiculous it was that i had to constantly "hack" my boarding pass because of a bug they'd had for months.
How to deter suicide bombers: make 'em break law (Score:4, Funny)
If outlawing printing fake passes, is what it takes to keep terrorists from printing them, then we should do it. Terrorists wouldn't dare to break such a law, thus they won't be able to get boarding passes, thus they won't be able to fly, thus they won't be able to travel to my city, thus they won't be able to detonate a suicide bomb near me.
I'm glad Markey has the sense to systematically think this threat though, and recommend a solution that will stop it at the source.
And if anyone suggests that terrorist threats can only be countered by assuming that terrorists are willing to break TSA guidelines, then I suspect such a person of being an anarchist! This is a nation of laws!
Here's my letter to Markey (Score:5, Insightful)
I just read about your response to Christopher Soghoian's findings regarding online printable boarding passes being easily faked.
I have to say that I am appalled at what I am reading. Mr. Soghoian has found something that could allow terrorist to continue to harm Americans. This technique may have already been used, or plan to be used, but now we know about it and can do something about it.
Why? Because Mr. Soghoian was kind enough to expose this security flaw. Punishing someone that has put this much effort into giving us the knowledge to save more lives is asinine.
As a Quality Assurance Engineer, I know the importance of finding, and reporting, flaws. This man should be commended, not condemned.
I think it would be wise as a senior member of the Department for Homeland Security to withdraw your previous statements as you have gained "an insightful perspective" on this issue after responses such as mine.
Scaring others into not telling us where our security flaws are will only lead to more opportunities for our enemies. How can you not immediately see this?
Or should I put you on the list of government employees that pretend like they care, but would rather play political games instead?
Sincerely,
Quincunx (real name used in the real letter)
I encourage others to write as well. If we let him know his error, give him an "out", then maybe bullshit like this won't happen again. Here's hoping.
Here's the send-an-email part of Honorable Edward Markey's web page [house.gov]
Tom Clancy, anyone? (Score:4, Insightful)
So, if the litmus test has become, "Using mass media to point out ways that terrorists might strike = terrorism," then Mr. Clancy, as well as any number of Whitehouse Spokespeople are terrorists and should be put in Guantanamo right now. I mean, come on, they got up there at the briefings and said that people could smuggle bomb supplies on in component form in water bottles... and we can bring water bottles on board again... so... THEY'RE WITH THE TERRORISTS!!!!!
Since this is patently absurd, maybe Mr. Windbag might want to slow his roll a bit, and consider using his brain before he opens his fucking hole.
Flash Update: The FBI is at The Door (Score:5, Informative)
Let Markey know what you think (Score:4, Informative)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
In Soviet Russia... (Score:4, Funny)
Maybe not this one, but I'm sure one of the other 434 of them have done something.
Parent
Re:Another politician... (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh, he's thinking - about how scoring a cheap point by making himself look 'tough' on people percievable as wrongdoers, will score him political points with an "Election Day drawing near".
That's a politician's priority - exploiting the uninformed electorate by pushing buttons regardless of the truth.
Politics is about number one, everything else is by the by.
Parent
Re:Another politician... (Score:4, Funny)
Could fool me, mostly it smells like number two.
Parent