Christopher J. Buckley

Slashdot is reporting that a talented academic security researcher has had his home raided by the FBI. His henious crime? Alerting the world to a major security flaw in Northwest Airlines’ Boarding Pass screener. His mistake? Compiling a PHP script to demonstrate the validity of his claims. For the authorities, I believe this crossed the line between ‘highlighing’ a risk and acively publishing a utility to endorse it. The reaction should not have been a raid, though. A cease and decist letter would have sufficed – or, and blatant obviousness coming your way, ordered NWA to fix the security lapse!

Actions like those of the FBI above worryingly serve as a reminder, and more worryingly to the people who wish to harm the West (read: Britain, Israel and the United States) why America is still so clearly vulnerable. This is why they were so successfully attacked and this is why they will be again. Instead of addressing the real and clear security holes that still exist, they raid graduate-students’ homes whilst the security alert still remains.

However, this is not new news! Senator Charles E. Schumer had already detailed the security hole in his blog post of February 2005! Any half-smart ‘terrorist’ (I use this word reservedly, as its meaning can be so differently interpreted) could have easily used the instructions Senator Shumer posted to sucessfully attempt a plane hijack.

The United States’ reputation is being ruined by the current inept administration. I, for one, can only look forward to the Democrats taking back both the Senate and Congress in the elections next month – and i consider myself to be a natural Republican..!

Rant over.