[LINK] Fwd: Documents Prove that Airport Scanners Record, Store, and Transmit Images

[Jan Whitaker]

[another example of a potential 'secret police' action; in the US 
now, but what about Australia?]

> From latest EPIC mailout:
>
>
>=======================================================================
>[2] Documents Prove that Scanners Record, Store, and Transmit Images
>=======================================================================
>
>This week, EPIC obtained documents that prove that whole body imaging
>machines can record, store, and transmit images.  This contradicts
>repeated assurances made by the TSA on its website and in the media.
>
>These documents were obtained as part of a Freedom of Information
>lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security. The lawsuit was
>filed over a request that EPIC originally submitted to the Department
>of Homeland Security in April 2009.
>
>EPIC submitted the FOIA request after the TSA unilaterally decided to
>replace metal detectors with body scanners, over the objections of air
>travel organizations, security experts, and members of the United
>States Congress. In fact, more than 300 members of Congress voted for
>legislation to stop the deployment of body scanners as the primary
>screening device.
>
>The documents obtained by EPIC include TSA Procurement Specifications,
>TSA Operational Requirements, a TSA contract with L3, and two TSA
>contracts with Rapiscan . The DHS has withheld other documents that
>EPIC is seeking.
>
>The documents state that an unspecified number of Level Z users can
>exercise the full storage and data transfer capabilities of the
>machines. These users can turn off image privacy filters, export raw
>image data, and access test mode. Test mode allows the user to transfer
>raw image data in real time to a USB device.  These documents also
>reveal that there are numerous security threats inherent in the WBI
>machines' design.  The WBI machines are subject to outside security
>threats because they employ Windows XP operating system and the
>Ethernet network.
>
>Contrary to TSA's claims about WBI machines, these documents make clear
>that the WBI machines are designed to allow for the production of
>images with no privacy filters and to allow for the storage and
>transfer of those images. The capability to create unfiltered images
>and to store and transmit those images was expressly required by TSA in
>its Operational Requirements and Procurement Specifications.
>
>EPIC is continuing to pursue the unreleased documents that are
>responsive to its April 2009 request, as well as another related
>request to the Department of Homeland Security.
>
>The documents obtained by EPIC from the DHS concerning the actual
>operation of the  body scanners has been widely report in the national
>and the international meda, including CNN and The New York Time.
>
>The Canadian Civil Liberties Association has also obtained a copy of a
>redacted report by the Canadian Air Transport Security Authority
>regarding a pilot project that was done with WBI machines.
>
>TSA, Procurement Specifications Document (September 23, 2008)
> 
><http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Procurement_Specs.pdf>http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Procurement_Specs.pdf
>
>TSA, Operational Requirements Document (July 2006)
> 
><http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Ops_Requirements.pdf>http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Ops_Requirements.pdf
>
>TSA, Contract with L3
> 
><http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Millwave_Contract.pdf>http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Millwave_Contract.pdf
>
>TSA, Contract with Rapiscan (1)
> 
><http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Rapiscan_Contract.pdf>http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Rapiscan_Contract.pdf
>
>TSA, Contract with Rapiscan (2)
> 
><http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Rapiscan_Manufacturer.pdf>http://epic.org/open_gov/foia/TSA_Rapiscan_Manufacturer.pdf
>
>Canadian Air Transport Security Authority, report on WBI machines
>      <http://ccla.org/?p=3039>http://ccla.org/?p=3039
>
>
>


Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
jwhit at janwhitaker.com
blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
business: http://www.janwhitaker.com

Our truest response to the irrationality of the world is to paint or 
sing or write, for only in such response do we find truth.
~Madeline L'Engle, writer

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