Vancouver Airport Risks Digest 24.44

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:


Date: Mon, 25 Sep 2006 10:01:42 -0700
From: Karl Klashinsky <klash () cisco com>
Subject: Vancouver Int'l Airport locked down due to software glitch

On 17 Sep 2006, Vancouver International Airport was locked down for  
several
hours because a security guard noticed what appeared to be an  
explosive on
an X-ray screen.  The bag in question could not be located in the  
screening
area, so the decision was made to re-screen all passengers in the  
waiting
areas.

The "lock down" procedure also required many flights that had just  
taken off
to return to Vancouver so that all passengers could be re-screened.

As it turns out, the bag was not found because it did not exist.  The  
image
seen by the guard was from training software installed on the screening
machine.  The image in question should have appeared only during a  
training
exercise, according to a spokesperson from Canadian Air Transport  
Security
Authority (CATSA).  Furthermore:

"They're investigating how that feature of the tool got inadvertently
activated.  And while they're doing that investigation, they've  
deactivated
the tool itself."

None of the basic facts here will be a surprise to RISKers.  However,  
one
thought crossing my mind is whether the training software was  
executed as a
prank, and if so, how (i.e., I have no idea whether it's possible to
interact with the screening machines remotely).  But if a "false  
positive"
image could be inserted into a live, in-service screening machine,  
then it's
possible that a "false negative" could also be inserted.

The CBC story shortly after the incident, describing the lock down:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/09/17/vancouver- 
airport.html

And the recent story describing the cause:

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2006/09/22/bc-airport- 
screening.html

  [Also noted by Robert Israel, UBC, Vancouver]
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060921/ 
yvr_security_060921/20060921

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