Homeland Security Finds Body Scanner 'Vulnerabilities'

May 8, 2012

A DHS internal report cites weaknesses with airports' body scanners, giving eight classified recommendations for improved screening, according to Wired.com.

A summary of the report was quietly published on the DHS website, and it states that Homeland Security investigators have found "vulnerabilities" with the full-body scanners. The summary also says that the "quantitative and qualitative results of our testing are classified."

The Department of Homeland Security has spent $87 million replacing magnetometers with the X-ray body scanners, which includes $10 million for "installation and maintenance," Wired says. That does not yet include the $7 million slated to "remove the human factor from the image review process" by replacing the passenger's image with a generic avatar.

This news comes soon after the seizure of a non-metal IED from Yemen, and it is uncertain whether or not the device would have been caught by the body scanners. Officials state that testing on the device's detectability is underway.

The exact nature of how bad the scanners actually are is not being publicly divulged, and neither are the eight recommendations.

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

ON DEMAND: DevSecOps creates an environment of shared responsibility for security, where AppSec and development teams become more collaborative. With the right training and tools, developers can become more hands-on with security and, with that upskilling, stand out among their peers... however, they need the security specialists on-side, factoring them into securing code from the start and championing this mindset across the company.

Join our subject matter experts as they explore how the right systems can help identify, analyze and report potential incidents and help building owners sustain compliance and create safer spaces.

Security Magazine

2020 September

This month in Security magazine, we bring you our 2020 Most Influential People in Security annual report, where we highlight 22 industry leaders, their path to security, careers, goals and guidance for future security professionals. Industry experts discuss the evolution of ransomware, houses of worship security, cybersecurity standards, security careers in investigations and the unifying power of security. Diane Ritchey, past Editor-in-Chief, says goodbye and thank you to our readers.

View More Create Account

Homeland Security Finds Body Scanner 'Vulnerabilities'

Related Articles

Related Products

Report Abusive Comment