Homeland Security Report: LAX Vulnerable to Attack
With nearly 62 million passengers having traveled through its terminals last year, Los Angeles International Airport is the world's fifth-busiest. Thanks to lax security practices, it's also embarrassingly vulnerable to cyber attack, according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general.
With nearly 62 million passengers having traveled through its terminals last year, Los Angeles International Airport is the world’s fifth-busiest. Thanks to lax security practices, it’s also embarrassingly vulnerable to cyber attack, according to a report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general.
WAIT BEFORE YOU GO...Center for Investigative Reporting:
Computer systems and other equipment used by customs and border officials, the U.S. Coast Guard and transportation security personnel for homeland security operations at Los Angeles International Airport are vulnerable to theft and tampering, according to a report by the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security.
The report, heavily redacted for national-security reasons, noted that telecommunications equipment and servers used by the agencies are left unobserved and contain poorly protected passwords. It includes a photo of a wide-open door leading to a server room used by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The door is always left open because the room doesn’t have a ventilation system sufficient enough to keep it cool, according to the report.
“Anyone entering the server room would have access to ICE back-up tapes, server, router, and switches because they are not stored in a locked cabinet,” the IG found.
This year, the ground feels uncertain — facts are buried and those in power are working to keep them hidden. Now more than ever, independent journalism must go beneath the surface.
At Truthdig, we don’t just report what's happening — we investigate how and why. We follow the threads others leave behind and uncover the forces shaping our future.
Your tax-deductible donation fuels journalism that asks harder questions and digs where others won’t.
Don’t settle for surface-level coverage.
Unearth what matters. Help dig deeper.
Donate now.
The ruling against the government cites the Paris Agreement and block plans to add a third runway at Europe's biggest travel hub.
Iranian officials cite mechanical problem but Ukrainians decline to offer a cause after plane goes down shortly after takeoff from Tehran.
The ruling in Boston strengthens the protections of international travelers and their electronics at airports and other ports of entry.
Aviation industry union leaders issue harsh warnings to President Donald Trump, Congress and the traveling public.
You need to be a supporter to comment.
There are currently no responses to this article.
Be the first to respond.