TSA Agents Outwitted by Cory Doctorow's Unlocked, 'TSA-Safe' Suitcase | Hacker News Reader

TSA Agents Outwitted by Cory Doctorow's Unlocked, 'TSA-Safe' Suitcase

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36 pointsDiabloD317 comments

One thing that concerns me: I have sitting next to me a 23 year old US citizen traveler and her comments on this sum to a few "mmmeh" sort of noises. She says "yeah, I always get the slip in my luggage, I know it's checked so I don't lock it". Ask her if she knows who Edward Snowden is and the response is "no". This person doesn't even know what the Stasi is.

As someone who recently had the DPP drop a case against me because the judge ruled the police search illegal and struck the evidence, all this abuse-of-power stuff is close to my heart. Australia still seems to have some some separation of power.

The worrying thing is that the current generation of TSOs are setting the work-place culture, and young Americans appear to be accepting the consequences, or just oblivious to it completely.

I start to hyperventilate a bit over this scenario. Where does all this lead?

My generation, I am 23 as well, do not understand this at all, it is really sad.

I am working with a group for a project in our business ethics class and one of the topics that I wanted to cover was encryption and how to protect yourself and keep the government out. I know the chances of the FBI knocking on my door is slim to none, but I want to keep my self protected. Especially if I have an encounter with the police I know my rights with my technology and I do not want anyone in my information.

We ended up doing a different topic because one of the kids argued with me saying there's no reason to encrypt, the FBI wont come for you, and why wouldn't you just comply with their demands it makes you look guilty if you don't. He does not understand the fact that it is our personal right to protect ourselves, and that it does not matter if you are guilty or not you have rights to keep yourself protected.

I come from a police officer family and respect the police, but if a cop tells me to give him my phone or laptop they will never get into it.

I went on a rant, but it seems people do not understand security or personal privacy and they let others exploit this.

Seems like because the case was unlocked, the officers could not use the keys. The keys are only to be used when the locks are locked. This means that the TSA were unable to unlock the suitcase, which logically allows them to break into the object using a crowbar. (/kafka)

> stealing your valuables

> So, to recap: the TSA can break your stuff

A simple, free solution to this issue: check a firearm in your luggage.

It's a federal issue (violation of 14 CFR 108.11 [1]) for anyone to have access to said luggage except yourself. This includes the use of TSA locks - you are the only one who legally may retain firearm-containing-baggage keys.

I have never had an issue with lost, tampered, or stolen luggage. I routinely fly with tens of thousands of dollars in electronics and equipment, plus at least one handgun/ammunition. No problems.

In the event of an alarm, you're required to be present for any manual screening. Manual screening is often not necessary (depends on the airport/equipment/experience of the screener).

I should note: this only works if your "luggage" is one solid, hard case. I use a large, undivided Pelican case. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002E6R7NG

[1] http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-1999-title14-vol2/xml/CFR-1...

Oh, the TSA is searching hot air balloons now?

Perhaps because it's metal they couldn't x-ray it properly?

It isn't lead - I doubt this was an issue.

Here is the TSA claim form: http://www.tsa.gov/sites/default/files/assets/pdf/sf95_cover...

I have not made a claim myself, but I found the form because TSA derps made my skis miss the plane because they ALWAYS open ski bags, which seems like the stupidest damn thing imaginable. Skis would be extremely hard to modify for any nefarious purpose, and can't be used to conceal anything. And of course saying "...the stupidest damn thing imaginable" about things the TSA does just demonstrates a lack of imagination about stupidity and the TSA.

I think somebody has a lack of imagination about what can be used to conceal explosives etc. The IED class my son taught in the Army stressed how almost any ordinary object can be weaponized e.g. made out of explosives or incorporate explosives.

Like, say, a toner cartridge?

But yeah. Explosives can and have been shaped into many interesting forms. Usually this is done to create a blast wave that applies force to a focused area for extra penetrating power, but it's also used to conceal HE into novel and difficult to detect forms.

That said: I regularly check luggage and ONLY put clothes and toiletries into the case. Everything else rides with me. It's always fun pulling two laptops and assorted electronics into the bins.

Of course a toner cartridge! Or was that meant sarcastically?

My point was that a surprisingly small amount of explosives is a risky bet for nearly anything as vulnerable to decompression as the pressurized hull of an airliner.

You could construct skis that incorporated a very thin layer of HE sandwiched in the material and/or had a few drilled channels of HE through the actual ski that could make some poor bird fall right out of the sky.

Believe me, the red teamers in the government have thought of this and done their best to try and make the front-line workers at least aware of how THEY would sneak a bomb on a plane.

I know someone who regularly carries two weapons in the cabin on every flight he's on and has since 9/11. His trick was to make them look like ordinary things you'd never suspect.

Don't worry though. He's one of the good guys. :-)

> Believe me, the red teamers in the government have thought of this and done their best to try and make the front-line workers at least aware of how THEY would sneak a bomb on a plane.

Skis are made in a heated press at hundreds of PSI. I'd like to meet the TSA consultant who put HE in a ski press, but I suspect he has gone to the great departure lounge in the sky.

You're talking about the process by which you make a ski that will be used for skiing.

I'm talking about something that LOOKS like a ski, but will never be used to ski.

I wouldn't make the mistake of confusing the two.

Once they are glued together and pressed, ain't nothing getting inside a ski. If you take apart a ski, you are not going to get it back together in anything like factory condition. I have seen some extreme attempts at "core shot" and edge repair, and the most radical of these would not open enough space inside a ski for explosives or contraband. It would be hard to think of a less likely candidate for concealing something. In other words, everything else in the luggage should be examined before skis.

Oooor, they're not skis, they're explosives. That's why they look at them. Right?

> Skis would be extremely hard to modify for any nefarious purpose, and can't be used to conceal anything.

You aren't trying hard enough. 10 minutes of thought and access to basic tools can turn just about anything into a lethal weapon. Someone determined to do harm, with a proper engineering education, can do incredibly horrible things with your skis.

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