TSA: Terrible At Security But Finally Willing To Work On Its Problems

from the failing-forward dept

The TSA's inability to live up to the "S" in its acronym is on display again. The agency's Inspector General recently testified before a Congressional oversight committee. Fortunately, no one stepped forward to shoot the messenger -- seeing as the message was more bad news about TSA incompetence. I imagine TSA Administrator Peter Neffenger would have jumped at the chance to be the triggerman, but was fortunately limited to delivering his own prepared remarks in response.

After speaking to the "difficulty" (apparently insurmountable) of the TSA's "mission," Inspector General John Roth referred to the difficult nature (in the parental sense) of the agency itself.

My remarks were described as “unusually blunt testimony from a government witness,” and I will confess that it was. However, those remarks were born of frustration that TSA was assessing risk inappropriately and did not have the ability to perform basic management functions in order to meet the mission the American people expect of it. These issues were exacerbated, in my judgment, by a culture, developed over time, which resisted oversight and was unwilling to accept the need for change in the face of an evolving and serious threat. We have been writing reports highlighting some of these problems for years without an acknowledgment by TSA of the need to correct its deficiencies.
Is the TSA willing to change now? Possibly. But some things haven't changed, like its ability to do its job. Roth's office has performed another round of covert testing. Last time this testing was performed, the IG's fake terrorists nearly aced the test.

However, the latest covert testing wasn't nearly as "covert," as Lowering the Bar's Kevin Underhill points out. But it didn't go much better.
“In September 2015, we completed and distributed our report on our most recent round of covert testing.” This is where undercover DHS inspectors do stuff like try to smuggle bomb parts through checkpoints, and succeed … let’s see … 96% of the time. Or at least that’s how it’s gone in the past. How about now?

“While I cannot talk about the specifics in this setting [it’s classified, y’all], I am able to say that … the test results were disappointing and troubling,” and were “consistent across every airport” tested. Roth also noted that the tests were conducted by personnel “without any special knowledge or training,” which might seem odd unless you know that the TSA reacted to the earlier 96-percent-failure-rate findings partly by complaining that the IG had used personnel who were specially trained to defeat TSA’s efforts. (You know, sort of like an actual terrorist might be.) So this time, the IG deliberately chose people with no special knowledge or training to carry out its audits. I interpret this to mean that people who basically had no real idea what they were doing consistently and successfully breached security at every airport tested.
While the nuances of transportation security continue to elude the Transportation Security Agency, one thing has changed: an actual reaction from the TSA's parent agency, the DHS.
The Department’s response to our most recent findings has been swift and definite. For example, within 24 hours of receiving preliminary results of OIG covert penetration testing, the Secretary summoned senior TSA leadership and directed that an immediate plan of action be created to correct deficiencies uncovered by our testing. Moreover, DHS has initiated a program — led by members of Secretary Johnson’s leadership team — to conduct a focused analysis on issues that the OIG has uncovered, as well as other matters. These efforts have already resulted in significant changes to TSA leadership, operations, training, and policy…
You know, the sort of thing the DHS and TSA should have done when similar failings were found in 2014. And 2012. And 2011...

The testimony/rebuttal offered by TSA Administrator Neffenger opens with statements ranging from "factually" to "laughably" false.
We remain deeply committed to ensuring that TSA remains a high-performing, risk-based intelligence-driven counterterrorism organization. We are working diligently to ensure we recruit, train, develop, and lead a mission-ready and highly-capable workforce, placing a premium on professional values and personal accountability.
Or this, which makes the claim that failing nearly 100% of the time proves the system is still effective.
It is important to acknowledge that the OIG covert tests, as a part of their design and execution, focused on only a discrete segment of TSA’s myriad capabilities of detecting and disrupting threats to aviation security. This was not a deliberate test of the entire system and while there were areas for improvement noted by the Inspector General – with which we concurred -- that the system as a whole remains effective and, as a result of this series of tests, has only gotten stronger.
Scoring higher against an opponent of a lower skill level (the Average Joe Bomb Carrier "operatives" deployed by the OIG in 2015, rather than the "covert operatives" who performed the 2014 test) doesn't exactly signal systemic strength. But whatever, it's the system we have -- one we neither want nor deserve.

And then there's this part of the statement, which could easily support a full-fledged buzzword-based drinking game all on its own.
Solutions to the challenges facing TSA will require a renewed focus on the agency’s security mission, a commitment to right-sizing and resourcing TSA to effectively secure the aviation enterprise, and an industry commitment to incentivizing vetting of passengers as well as creating conditions that can decrease the volume and contents of bags presented for screening in airports.
"Incentivizing vetting of passengers?" Isn't that pretty much the only task the TSA performs? (I mean, when not running its Instagram account or helping the DEA walk off with a traveler's money…) After 15 years on the job, you'd think the TSA's vetting incentive program would be humming away like a well-funded machine. Apparently not, though. As the Inspector General points out, the TSA still approaches airport security in a disturbingly haphazard fashion.
[W]e believe that TSA’s use of risk assessment rules, which granted expedited screening to broad categories of individuals unrelated to an individual assessment of risk, but rather on some questionable assumptions about relative risk based on other factors, created an unacceptable risk to aviation security. Additionally, TSA used “managed inclusion” for the general public, allowing random passengers access to Precheck lanes with no assessment of risk. Additional layers of security TSA intended to provide, which were meant to compensate for the lack of risk assessment, were often simply not present.
While I am still of the belief that a majority of the TSA's actions are a perversely expensive and intrusive form of pantomime, the least the agency could do is maintain consistency across its security "offerings." If PreCheck is only "safe" because of the vetting process, then limit it only to those who have been pre-cleared. If 99% of travelers are no threat and can be waved through expeditiously, then do that and ditch the stupid "please throw out your breast milk while your TSA-friendly locks are broken" playacting that keeps lines backed up at security checkpoints.

The TSA has proven it's far better at officiousness and bureaucracy than security. And for years, it's been more interested in making excuses than fixing its problems. IG John Roth hopes this is the beginning of the end of the TSA's abysmal track record. In his comments to the Congressional committee, he expresses his support for the Inspector General Empowerment Act which would, among other things, maintain the office's independence and force agencies to cough up documents and information in a more timely fashion.

But it's hard to believe the culture will change. At the TSA, aviation security is just a job -- something that only deserves a minimal level of attention or competence. And that's all we'll get, for years and years to come: government-mandated harassment that hassles far more travelers than terrorists.



Hide this

Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.

Techdirt is one of the few remaining truly independent media outlets. We do not have a giant corporation behind us, and we rely heavily on our community to support us, in an age when advertisers are increasingly uninterested in sponsoring small, independent sites — especially a site like ours that is unwilling to pull punches in its reporting and analysis.

While other websites have resorted to paywalls, registration requirements, and increasingly annoying/intrusive advertising, we have always kept Techdirt open and available to anyone. But in order to continue doing so, we need your support. We offer a variety of ways for our readers to support us, from direct donations to special subscriptions and cool merchandise — and every little bit helps. Thank you.

–The Techdirt Team

Filed Under: congress, john roth, security, security theater, tsa


Reader Comments

Subscribe: RSS

View by: Time | Thread


  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:20am

    More Theater

    The governments solution to every problem is to make it look like they are solving a problem while only creating a new one.

    The majority of civilizations problems are in fact caused by its government and its corruptions.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      DannyB (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:30am

      Re: More Theater

      With so much Theater it only makes sense that government policy favors the MPAA over the citizens.

      But why can't the government just put its theater on film instead of forcing it upon us in real life.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    DannyB (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:27am

    TSA isn't all bad

    While terrible at security, the TSA has shown an outstanding ability to locate and seize dangerous contraband such as iPads and other valuables.

    Another valuable thing TSA has accomplished is create the worlds largest, second to none, collection of nail clippers, lotions and shampoos.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    PCDEC, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:40am

    The government takes our money and waste it. If I was legally able to spend someone elses money I would waste it too. Wouldn't you? I mean it's not my money I didn't earn it. What do i care.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:17am

      Response to: PCDEC on Nov 5th, 2015 @ 6:40am

      "If I was legally able to spend someone elses money I would waste it too. Wouldn't you?"

      No, because I'm not a terrible human being.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        That One Guy (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:33am

        Re: Response to: PCDEC on Nov 5th, 2015 @ 6:40am

        Well, you'll clearly never get anywhere in a government position with that attitude.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:42am

    as well as creating conditions that can decrease the volume and contents of bags presented for screening in airports.

    On that logic the TSA has an easy way on ensuring that no bombs get onto aircraft, just shut down the airline industry.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:43am

    We'll make flying FUN

    The TSA says: "... as well as creating conditions that can decrease the volume and contents of bags presented for screening in airports."

    It sounds like they'd like us to get on planes WITHOUT any type of carry on -- Hell, they'd probably prefer that we didn't wear any clothing so they would be sure that we aren't concealing anything -- then THEY would be sure that NOTHING is getting by them.

    And, they are MUCH in favor of raising carry on bag fees to create "conditions that can decrease the volume" of carry ons.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    MikeInMinnesota, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:45am

    It's worse than we thought...

    Both the IG and TSA Administrator were spinning the situation in the most positive fashion possible. This gem stands out: "the system as a whole remains effective and, as a result of this series of tests, has only gotten stronger." In what possible way could the tests themselves result in an improved system? If he had said, "As a result of changes we implemented due to issues uncovered by these tests" then it *might* be credible.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rich Kulawiec, 5 Nov 2015 @ 6:47am

    To quote a message from TD two years ago...

    "Security Theatre": The problem with this phrase is that when real theatre is this unpopular, it doesn't last long. --- Chris Brand, Oct 7th, 2013

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:04am

    i've worked high-security black-hole projects and come away with the distinct impression that security measures are mostly designed to give people the warm fuzzies that something is actually being done.

    nothing else; nothing more.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:05am

    Considering that the TSA has executed many hundreds of millions of "security" checks without catching a single terrorist, it makes a complete mockery of the Constitution's Fourth Amendment requirement of "probable cause".

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Vincent Clement (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:10am

    Looking forward to taking my shoes and belt off in the name of security theatre this coming Monday.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:11am

    The TSA and DHS have been shit since their creation , America doesn't need the kind of security they bring .

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:24am

    We're gonna get it right, one of these days

    Just what does he mean by ‘right sizing’? Less is more, or more is less?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Phil, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:58am

    Just conditioning

    After over a decade of this stuff I'm now willing to concede to our conspiracy nut friends that all our anti-terror efforts appear to have accomplished is conditioning people in this country to the kind of "papers please" routine that we were told during the Cold War was what would come if the Soviets "won". Of course the phrase actually comes from a meme spawned in a somewhat earlier time (go watch the film "Casablanca"). Seems to me that the IG's office has been doing an outstanding job, but two Presidents and several Congresses have dropped the ball in answer. Just like on 9/11, the fault will lie with our elected representatives, not with the undertrained, undermotivated and underachieving minions manning TSA's front lines. Politicians talk a good game, but over my lifetime have consistently failed to deliver when we most needed them to. I of course include upper echelon political appointees like the TSA director in the political class, as he is clearly indistinguishable from them.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      JustShutUpAndObey, 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:26am

      Re: Just conditioning

      Obedience Training.
      And it's working.
      So don't say the TSA can't do anything.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Jack, 5 Nov 2015 @ 12:04pm

      Re: Just conditioning

      It is not a meme from Casablanca...it is a reference to the fact that Nazi Germany didn't allow freedom of movement and required travel documents. Your documents, "Papiere", were checked routinely and if the Gestapo were feeling particularly nice may say please, "bitte" - "Papiere Bitte" literally translates to papers please.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 7:59am

    I am disgusted at the fact that the government spent billions of dollar on something that has already been fixed with locking the pilots door. With a 96% failure rate, they should have shut down the program and start from the beginning. I bet more people had died with that money going to the TSA instead of figuring out better healthcare, housing, education, etc.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:44am

      Re:

      It is not in any Government agencies' interest to ever solve the problem for which it was created.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

      • icon
        Vincent Clement (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 10:05am

        Re: Re:

        I believe that the TSA actually relishes these reports because they will argue that the need more money to hire and train staff and buy equipment to keep the air travelling public safe.

        link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    radix (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:27am

    Solutions ... will require a renewed focus on ... a commitment to right-sizing and resourcing TSA to ... decrease the volume and contents of ... screening in airports.


    Agreed.

    The Right Size for the TSA to successfully fulfill that mission is zero.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    DavidMxx (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:28am

    Evidence of security theater

    Consider: The TSA confiscates liquids because they might contain liquid explosives or obnoxious chemicals. Yet, it is obvious that they don't really believe that, since said liquid is normally dumped into a trash can right next to the security point.

    If I were a TSA agent and thought that a bottle of liquid might truly be dangerous, I sure as hell wouldn't drop it into a trash can sitting next to me.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 10:14am

      Re: Evidence of security theater

      "If I were a TSA agent and thought that a bottle of liquid might truly be dangerous, I sure as hell wouldn't drop it into a trash can sitting next to me."

      An even bigger question is why the TSA even allows trash cans in crowded public areas -- such as in the middle of the packed zigzag line of passengers waiting to be screened. If a terrorist (and not even a suicide bomber) wanted to kill as many people as possible ...

      And it's not like trash cans have never before been used as hiding places for bombs. It's happened repeatedly, over many decades, by terrorists in other countries. There's a simple solution: just move all the trash cans from crowded areas to the outer periphery -- or better yet, design bomb-proof ones. Because it's only a matter of time before these common worldwide terrorist tactics eventually come to America. (And then when it does, all the leaders will throw up their hands and say "How could we have possibly known?" just like they did after 911.)

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    yankinwaoz (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 8:46am

    Mission Creep

    Here is an idea that might help the TSA. Stop with the mission creep. Focus on doing one thing, and one thing well.

    Specially, why is the TSA now involved in drug interdiction and money laundering screening. Even their own blog boasts of finding pot, coke, bongs, etc. I've read many stories of TSA agents questioning people who are carrying cash, or seizing it.

    So we now have a bunch of illiterate high school dropouts acting as sworn law enforcement officers.

    I don't care that a fellow passenger might have coke in his bag. Or is carrying $15K in $100 notes. And they TSA shouldn't either.

    By limiting the scope of their job to keeping weapons off of airplanes, and NOTHING more, then they might actually get a little better at it.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 9:10am

    I'm amazed they don't simplify and have one or two test airports where they test different and new ideas to the point that a noticeable difference in contraband is made before rolling out scatter x-ray machines system wide that as the TSA says are worthless and don't work thus needing to be removed.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • icon
      John Fenderson (profile), 7 Nov 2015 @ 6:40am

      Re:

      That would take time, effort, and money. The TSA isn't concerned with effectiveness anyway. They're concerned with increasing their own power and training the public to be subservient.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    911 is a Joker, 5 Nov 2015 @ 10:20am

    Beware those traveling to afganastain..

    Or no whatever

    " I interpret this to mean that people who basically had no real idea what they were doing consistently and successfully breached security at every airport tested."

    It's good to know that people with no special training, preparation or knowledge can circumvent the iron security of the TSA.

    At least I can rely on my fellow passengers to deal with actual threats.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    jraama, 5 Nov 2015 @ 10:50am

    What the IG tests prove

    I think the IG tests prove that, short of everyone flying naked, it is not possible to secure an airport to the level the DHS would like.

    I read a tweet the other day which mused which airplane people would prefer to board, one with a TSA checkpoint, or one with a simple metal detector. Airlines should offer both "secured" and "unsecured" planes and let the market decide the path forward.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    AnonCow, 5 Nov 2015 @ 11:05am

    How do I get a job where I can admit my organization is an utter failure and not be terminated immediately?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Haggie, 5 Nov 2015 @ 11:09am

    If it was up to the TSA, we would show up at the airport naked with no baggage, be rendered unconscious, sexually assaulted (ie: searched), placed on the airplane, and revived upon arrival at the destination.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 11:20am

    People are robbed by TSA.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Ninja (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 11:55am

    One has to wonder: is the DHS complaining their operatives were not caught or they did not receive a thorough cavity exam and got jealous of the wonders ordinary passengers experience and they could not?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Uriel-238 (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 12:56pm

    Now that we know they're incompetent

    Can disband the TSA and try something else?

    How often do we have attacks on airplanes anyway? From what I hear we've lost more lives by the increase in road accidents due to people avoiding air travel specifically to avoid the TSA check process.

    (Myself, I found the poofer hilarious. The shoe passthrough was tedious, the liquids restriction was inconvenient and all the guys who think I'm either a criminal or a chump they want to rob is damn uncomfortable.)

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Anonymous Coward, 5 Nov 2015 @ 1:48pm

      Re: Now that we know they're incompetent

      "How often do we have attacks on airplanes anyway?"

      Assuming that the recently downed Russian airliner was from a smuggled bomb and not some freak accident, it would seem about once per decade, in the West. That's not counting that rash of incidents that occurred in the late 1960s & early 1970s, when there were barely any security measures of any kind. Also not counting shootdowns by military forces, such as the US Navy shooting down an Iranian airliner in 1988 and then saying "OOPS!"

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Steve (profile), 5 Nov 2015 @ 1:38pm

    Just as the invasion of Iraq was about oil & cybersecurity is about information control, airport security is another component of social control that is being slowly ramped up. Governments (if you can still call them that)
    know these will be necessary to control the coming revolt arising from climate change, peak oil & the ability of citizens to organise using the internet.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Personanongrata, 5 Nov 2015 @ 2:02pm

    From Citizen to Serf in Three Easy Steps

    TSA most important function after creating the illusion of security is to condition the American people into accepting ever greater amounts of US government intrusion into their lives.

    T.S.A. Expands Duties Beyond Airport Security

    By RON NIXONAUG. 5, 2013

    With little fanfare, the agency best known for airport screenings has vastly expanded its reach to sporting events, music festivals, rodeos, highway weigh stations and train terminals.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/06/us/tsa-expands-duties-beyond-airport-security.html?_r=0

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    CinemaNoir, 9 Nov 2015 @ 6:43pm

    TSA

    I don't see much of a problem here [unless you intend to become an airline passenger, then you'd be better off staying at home].....

    The Transportation Safety Administration should immediately be renamed: TOUGH S--- AMERICA!!!

    PS: Anyone remember the decision to allow TSA employees to unionize???

    As ye sow so shall ye reap!!!

    CinemaNoir

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • icon
    Eldakka (profile), 11 Nov 2015 @ 7:07pm

    Incentivizing vetting of passengers?

    "Incentivizing vetting of passengers?" Isn't that pretty much the only task the TSA performs? (I mean, when not running its Instagram account or helping the DEA walk off with a traveler's money…) After 15 years on the job, you'd think the TSA's vetting incentive program would be humming away like a well-funded machine. Apparently not, though.
    I think you are drawing the wrong conclusion from that statement. To me, that jargon/buzzword statement is actually a statement regarding MORALE. It's implying morale is low and staff don't care about what/why they are doing the work. They are drones just ticking the boxes on the paperwork.

    Incentive:
    noun
    1. something that incites or tends to incite to action or greater effort, as a reward offered for increased productivity.
    adjective
    2. inciting, as to action; stimulating; provocative.

    They're saying that they've gotta increase the morale of their staff so they CARE about the vetting, so that they do more than blindly, unthinkingly follow the procedures. Sp that they actively look for suspicious people rather than just being a drone ticking the boxes.

    link to this | view in chronology ]


Follow Techdirt
Essential Reading
Techdirt Deals
Report this ad  |  Hide Techdirt ads
Techdirt Insider Discord

The latest chatter on the Techdirt Insider Discord channel...

Loading...
Recent Stories

This site, like most other sites on the web, uses cookies. For more information, see our privacy policy. Got it
Close

Email This

This feature is only available to registered users. Register or sign in to use it.