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Laptop checking in airports



 
 
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  #21  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:25 AM
PTRAVEL
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:27 AM
Charles Hawtrey
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Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:27 AM
Charles Hawtrey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:27 AM
Charles Hawtrey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:29 AM
geotek
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:45 AM
curious
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Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 03:45 AM
curious
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 04:22 AM
Miguel Cruz
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 04:22 AM
Miguel Cruz
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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  
Old July 12th, 2004, 04:22 AM
Miguel Cruz
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default 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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