Fake boarding passes, real trouble

Christopher Soghoian said he was just pointing out gaps in airline security when he posted a tool on his Web site letting anyone create fake boarding passes.
Right. Just like I’d be pointing out gaps in convenience-store security if I put out a box full of pistols and ski masks.
While Soghoian’s stunt did publicize a known vulnerability in passenger screening, there was probably a better way to do it than potentially endangering travelers — maybe an e-mail to the nearest TSA office. Instead, he took the self-aggrandizing way, proclaiming altruism only after the fact.
Now he’s upset about unwelcome attention from the FBI. Given the times, you’d think a smart guy like that might have seen it coming.
Posted by Dave Knadler

4 Comments

  1. Mr. Bin loungin'
    Posted November 2, 2006 at 6:22 am | Permalink

    Your notion of who is a smart guy, makes sense since I was until now un-aware of this security gap. Thanks

    Osama

  2. neg
    Posted November 2, 2006 at 10:22 am | Permalink

    I don’t think Dave has ever tried reporting flaws like this. I, on the other hand, do have experience reporting to the FBI. I assembled information on a hacker operating out of an east coast college. The Director of IT at his/her school was very interested and took action, but the FBI chose not to even respond.

    Are you aware he did not attempt to report his findings?

    And we can drop all this spooky danger rhetoric already. There may be people boarding planes of whom you should be afraid, but they’ll be drawing the least amount of attention to themselves as possible. There are plenty of ways to sneak prohibited materials onto planes even considering the level of [implied] security we’ve attained.

    But, I guess everyone has a right to be a frightened sheep who believes that sophisticated criminals search Google for how to refine nuclear material and look to comedic blogs for ways to circumvent airline security.

  3. Wiseman
    Posted November 2, 2006 at 1:04 pm | Permalink

    Christopher Soghoian, sounds like the kind of person that would take a stick and try to poke at an animal in a cage just so he can get a laugh.This time he the animal got him.

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    Posted November 5, 2006 at 6:46 pm | Permalink

    Hello!My girlfriend is my [url=map8307274.compactbucks.info/]wife![/url]