The Department of Homeland Security is looking to science and technology to make air travel more secure. Speaking before an audience at the SPIE Defense Security and Sensing conference Susan Hallowell, TSA Security Laboratory director, outlined just how far detection technology has come in the past twenty years.
“The threat has evolved, and there is a broader spectrum of threats,” said Hallowell. She took attendees through a timeline of major terrorist incidents, from Libyan terrorists using military explosives to down Pan Am Flight 103 to the use of suicide bombers in the attacks on 9/11. From liquid explosives to underwear bombs, terrorists are exploring every opportunity to attack their targets.
TSA technology – specifically full body scanners – has come under serious criticism – from privacy groups, foreign governments and the U.S. congress. Hallowell didn’t address privacy concerns at the SPIE event, but did note that radiology concerns from the millimeter wave scanners are more hype than reality. Hallowell did discuss the desire to automate as many activities as possible, noting that some of the most critical questions are when to allow technology to make the decisions and when a human element is needed.
With widespread stories of TSA agents ogling individuals as they stand in the scanners – and passengers revolting with their own version of limited airport attire – this is perhaps the most critical question TSA technology will need to address in the coming years.
Almost everyone can agree that the threats are real. “Al Qaeda has its own R&D,” said Hallowell, highlighting Inspire Magazine, an English language propaganda publication of Al Qaeda which has outlined efforts to infiltrate TSA security systems.
Al Qaeda is using technology to recon potential scenarios – and with the list of potential threats ever expanding, that’s a challenge. Hallowell noted that for every explosive substance there are a variety of fuels available, which means terrorist organizations have a variety of causes and effects available.
Given that 1994 was the first year a certified explosive detection system was used, the TSA has come a long way in the past several years. Whether the technology at its disposal has kept pace with privacy concerns is another matter. It’s worth mentioning that Hallowell’s session at SPIE ended with an individual asking about the option of having dogs provide bomb detection in airports, versus invasive technology. So, with twenty years of technology under its belt, many travelers would highly prefer being sniffed by a dog versus x-rayed by a millimeter scanner.
Hallowell dismissed the dog idea, noting both cultural aversion and cost making dogs a no go.
Lindy Kyzer is the editor of ClearanceJobs.com. She loves cybersecurity, social media, and the U.S. military. Have a conference, tip, or story idea to share? Email editor@clearancejobs.com.
