more on NYC to search transit riders' bags -- but ...

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: "James P.G. Sterbenz" <jpgs () ittc ku edu>
Date: July 22, 2005 6:21:25 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Cc: "James P.G. Sterbenz" <jpgs () ittc ku edu>
Subject: Re: [IP] more on NYC to search transit riders' bags -- but ...


At 18:01 7/22/2005, you wrote:



> Begin forwarded message:
>
> From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat org>
> Date: July 22, 2005 5:03:56 PM EDT
> To: dave () farber net, Ip ip <ip () v2 listbox com>
> Subject: Re: [IP] more on NYC to search transit riders' bags --  
> but ...
>
>
> Michael Bacarella, quoting an article:
>
>
>
> > "It turns out the best strategy is purely random (flip the coin).
> > Stark says this is a well-established concept in the mathematical
> > world, that as long as there is a detectable pattern, then it can
> > be exploited.

That is absurd, since it doesn't match the threat model.  Random
searches are a reasonable response (deterrent) to criminals that
are unwilling to get caught.



> Jack Welch of GE demonstrated long ago that quality control based
> even on random sampling produced unacceptable results. The Japanese
> auto makers took this principle to heart and promptly ate their
> American counterparts' lunch.

Random searches do *not* respond to the threat of terrorists that are
willing to get caught or die in their quest.  All it does is
(with the probability of the fraction searched) possibly delay
the attack, until a successor makes it through the holes in the
net.  Yet another case of policy not responding to the real threat.
I wonder if they really don't know better, or if it is a knowing
attempt to placate the public when there are few good answers.


---------------------------------------------------------------------
James P.G. Sterbenz   http://jpgs.sterbenz.org       jpgs () sterbenz org
jpgs () ittc ku edu      jpgs () comp lancs ac uk        jpgs () tik ee ethz ch
U. Kansas EECS/ITTC   Lancaster University UK      jpgsterbenz () iee org
+1 508 944 3067       +41 79 733 83 25     jpgs@{acm|ieee|m.ieice}.org




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