U.S. 'No Fly List" Exposed On The Internet

Conde Naste Traveler  

Daily Dot: EXCLUSIVE: U.S. airline accidentally exposes ‘No Fly List’ on unsecured server 

One of the most sensitive U.S. government documents was left online. 

An unsecured server discovered by a security researcher last week contained the identities of hundreds of thousands of individuals from the U.S. government’s Terrorist Screening Database and “No Fly List.” 

Located by the Swiss hacker known as maia arson crimew, the server, run by the U.S. national airline CommuteAir, was left exposed on the public internet. It revealed a vast amount of company data, including private information on almost 1,000 CommuteAir employees. 

Analysis of the server resulted in the discovery of a text file named “NoFly.csv,” a reference to the subset of individuals in the Terrorist Screening Database who have been barred from air travel due to having suspected or known ties to terrorist organizations. 

The list, according to crimew, appeared to have more than 1.5 million entries in total. The data included names as well as birth dates. It also included multiple aliases, placing the number of unique individuals at far less than 1.5 million.  

Read more ....  

Update #1: TSA investigating how some no-fly list data was exposed on internet (CNN) 

Update #2: U.S. ‘No Fly List’ Leaks After Being Left in an Unsecured Airline Server (VICE)  

WNU Editor: Someone screwed up.

Where Was Airport Security?

Daily Mail: EXCLUSIVE: Suicidal airport mechanic who stole a 76-seat plane and performed stunts before crashing into an island in a ball of flames is a married 29-year-old from Alaska who dreamed of joining the military

* Horizon Air Q400 stolen from Seattle-Tacoma Airport by a suicidal ex-employee who flew in loop-the-loops
* F-15 fighters scrambled 'within minutes' and directed the plane from populated areas towards the coast
* Plunged into a heavily wooded area on the sparsely-populated Ketron Island and was engulfed by flames
* Police described the pilot as a 29-year-old employee who lived in Pierce County but did not name him
* His main role at the airport was to unload bags, and seems to have had no flying experience
* Extraordinary audio from the airport traffic control tower sees officials addressing the pilot as 'Rich'
* 'I'm not ready to bring it down yet,' Rich says, before joking about how he will have to do 'jail time for life'
* Friday's incident caused travel chaos with planes stranded on the runway and several flights delayed

The man who hijacked an Alaska Airlines plane in Seattle on Friday night taking it for a joyride before crashing on an island in a ball of flames is a married 29-year-old Horizon Air employee who dreamed of joining the military.

The mechanic, referred to as 'Rich' and 'Richard' by air traffic controllers, was born in Key West, Florida and moved to Alaska as a child.

He met his wife in Oregon in 2010 while they were in school and married one year later. The newlyweds then opened a bakery together, which is now closed. They moved to Seattle in 2015.

While living in Seattle, Rich started working for Horizon Airlines with the hopes of working in a management position. He also had dreams of becoming an officer in the military.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I am impressed by the quick reaction of the F-15s. Still, this could have ended in a massive disaster.

More News On Today's Hijacking And Crash Of An Empty Plane In Seattle

Plane crashes after 'unauthorized take-off' from SeaTac airport, officials say -- FOX News
Plane stolen by 'suicidal' employee crashes after unauthorized takeoff at Seattle airport -- ABC News
Airline employee steals plane from Seattle airport, crashes and dies -- CNN
'Suicidal' man steals and crashes empty plane from Seattle airport -- AFP
'Airline Employee' Steals Plane From SeaTac Airport, Performs Stunts Before Crashing It -- IBTimes
Seattle plane crash: Audio emerges of extraordinary conversation between hijacker and air traffic control -- The Independent
Oregon F-15s Scramble To Seattle To Intercept Possibly Stolen Q400 Airliner (Updated) -- The Drive

Fake Cell Phone Bomb Found During X-Ray Check At India's Mangalore Airport

An officer spotted the suspicious scan and found a 'clay-like substance' inside the mobile phone power bank

Daily Mail: BREAKING NEWS: Fake explosives hidden in mobile phone spark bomb scare during X-ray checks at India's Mangalore Airport

* Fake explosives packed into a mobile phone sparked the bomb alert in India
* Security staff discovered device while screening 26-year-old travelling to Dubai
* An officer spotted the suspicious scan and found a 'clay-like substance' inside

Fake explosives packed into a mobile phone today sparked a bomb alert at India's southern Mangalore Airport.

Security staff discovered the device while screening a 26-year-old travelling to Dubai. He has been identified only as 'M. Mohammed'.

An officer spotted the suspicious scan and found a 'clay-like substance' inside the mobile phone power bank.

The airport's dog squad gave 'mixed signals' after sniffing the bag but an explosive trace test ultimately confirmed that it was not a viable device.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This smells like a dry-run terror attempt.

More News On Today's Bomb Scare At India's Mangalore Airport

Fake cellphone bomb discovered in checked luggage at Mangalore Airport -- International Business Times
Suspicious object detected in luggage triggers bomb scare at Mangalore Airport -- Times of India
Major security alert at Indian airport after 'mobile phone bomb' found hidden in passenger luggage -- Daily Record
Mangalore Airport cellphone bomb 'was dry run by terrorist sales rep showing customers how they could bring down plane' -- The Mirror

Who Is Monitoring Cell Phone Communications At Montreal's Trudeau International Airport?

Security at Montreal's Trudeau airport. DAVE SIDAWAY / MONTREAL GAZETTE

CBC: Devices that track, spy on cellphones found at Montreal's Trudeau airport

CBC Radio-Canada investigation already found electronic surveillance devices near Parliament Hill

If you were recently at Montreal's Trudeau International Airport, someone may have been spying on your cellphone.

A Radio-Canada reporter detected the presence of an electronic surveillance device known as an IMSI catcher on Feb. 21, while waiting for a U.S.-bound flight.

The revelation comes after a joint CBC/Radio-Canada investigation earlier this week found electronic surveillance IMSI catchers have been used in the area near Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Read more ....

WNU editor: Living in Montreal .... I am a regular use Montreal's Trudeau airport. The timing of this report is very interesting in view of this news report a week ago .... Trudeau airport secure despite concerns about radicalized workers, officials say (CBC). More here .... Public security minister monitors reports of radicalization at Trudeau (Montreal Gazette). Is there a link? .... I do not know. But the timing of it being reported is interesting. This also follows on the heel of this recent story .... Who Is Tracking And Intercepting Cellphone Communications In The Heart Of Canada's Capital City? (April 4, 2017)

Terror Groups Are Testing Laptop Bomb That Can Evade Airport Security

CNN: New terrorist laptop bombs may evade airport security, intel sources say

(CNN)US intelligence and law enforcement agencies believe that ISIS and other terrorist organizations have developed innovative ways to plant explosives in electronic devices that FBI testing shows can evade some commonly used airport security screening methods, CNN has learned.

Heightening the concern is US intelligence suggesting that terrorists have obtained sophisticated airport security equipment to test how to effectively conceal explosives in laptops and other electronic devices.

The intelligence, gathered in the last several months, played a significant role in the Trump administration's decision to prohibit travelers flying out of 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and Africa from carrying laptops and other large electronic devices aboard planes.

Read more ....

More News On Terror Groups Testing Laptop Bombs That Can Evade Airport Security

Feds fear terror groups developing laptop bombs that evade airport security -- FOX News
REVEALED: Terrorists have new ways to 'plant bombs in laptops to get past airport security undetected' -- Daily Mail
New laptop bombs might sneak through airport screening -- USA Today
Terrorist Groups Testing Laptop Bomb That Can Evade Airport Security, Officials Say -- CBS/AP
US Media: Terrorist Groups Testing Laptop Bombs -- VOA
Laptop Bombs In Planes: Terrorists Try To Plant Explosives In Electronic Devices, Bypass Airport Security -- International Business Times
Did Terrorists Learn How to Get Laptops Past Airport Screeners? -- NBC

Why The Ban On Electronics From Flights From Certain Countries In North Africa And The Middle East

A security official looks at a screen displaying X-ray screened parcels in Turkish Post's (PTT) postal logistic centre at the Ataturk International airport in Istanbul, Turkey on November 6, 2010. REUTERS/Murad Sezer/File Photo

Jana Winter and Clive Irving, Daily Beast: U.S. Raid on Al Qaeda in Yemen Led to Laptop Ban on Flights, Officials Say

Intel sources fear terrorist can make bombs as small as computer batteries, provoking the ban on carry-on electronics at sensitive foreign airports.

Three intelligence sources told The Daily Beast that the ban on carry-on electronics aboard U.S.-bound flights from 10 airports in North Africa and the Middle East was the result of information seized during a U.S. raid on Al Qaeda in Yemen in January. The United Kingdom joined the U.S. ban Tuesday.

Information from the raid shows al Qaeda's successful development of compact, battery bombs that fit inside laptops or other devices believed to be strong enough to bring down an aircraft, the sources said. The battery bombs would need to be manually triggered, a source explained, which is why the electronics ban is only for the aircraft cabin not checked luggage.

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Update: U.S., Britain curb electronics on flights from Middle East, North Africa (Reuters)

WNU Editor: Converting electronic devices such as laptops into bombs has always been a big worry for as long as I can remember. Did the Yemen raid revealed something that was not known before .... maybe. But the critics are now starting to voice their doubts on the effectiveness of such a ban .... Experts criticize US electronic devices ban on some flights from Middle East (Reuters). There are also others who believe that this ban has nothing to do with security, but as a punitive measure targeting certain airlines that receive government subsidies .... Trump won’t allow you to use iPads or laptops on certain airlines. Here’s why. (Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman, Washington Post).

U.S. Government To Ban Electronics Devices Larger Than Cellphones On Airlines From 13 Countries

Reuters: U.S. to ban some airline passengers from carrying larger electronics

Passengers traveling on certain U.S.-bound foreign airline flights will have to check electronic devices larger than a cell phone once U.S. authorities formalize a new ban in response to an unspecified terrorism threat, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday.

The new rule is expected to be announced Tuesday by the Department of Homeland Security, the officials said, adding that it had been under consideration since the U.S. government learned of a threat several weeks ago.

A source said the rule would cover around eight to 10 foreign airlines. A separate government official confirmed an Associated Press report that the ban will affect 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa.

Read more ....

More News On The U.S. Government About To Ban Electronics Devices Larger Than Cellphones On Airlines From 13 Countries

US forbids any device larger than cellphone on airlines from 13 countries -- The Guardian
Government to implement electronics ban on some US-bound flights -- CBS
Feds temporarily ban electronics on certain flights to US -- The Hill
US to ban laptops and tablets on flights from eight countries -- BBC
US bans electronic devices on flights from eight majority-Muslim countries -- The Independent
US bans passengers on at least 12 airlines from taking electronic devices on board -- The Independent
US Government Bans Large Electronics on Flights Originating in 13 Countries -- Sputnik
TSA will ban flyers from 13 countries from bringing laptops, tablets onboard -- Ars Technica

Is The TSA Allowing Illegals To Fly Commercial Planes Without Verifiable ID?

Reuters

EXCLUSIVE: TSA Allowing Illegals to Fly Without Verifiable ID, Says Border Patrol Union -- Breitbart

MCALLEN, Texas—Illegal aliens are being allowed to fly on commercial airliners without valid identification, according to the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC). “The aliens who are getting released on their own recognizance are being allowed to board and travel commercial airliners by simply showing their Notice to Appear forms,” NBPC’s Local 2455 Spokesman, Hector Garza, told Breitbart Texas.

“This is not the CBP [Customs and Border Protection] or another federal agency renting or leasing an aircraft, these are the same planes that the American public uses for domestic travel,” said Garza. “This just adds insult to injury. Not only are we releasing unknown illegal aliens onto American streets, but we are allowing them to travel commercially using paperwork that could easily be reproduced or manipulated on any home computer. The Notice to Appear form has no photo, anyone can make one and manipulate one. They do not have any security features, no watermark, nothing. They are simply printed on standard copy paper based on the information the illegal alien says is the truth.”

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My Comment: Drudge Report is headlining it. I can only hope this story is not true.

Warning To All U.S. Bound Travellers - Make Sure Your Cell Phone And Laptop Are Charged

On guard: Western nations have stepped up security at airports after US officials said they were concerned that al Qaeda operatives in Syria and Yemen were developing bombs that could be smuggled onto planes

Airports Facing Chaos After US Declares It Wont Allow Uncharged Cellphones Or Laptops Onto Flights Bound For America... With iPhones And Galaxy's At Top Of The Hit List -- Daily Mail

* The new directive by the TSA affects flights out of Africa, the Middle East and Europe
* The TSA has announced that devices that won't power up will not be allowed on planes
* Owners may have to undergo additional screening at security checkpoints
* American officials are concerned that al-Qaeda has produced new bombs
* iPhones and Galaxy phones are to be singled out for extra attention
* Airports facing chaos over busy holiday period as school's finish

The US has declared that it will not allow mobile phones - especially iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy - onto US bound planes from some airports in Europe, the Middle East and Africa if the devices are not charged.

The new measure, which is bound to cause chaotic scenes at airports around the globe, is part of the US Transportation Security Administration's effort to boost surveillance amid concerns that terrorists are plotting to blow up an airliner.

As part of the increased scrutiny at certain airports, security agents may ask travelers to turn on their electronic devices at checkpoints and if they do not have power, the devices will not be allowed on planes, the TSA said.

Read more ....

My Comment: I come from a time when they provided steel knives and forks when they served you dinner on your flight .... wow .... the times have changed. And people wonder why I feel like a dinosaur sometimes.

Al Qaeda's Bomb Makers Are Developing Better Bombs

Al Qaeda's Bomb-Makers Evolve, Adapt And Continue To Plot -- CNN

(CNN) -- Three months before he was killed by a U.S. drone strike, Fahd al Quso, one of al Qaeda's top operatives in Yemen, spoke at length to a local journalist. He was asked why al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula had stopped plotting against the United States. Was it because all efforts were devoted to an internal project?

"The war didn't end between us and our enemies. Wait for what is coming," al Quso replied.

It seems al Quso, the head of the group's external operations, wasn't bluffing after the recent discovery of a device designed to be carried aboard an airliner by a suicide bomber without detection.

Read more ....

Update: Bomb plot shows new level of sophistication, lawmaker says -- CNN

My Comment: It seems that we are getting closer to that nightmare scenario in which Al Qaeda has developed small but powerful bombs that are untraceable and undetectable by airport security.

U.S. 'No-Fly' List Now Stands At 21,000

US 'No-Fly' List Of Suspected Terrorists Doubles In 12 Months -- The Guardian

Classified log of individuals banned from flying into or within America as they are considered a threat stands at 21,000

The size of the US government's secret list of suspected terrorists who are banned from flying to or within the country has more than doubled in the past year.

The no-fly list jumped from about 10,000 known or suspected terrorists one year ago to about 21,000, according to government figures. About 500 are US nationals.

The flood of new names began after the failed Christmas 2009 bombing of a Detroit-bound jetliner when the US government lowered the standard for putting people on the list and scoured its files for anyone who qualified. "We learned a lot about the watchlisting process and made strong improvements, which continue to this day," said Timothy Healy, director of the Terrorist Screening Centre, which produces the no-fly list.

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My Comment: I ma surprised by the number. I expected more.

Former Secretary Of Defense Rumsfeld Patted Down In Airport

Donald Rumsfeld -- Is That a Gun In Your Pocket? -- TMZ

No one is immune to the probing hands of the TSA ... including former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld ... who got the pat-down at Chicago's O'Hare airport this afternoon ... and TMZ has the pics.

Sources at the airport tell TMZ ... Rummy was all smiles during the body sweep and was "very nice" throughout the procedure.

Read more ....

My Comment: Another reason why profiling should be implemented, not searching passengers according to a number in the line. More here.

Are Terrorists About To Implant Bombs In Humans

Militants from al Qaeda's branch in Yemen are mulling plans to surgically implant explosive devices in would-be suicide bombers, possibly targeting airlines, U.S. officials said Wednesday. Keith Johnson has details.

Warning Of Surgically Enhanced Terrorism -- The Telegraph

Terrorists could use surgically implanted explosives to carry out attacks on aircraft, the US government has warned.

Intelligence suggests that terrorists are planning to use high explosive hidden under the skin which could then be injected with another chemical.

While there is no information about a specific plot, US officials have picked up chatter suggesting that the method could be used against Western targets by terrorists boarding aircraft abroad.

They have warned transport officials in Britain and elsewhere to be on the guard against such attacks.

Read more ....

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

More News On Terrorists Planning To Surgically Implant Explosives

Alert: Terrorists look to implant bombs in humans -- Forbes/AP
TSA warns of possible airline threat involving implanted bombs -- L.A. Times
Terrorists may try to surgically implant bombs in their bodies, TSA warns -- NJ.com
TSA warns airlines of explosive implants -- USA Today
U.S. Warns Airlines on Human Bomb Implants -- Wall Street Journal
Security officials see renewed interest in implanted explosives -- CNN
Beware new breast implant bomb, feds warn: Terrorists may try to sneak in explosives in implants -- New York Daily News
Feds: Foreign terrorists want to implant explosive devices in fliers -- MSNBC
US warning of airline plot to implant bombs in people -- AFP
TSA warns airlines of 'human bombs' -- Politico

My Comment: I guess breast implants are "probably" going to be scrutinized more intensely than before.

Airport Security To The Absurd

Surely not: A baby being searched by TSA Agents at Kansas City airport

Baby Bomb Threat: Outrage As Toddler Is Given Full Frisking By TSA Agents -- The Daily Mail

A disturbing photograph which shows a baby being subjected to a full body search by airport security has caused outrage after it was posted online.

The picture, which was uploaded to a social networking site, appears to show two TSA agents at Kansas City International Airport laughing as they pat down the child, who is being held in the air by his mother.

Perhaps concerned that the toddler might be smuggling weapons in his diaper, the burly security guard and his female assistant focus their attention on the lower half of the child's body.

Read more ....

My Comment: The above photo should be the poster picture for Homeland/TSA security running amok.

Training Rats To Sniff Out Terrorists At Airports

Danger: Crack teams of mice are being trained to detect would-be bombers and drugs couriers - rather like Danger Mouse

The Real Danger Mouse: Rodents Trained To Sniff Out Terrorists At Airports -- The Daily Mail

Stand down the sniffer dogs, switch off the full-body scanners...Danger Mouse is on the case.

Crack teams of mice are being trained to detect would-be bombers and drugs couriers – rather like the 1980s cartoon secret agent.

The sniffer rodents are then hidden in airport scanners, ready to raise the alarm.

Read more ....

My Comment: Now I have heard everything.

Bombing At Moscow's Domodedovo Airport Is A Wake-Up Call For Airport Security

TSA 'Not Capable' of Detecting Moscow-Like Attack, Critics Say -- ABC News

Hundreds of Millions Wasted On Program to Spot Airport Terrorists, Says Leading GOP Congressman

A $212-million federal program designed to spot suspected terrorists at American airports is "not capable of detecting what took place in Moscow," according to the chairman of the House Transportation Committee, Rep. John Mica, R-Florida.

The program, called SPOT, was created in 2006 by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and now has more than 3,000 "Behavior Detection" officers at 161 airports. The officers receive four days of classroom instruction on how to spot certain unusual behaviors.

Read more ....

Update: Terrorists look to unprotected parts of airports -- USA Today

My Comment: Again .... airport security will be reacting to terrorism instead of predicting what they are capable of .... but this attack should not be a surprise to anyone. I have passed through many airport lobbies over the years, and I have always been consciously aware that it would be very easy for a suicide bomber to mingle in these open spaces and detonate a bomb. I am sure that security officials in many of these airports were also aware of this possibility, and were operating on a level of hope that it would not happen on their watch. Unfortunately for those in Moscow's Domodedovo's airport .... their luck ran out.

My prediction .... expect the security bubble to expand to cover airports as a whole. This is going to be expensive, but in view of what has happened in Moscow ..... not many are going to object to this development.

London Bound Flight Diverted By Fighter Jets

The Etihad plane was escorted into Stansted Airport. Photo from Sky News

Fighter Jets Escort Plane to London Airport -- Wall Street Journal

LONDON—British fighter jets escorted a passenger plane to a London airport following a bomb threat made by a passenger onboard, underscoring how European nations are currently on high alert over potential terrorist threats.

British police said that a 37-year-old British national was arrested after making threats on board. The Ministry of Defence said that two Typhoon fighter jets had escorted the plane to Stansted Airport, north east of London, after it was diverted from Heathrow.

Read more ....

My Comment: After what happened in Moscow today .... this is not a surprise.

Thermos Bombs?

Insulated Beverage Containers to Undergo Extra Security at Airports -- ABC News

Thermoses Could Be Used to Conceal Weapons, TSA on Alert.

Travelers toting thermoses and insulated beverage containers through the nation's airports today might face heightened security measures, according to the Transportation Security Administration.

"The possible tactics terrorists might use include the concealment of explosives inside insulated beverage containers, so in the coming days, passengers flying within and to the U.S. may notice additional security measures related to insulated beverage containers," the TSA said in a statement released early today.

Read more ....

More News On The Possible Use Of Thermoses By Terrorists

Thermoses, coffee cups added to list of possible terrorist weapons -- Christian Science Monitor
TSA alert: Thermoses could be used as bombs -- MSNBC
Official: Thermos alert an attempt to think ahead -- Washington Post/AP
US tips off airlines of bomb tactic -- Al Jazeera
TSA issues warning on insulated drink containers like thermoses for holiday travelers this season -- New York Daily News
Citing terror threat, airport security focuses on insulated containers -- CNN
TSA takes aim at thermos jugs -- UPI

More Airport Security News: TSA Failure Rate May Approach 70%

Man Accidentally Carries Loaded Gun Onto Plane; TSA Failure Rate May Approach 70% -- Discover Magazine

It seems like terrorists don’t even need to think of crazy new shoe, underwear, or pancake bombs to get around the TSA, since airport security seems to have forgotten what normal weapons look like. Though they still won’t let me bring four ounces of conditioner onto the plane.

About a year ago, Houston businessman Farid Sief accidentally brought his loaded Glock on a flight from Houston’s Bush Intercontinental Airport. The loaded gun, which Seif carries for protection, was tucked away in his laptop case, and should have been clearly visible since he had to take his laptop out of the bag, which was practically empty.

Read more ....

My Comment: Security asleep at the job .... why am I not shocked.

Pilot Posts Video Exposing Airport Security Flaws, And Is Punished For It

Pilot Posts Video Exposing Airport Security Flaws -- ABC News

In An Exclusive Interview with ABC News, Pilot Says TSA's Reaction Was 'Overkill'.

The airline pilot who was reprimanded by the TSA for posting videos showing security flaws at a major airport is speaking out exclusively for the first time, saying that it was the "fallacy of the system" that inspired him to take this action.

Late last month a 50-year-old pilot, who asked that his name and the airline he works for not be made public, took a series of videos with his cell phone to show major flaws he says still exist in airport security systems. The videos show how easily ground crews at San Francisco International Airport were able to access secure areas. "As you can see, airport security is kind of a farce. It's only smoke and mirrors so you people believe there is actually something going on here," the pilot says on one video.

Read more ....

More News On Airport Security

Sacramento-area pilot punished for YouTube video -- News10 ABC
SFO pilot exposes airport security flaws -- ABC News7
S.F. pilot: Airline security 'a farce' -- UPI
TSA slams pilot for criticizing security -- WND
TSA punishes pilot for criticizing its security flaws -- Thomas Lifson, American Thinker

My Comment: So typical of our government .... instead of solving the problem (which they will not), they decide to intimidate and punish the messenger.