Student exposes boarding pass security flaw, has home raided by FBI

[Baked]

Dr. PhD thought it would funny to brag about and show off his giant brain, but instead he got WTFPWND by the NSA. Don't forget the lube.

 

[Xyo II]

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: everman
Good to know they can break into your house, take whatever they want, and not even need to charge you with a crime.

They had a court ordered search warrant.

Which allows them to break into your house, take whatever they want, and not need to charge you with a crime. This is how one gets evidence, everman.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

Originally posted by: Firsttime
I fail to see the problem with what the FBI did there. When one write about how to break the law I think the FBI has a legit concern there.

Pffft. There are hundreds of books in print regarding the manufacture of illegal drugs, how to make bombs, convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons... believe it or not, writing about doing something and actually doing it are not the same thing.

 

[Thraxen]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven

Originally posted by: Firsttime
I fail to see the problem with what the FBI did there. When one write about how to break the law I think the FBI has a legit concern there.

Pffft. There are hundreds of books in print regarding the manufacture of illegal drugs, how to make bombs, convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons... believe or not, writing about doing something and actually doing it are not the same thing.

I'd say this was more akin to actually making the bomb and giving it away for free. Either way, given the tension surrounding airport security, this guy was a dumbass for going about exposing the problem this way. I agree with the people that say he should have taken the story to a large news corp.

 

[So]

Amazing how many of you are so fast to jump on the "ban information" bandwagon. Security by obscurity is worse than no security at all. Shame.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

Originally posted by: Jeeebus
The point is, he made a user friendly tool where any fawking idiot could type their name and flight in, and voila print out a ready to go boarding pass... and then advertised it on the Internet for everyone to use... was that necessary to "expose" the security flaw? Ya, a letter probably would have taken a while to achieve its intended goal, but what about just contacting any of the local news outlets and explaining what you've found? I guarantee they'd all be salivating to get the story. Bingo, you expose the flaw without putting it in the hands of every asshat in the world.

This guy was a tard. He belongs in the new super prison I am constructing for fawking idiots that should no longer be populating our planet. /END

Again though, this has been a known flaw for over three years now. Clearly a letter would have done NOTHING.

Doesnt matter, that still doesnt give him a free pass.

 

[OutHouse]

Originally posted by: Xyo II

Originally posted by: Wreckem

Originally posted by: everman
Good to know they can break into your house, take whatever they want, and not even need to charge you with a crime.

They had a court ordered search warrant.

Which allows them to break into your house, take whatever they want, and not need to charge you with a crime. This is how one gets evidence, everman.

pwned. :laugh:

 

[TheChort]

did anyone else think of Loke after reading this?

 

[KrillBee]

i hope the police pay for the window they smashed and all the damage they caused

 

[JS80]

lol what's the point of getting through security checkpoint without being able to bring any items that can do harm and you can't even get on the plane :roll:

this guy is an idiot. this is no security flaw.

 

[TallBill]

Originally posted by: JS80
lol what's the point of getting through security checkpoint without being able to bring any items that can do harm and you can't even get on the plane :roll:

this guy is an idiot. this is no security flaw.

Didn't bother finishing the whole article did you?

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Citrix


Doesnt matter, that still doesnt give him a free pass.

Doesn't give him a free pass to write about a flawed system on his blog? Since when do you need a "pass" to speak out? What law did he break?

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: TallBill

Originally posted by: JS80
lol what's the point of getting through security checkpoint without being able to bring any items that can do harm and you can't even get on the plane :roll:

this guy is an idiot. this is no security flaw.

Didn't bother finishing the whole article did you?

i read it all...

 

[flashbacck]

Originally posted by: JS80
lol what's the point of getting through security checkpoint without being able to bring any items that can do harm and you can't even get on the plane :roll:

this guy is an idiot. this is no security flaw.

Did you bother finishing the article? :disgust:

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: Citrix


Doesnt matter, that still doesnt give him a free pass.

Doesn't give him a free pass to write about a flawed system on his blog? Since when do you need a "pass" to speak out? What law did he break?

He didn't just write about it on a blog. He made a tool, hosted by himself, designed to generate counterfeit boarding passes and circumvent security.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: BigJ
He didn't just write about it on a blog. He made a tool, hosted by himself, designed to generate counterfeit boarding passes and circumvent security.

Wrong. He designed it to generate attention and get the problem fixed.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Chiropteran

Originally posted by: BigJ
He didn't just write about it on a blog. He made a tool, hosted by himself, designed to generate counterfeit boarding passes and circumvent security.

Wrong. He designed it to generate attention and get the problem fixed.

:roll:

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: ShotgunSteven

Originally posted by: Firsttime
I fail to see the problem with what the FBI did there. When one write about how to break the law I think the FBI has a legit concern there.

Pffft. There are hundreds of books in print regarding the manufacture of illegal drugs, how to make bombs, convert semi-automatic weapons into fully-automatic weapons... believe it or not, writing about doing something and actually doing it are not the same thing.

And, for this very reason, I question whether his civil rights have been violated by the gov't... Was there any reason to suspect he was up to illegal activities? Over-reaction, or "knee-jerk" reaction by people who don't stop to think - gov't officials as well as posters here.

 

[KarenMarie]

As much as I hate to say it... I cannot get the old violin strings going for this guy.

Not going to belabor the endless discussion of whether his rights were violated or not.. or whether he deserved it or not... I will simply say this:

Had he taken this info and given it to the airlines, he would have been respected. Instead, he posted it for less trustworthy ppl to see with the potential of abetting someone doing something harmful. Now he is on a lifelong radar alert from Uncle Sam. Pretty stupid of him, I think.

 

[MrDingleDangle]

he could have just informed the news and gotten a report done on it, instead of actually allowing anyone to use it.

 

[ShotgunSteven]

OMG, I just thought of how the terrorists could sneak through security! They could buy a REAL ticket and get a REAL boarding pass! :Q

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

I understand the idea behind the metaphor, and I think the one you have designed is pointless. Your metaphor indicates a level of severity of the crime, in this case very high. In reality, the "crime" committed was a very minor one. Compared to yelling "fire" in a theater, this is more like yelling "the seats are not flame retardant."

I don't agree...but if it's just the same as yelling 'Hey the seats are not flame retardant here!", then why is this even an issue that this 'flaw' exists.

Fact is there are a ton of flaws in almost all security. The security comes from most don't know the flaws. When someone from the inside or one that has gained knowledge of them reports it to the masses...that is feeding the fire they sought to stop.

 

[grrl]

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

Originally posted by: Ramma2
This is like robbing a bank to prove that the bank has security flaws. Was he really stupid enough to think that nothing would happen to him?

We live in different times, people need to think about the consequences their actions could have.

It is nothing like robbing a bank. You are a moron.

That's right. He didn't try to board a plane with a bogus pass.

 

[aidanjm]

seeing as the security flaw has been known about since 2003, it seems pretty obvious someone would have to do something drastic to get the attnetion of the media and the government. Therefore I applaud the actions of this young patriot. The anger should be directed at the government for being satisfied with deficient security measures, not towards this brave young man.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: grrl

Originally posted by: SarcasticDwarf

Originally posted by: Ramma2
This is like robbing a bank to prove that the bank has security flaws. Was he really stupid enough to think that nothing would happen to him?

We live in different times, people need to think about the consequences their actions could have.

It is nothing like robbing a bank. You are a moron.

That's right. He didn't try to board a plane with a bogus pass.

just showed everyone else how too.

As a young hacker back in the 80's, if you didn't get a response from those you reported an attack potential too, you didn't post it up for anyone to know.

If they didn't care to hear it you moved on.

A fake boarding pass won't get you on a plane..but it makes the first steps for other's easier.