Stupid WiFi Hotspot Name Gets American Airlines Flight Grounded
from the because-terrorists-would-name-their-terrorist-network-something-terroristic dept
America: land of the ass coverage policy and home of "better safe than sorry." Free and brave? Not so much. If anyone wants to know if the terrorists have won, here's another one to file under "Exhibit A: Yes, At Least A Sizable Partial Victory."
When some dumbass can keep planes from flying simply by renaming a WiFi hotspot, we as a nation cannot claim to have won the War on Terror, much less to be picking up some easy points during "trash time."
An American Airlines flight from Los Angeles International Airport to London was delayed Sunday after concerns over the name of a WiFi hotspot.This delayed the flight for three hours. Those grounded by the quite-obviously-not-a-wireless-Al-Qaeda-hotspot were initially told it was a "maintenance problem." How fucking comforting is that? Instead of admitting to being pranked into submission by a single person, the airline instead chose to frame it as something with a much larger potential of killing its flying customers.
A passenger saw the WiFi connection, named "Al-Quida Free Terror Nettwork," and expressed concern to a flight attendant.
Flight 136 was taken back to the gate and delayed until 1 p.m. Monday, American Airlines officials said.
"Nothing to do with terrorists here, folks! Just the small chance that the plane you'll eventually be boarding may not be airworthy!"
According to ABC7's report, the airline is "assessing" the situation. And, of course, "law enforcement has been notified," because that's what we do when we have no idea what to do. Someone "said" something terrorist-related, therefore law enforcement, assessments, flight delays and NOT A SINGLE COOL HEAD PREVAILING ANYWHERE. May your paranoia always be unfettered.
The WiFi hotspot naming option has been routinely abused in the past, all without serious harm coming to anyone involved. The Consumerist reminds us that another dumbass delayed a Southwestern flight by naming a hotspot "Bomb on Board" -- a name more credibly threatening than the misspelled joke listed above.
And let's not forget how many citizens have pranked/startled wardrivers and leeches by naming their wireless connections things like "FBI_SURVEILLANCE_VAN." Give anyone the power to name something and it will quickly gravitate towards 4th-grade-level Mad Libs. Hence why any video game in which you can name your protagonist becomes a playground for swear words and dick jokes [timesink]. It also explains why my sons' loadout presets for Call of Duty: Black Ops are named "pokemon," "pewd" and "POOP" respectively.
Does anyone actually think this hotspot name indicated terrorist activity? I mean, other than the person reporting the WiFi hotspot name, the person acquiescing to the complainant's paranoia, the entire chain of command responsible for delaying the flight, the law enforcement officials who actually decided to investigate… never mind. I don't even want to know the answer. It's too depressing.
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Filed Under: airplanes, networks, terrorism, wifi
Companies: american airlines
Reader Comments
The First Word
“USA Still Free
Snowden Peace Prize
TSA Useless
So you can make your point without actually disrupting anything.
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(/sarcmarc)
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On a side note I'm renaming my wi-fi hotspot next flight. Because the 4th-grade inside me lold at the prank.
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Re:
Hey, why bother? Just send an email reminding airport staff that an SSID can be named anything, and even those called "my Wifi" or "fluffy bunny network" could actually be used by terrorists. Then for maximum effect, remind them that people can hide the SSIDs. Someone next to you could have a wireless network called Al Qaeda *right now* and you wouldn't know until it's too late!
Just make sure you're not in the airport at the time, else you might be there for a while. I've never been so glad that my flights at the weekend weren't related to a country whose agencies are this scared of everything.
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Statuscasting
http://openideals.com/2014/10/06/gilgamesh-twitter-over-bluetooth/
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Depressing but predictable.
There is no personal upside to ignore this prank but there is a very very very small and VERY real downside. Blame congressional hearings and 24/7 media for this crap.
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New ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶c̶h̶e̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶r̶u̶p̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶s̶ art installation
· configure it to bring up the wireless as an access-point with some random "terroristic-to-idiots-but-clearly-not-actually-terroristic" SSID for 5-10 mins, then shut down for some random 30-90 minute interval, optionally randomizing the MAC for additional fun. Maybe also delay for a couple hours after powering up to give some getaway time.
· set it up in some out-of-the-way location where it won't be disturbed (or disguise it as some official-ish looking object, perhaps labeled as "Passenger Safety Enforcement Device: Do Not Tamper"). Maybe even set it up with a directional antenna on the public side of the TSA checkpoint so you don't have to concern yourself with getting it through security or paying for a ticket.
· watch as flight after flight get disrupted
So havoc can be yours for ~$50(USD) per installation. Yeah, this sounds like setting a good precedent for terrorists to use.
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Re: Depressing but predictable.
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Re: Re:
"yes I'm scared but I still have porn"
(my wifi says NSA bounce reflector)
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Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
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Key point: it wasn't a threat.
The "take all threats seriously" mentality is already stupid. This is beyond stupid because there was no threat to take seriously.
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Future Headlines:
Seriously, I now know that all I need to do to disrupt a flight is rename my hotspot to something terroristy.
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Re: Depressing but predictable.
Then let the plane go on it's way.
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Re: Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
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Re: Future Headlines:
You can do that without an actual hotspot and, for about $15 worth of equipment, from well outside the airport.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
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USA Still Free
Snowden Peace Prize
TSA Useless
So you can make your point without actually disrupting anything.
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prior restraint
...and now we have prior restraint on free expression.
It's all great to pretend this won't happen until one day when you can't fire up your phone tethering and offer up the "TSA Sucks" hotspot.
E
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Re: New ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶c̶h̶e̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶r̶u̶p̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶s̶ art installation
Be vewy vewy careful if you fuck with Big Brother, he has no sense of humor, especially around airplanes.
(Remember the electronic gizmos on expressway signs that got most of Boston shut down about 10 years ago?)
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More worried about
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Re: Depressing but predictable.
I suppose they can have a wifi locator or something so that they can more efficiently locate the person responsible without interrupting everyone else?
but I agree that it's a tough call on both sides. Do something and you risk overreacting. Do nothing and you risk endangering passengers.
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The home of the brave?
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Re:
Which would make it a "stupid wifi hotspot name" in my book.
Who is the idiot here again?
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Re: More worried about
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Was the hotspot even on the same plane?
Therefore, a window passenger on a completely different (but nearby) plane could have been the source of the "terroristic" hotspot. No need to postulate long-range directional antennas or high-powered access points for them to have detained the wrong airplane.
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Re:
Um no, it is the "Al-Quida FREE" as in free of "Al-Quida", "terror network" It was most likely put up by ISIS.
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Re: Was the hotspot even on the same plane?
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Re: Re: Was the hotspot even on the same plane?
And once the waves got in, the "aluminum tube" part would make them bounce around, so a window seat might even not be needed (were it not for the "bags of water" effect of the other passengers absorbing most of the waves).
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but to whine about it????
"Mommy, I'm scared......"
(Hey, Stay home, you "might" be safe there)
When your "safety fears" infringe on my rights, it's time for you to stay home.
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Re: Re: New ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶c̶h̶e̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶r̶u̶p̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶s̶ art installation
My favorite line from the pictured characters is probably still this: "Ignignokt: [flipping the bird] I hope he can see this 'cause I'm doing it as hard as I can." - http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0052023/quotes
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Re: Re: New ̶t̶e̶r̶r̶o̶r̶i̶s̶t̶ ̶s̶c̶h̶e̶m̶e̶ ̶t̶o̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶r̶u̶p̶t̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶a̶i̶r̶l̶i̶n̶e̶ ̶n̶e̶t̶w̶o̶r̶k̶s̶ art installation
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Re: Depressing but predictable.
Then again, the terrorist, I mean "prankster" was successful since he created fear at the airport.
And to other posters- no, the airline did not have to go to these lengths to avoid liability. Why do companies insist on planning for the 0.00001% risk that something will happen? Why not just say "we knew this was a prank" and let it go... without the 3 hour delay?
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Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
Do you? Do you really?
I mean, letting the plane take off AT ALL risks endangering passengers. Delaying the flight also has distinct and measurable impact on the lives of passengers.
Consider... In what possible universe could this be a credible threat? You're positing the existence of a terrorist that is simultaneously competent enough to build or acquire a wifi-triggered bomb, get it onto the plane undetected and have it located somewhere that it will do enough damage to matter, and fly so completely under the radar that there's no other evidence of risk to the flight... yet so incompetent that not only do they broadcast their SSID, but they think the irony in the name is worth risking the entire operation?
Even if such a terrorist exists, what's the worst they can do? As soon as he (she?) threatens to detonate the bomb he'll have half of the rest of the passengers pinning him to the ground and loosening his teeth the old fashioned way - no hijacking there. Or detonate the bomb and take out everyone in the plane, possibly over a populated area. That's definitely a tragedy, and it would inch flying slightly closer to being more dangerous than driving, assuming there are more such uniquely qualified terrorists.
But if that was going to happen, the tragedy was NOT in failing to react to the wireless network name. It was failing to identify the plot BEFORE it reached the plane... because if the only reason we avoided a terror incident was because of the name of a wireless network, then that's a failure rather than a success.
I really don't think it's in any way a tough call.
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Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
I'd certainly favour that airline.
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Re: Re: Depressing but predictable.
I disagree. This call was easy -- nothing needed to be done. There was no risk.
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Just a thought...
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Have fun.
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Re: Key point: it wasn't a threat.
Maybe that will cure this paranoia...
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cheap flights
http://flight.lixter.com
No booking fees • Save money!
Click to airway link and get your airplane tiket from their own page
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Re: Re:
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Illegal?
The same folks who grounded that plane still have my confiscated fingernail clippers from 10 years ago
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