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#21
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Laptop checking in airports
curious wrote in message ... On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 01:33:38 GMT, "PTRAVEL" wrote: You haven't seen this in the US, or at least not since post-9/11 random gate checks were stopped over a year ago. I've also never seen this in Europe or Asia. This happened within the last year, at either a USA or European airport. I'm sorry I don't remember which, as I have done a fair amount of flying in the last year. You were stopped at the gate and asked to turn on your laptop? Sorry, but I don't believe it was in the US -- random gate checks are all but eliminated here. And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. |
#22
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Laptop checking in airports
curious climbed onto an orange crate and shouted:
I've seen people who try to take their laptops onto a plane as carry-on get stopped by security at the gate. The security guard asks them to boot up the laptop, and then they insert some sort of device into the laptop (presumably into the USB port or something). What exactly does this device do, and is there a possibility of a virus being transmitted from the device into the computer? I regularly fly all around the US plus Europe, Asia and sometimes South America, and have never encountered anything like what you describe. Are you sure they're actually inserting something into the unit and not "wanding" for explosives or the like? -- "Politicians & Diapers Need To Be Changed For The Same Reason" (seen on a bumper sticker) |
#23
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Laptop checking in airports
curious climbed onto an orange crate and shouted:
I've seen people who try to take their laptops onto a plane as carry-on get stopped by security at the gate. The security guard asks them to boot up the laptop, and then they insert some sort of device into the laptop (presumably into the USB port or something). What exactly does this device do, and is there a possibility of a virus being transmitted from the device into the computer? I regularly fly all around the US plus Europe, Asia and sometimes South America, and have never encountered anything like what you describe. Are you sure they're actually inserting something into the unit and not "wanding" for explosives or the like? -- "Politicians & Diapers Need To Be Changed For The Same Reason" (seen on a bumper sticker) |
#24
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Laptop checking in airports
curious climbed onto an orange crate and shouted:
I've seen people who try to take their laptops onto a plane as carry-on get stopped by security at the gate. The security guard asks them to boot up the laptop, and then they insert some sort of device into the laptop (presumably into the USB port or something). What exactly does this device do, and is there a possibility of a virus being transmitted from the device into the computer? I regularly fly all around the US plus Europe, Asia and sometimes South America, and have never encountered anything like what you describe. Are you sure they're actually inserting something into the unit and not "wanding" for explosives or the like? -- "Politicians & Diapers Need To Be Changed For The Same Reason" (seen on a bumper sticker) |
#25
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Laptop checking in airports
Kill them? That's ridiculous!
They might ask you to boot it up, they might check for explosive residue with a swab of cloth, they might even (I haven't seen this, seems like an urban legend) plug a device into a USB port to see if it has power; they won't kill it or load a virus into your machine. All of these assumptions are based on the premise that you aren't going to 'the Matrix.' geotek "R@L" wrote in message . .. curious wrote in message ... I've seen people who try to take their laptops onto a plane as carry-on get stopped by security at the gate. The security guard asks them to boot up the laptop, and then they insert some sort of device into the laptop (presumably into the USB port or something). What exactly does this device do, and is there a possibility of a virus being transmitted from the device into the computer? No virus, since it is not allowed to bring them into some countries. So probably they kill them all before take-off. Ron |
#26
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Laptop checking in airports
On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 02:25:14 GMT, "PTRAVEL" wrote:
This happened within the last year, at either a USA or European airport. I'm sorry I don't remember which, as I have done a fair amount of flying in the last year. You were stopped at the gate and asked to turn on your laptop? Nope. I was walking by someone with a laptop, who was asked by the security guard to boot it up, and the security guard told him that he was going to insert the device which would check for something. I didn't hear exactly what he said. Sorry, but I don't believe it was in the US -- random gate checks are all but eliminated here. It was either here in the US or in Europe. I don't know if it was random or not. Maybe that guy was the only person around me who was carrying a laptop, and perhaps they were asking everyone with a laptop to boot up and have the device inserted? Anyways, you're either being naive or trollish if you don't think that they're willing to try out new security technologies. Have you ever been to an airport and stood in one of those air-puff blowing portals? No? That's because TSA has just started testing the devices in a few airports recently. From http://www.adelmantravel.com/index_news_past.asp?Date=062204: "Testing of a new explosives trace detection portal is underway at security checkpoints at T.F. Green State Airport, south of Providence, R.I. Passengers who enter a checkpoint lane with a trace portal machine will proceed through the walk-through metal detector, while X-ray machines screen their carry-on bags. Travelers will then be asked to step into the trace portal. They will need to stand still for a few seconds while several "puffs" of air are released. The portal will analyze the air for traces of explosives. A computerized voice will tell passengers when to exit the portal. The procedure may vary somewhat as testing is expanded to four other airports in July. Those airports include Greater Rochester (N.Y.) Int'l, San Diego Int'l, Lindbergh Field Tampa, and Gulfport-Biloxi Int'l. Tests will be conducted for 30 to 45 days at each airport." And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. I didn't pay enough attention to see where it was inserted. USB was only a guess. It could have been into a different port. |
#27
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Laptop checking in airports
On Mon, 12 Jul 2004 02:25:14 GMT, "PTRAVEL" wrote:
This happened within the last year, at either a USA or European airport. I'm sorry I don't remember which, as I have done a fair amount of flying in the last year. You were stopped at the gate and asked to turn on your laptop? Nope. I was walking by someone with a laptop, who was asked by the security guard to boot it up, and the security guard told him that he was going to insert the device which would check for something. I didn't hear exactly what he said. Sorry, but I don't believe it was in the US -- random gate checks are all but eliminated here. It was either here in the US or in Europe. I don't know if it was random or not. Maybe that guy was the only person around me who was carrying a laptop, and perhaps they were asking everyone with a laptop to boot up and have the device inserted? Anyways, you're either being naive or trollish if you don't think that they're willing to try out new security technologies. Have you ever been to an airport and stood in one of those air-puff blowing portals? No? That's because TSA has just started testing the devices in a few airports recently. From http://www.adelmantravel.com/index_news_past.asp?Date=062204: "Testing of a new explosives trace detection portal is underway at security checkpoints at T.F. Green State Airport, south of Providence, R.I. Passengers who enter a checkpoint lane with a trace portal machine will proceed through the walk-through metal detector, while X-ray machines screen their carry-on bags. Travelers will then be asked to step into the trace portal. They will need to stand still for a few seconds while several "puffs" of air are released. The portal will analyze the air for traces of explosives. A computerized voice will tell passengers when to exit the portal. The procedure may vary somewhat as testing is expanded to four other airports in July. Those airports include Greater Rochester (N.Y.) Int'l, San Diego Int'l, Lindbergh Field Tampa, and Gulfport-Biloxi Int'l. Tests will be conducted for 30 to 45 days at each airport." And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. I didn't pay enough attention to see where it was inserted. USB was only a guess. It could have been into a different port. |
#28
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Laptop checking in airports
curious wrote:
"PTRAVEL" wrote: And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. I didn't pay enough attention to see where it was inserted. USB was only a guess. It could have been into a different port. If this happened, it was a swab to check for traces of explosives. There is no conceivable purpose in connecting an active device to the machine, and large numbers of travelers would (rightfully) object vehemently. miguel -- Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu |
#29
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Laptop checking in airports
curious wrote:
"PTRAVEL" wrote: And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. I didn't pay enough attention to see where it was inserted. USB was only a guess. It could have been into a different port. If this happened, it was a swab to check for traces of explosives. There is no conceivable purpose in connecting an active device to the machine, and large numbers of travelers would (rightfully) object vehemently. miguel -- Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu |
#30
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Laptop checking in airports
curious wrote:
"PTRAVEL" wrote: And I certainly don't believe anyone stuck a USB drive into your computer. That was never done in the US. I didn't pay enough attention to see where it was inserted. USB was only a guess. It could have been into a different port. If this happened, it was a swab to check for traces of explosives. There is no conceivable purpose in connecting an active device to the machine, and large numbers of travelers would (rightfully) object vehemently. miguel -- Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu |
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