http://cbs2chicago.com/local/local_story_036223611.html By Dave Savini Feb 5, 2007 (CBS) CHICAGO -- An airport worker, carrying a bag with a hidden camera, easily gets into OHare International Airport, onto the tarmac near airplanes and luggage without being screened by security. The video, recorded by 2 Investigators, exposes a side employee gate that lacks metal detectors, bag inspections and employee searches. It shows how easy it can be to access sensitive security areas. To gain this access, there is one thing needed an aviation security badge. Badges are worn by law enforcement officials, baggage handlers, pilots, flight attendants and independent contractors. CBS 2 found thousands of these badges are missing. Even worse, it could take weeks or months before the badges are electronically turned off. Until then, these badges can be used to get through the unsecured back employee gate. In a hidden camera report, 2 Investigator Dave Savini reports how poor tracking of these badges can mean passengers fly at their own risk. The situation is prompting criticism. We need to screen all the workers, said Charles Slepian, an aviation security expert. You need to check what theyre carrying into the workplace. If you have access to an airliner, for instance, you may put on-board a weapon or an explosive device. CBS 2 obtained a database, from Chicagos Department of Aviation. It reveals, since 2004, there have been 3,760 missing badges. These were not returned by employees who quit, were reassigned or fired including Illinois State Police officers, FBI agents, federal air marshals, U.S. Customs agents and workers at the agency responsible for the badges Chicagos Department of Aviation. Most of the missing badges were issued to the airlines or private contractors. It should be a matter of law. If you keep your badge after you have been terminated it should be a criminal act, said Slepian, who works as a consultant on airport security matters. I guess the bottom line is, the badge, in and of itself, doesnt provide a heck of a lot of security. Discarded records CBS 2 first learned these types of badges were missing from confidential records thrown into a garbage bin by an airport contractor. Scrub Inc., of Chicago, provides cleaning crews for airplanes and terminals. Inside its dumpsters, sensitive employee information was found, and it wasnt shredded. The discarded documents included FBI fingerprint and signed badge application forms, employees Social Security numbers, badge numbers, phone numbers, home addresses, copies of birth certificates and state identification cards. We cant confirm that there has been, or will be, any internal investigation into these issues and any amendments to our ID badging policies and procedures, said Wendy Abrams of the Chicago Department of Aviation. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration, the agency responsible for airport security, is now investigating these findings. First of all we take that very, very seriously because we work closely with airports across the country, said Earl Morris, the agencys deputy assistant administrator with the office of security operations in Washington D.C. We will work with the airport to fix the problem. Morris said. It is not something we condone or think is acceptable. It is totally unacceptable. I cant reiterate strong enough that is totally unacceptable. Gaping hole in security Its a life or death issue, thats how important it is, said Slepian, who believes the CBS 2 investigation has exposed a gaping hole in airport security. Once you have access to a secure area, you can grant others access to that area. You can have access to doors, you can open doors, you can move around the back part of the terminal where we dont want to you be, Slepian said. Transportation Security Administration officials say they also are concerned about security-sensitive information not being shredded. Agency officials confirmed they do surprise random inspections of workers entering the side employee entrance. However, they wouldnt know if someone gained illegal access using a badge thats supposed to be terminated, unless it was immediately reported missing. Naperville connection Thats inexcusable. Theres no way we can excuse that kind of incompetence and its a lack of concern for the public, says Ginny Lacy of Naperville who lost her brother Robert Cruikshank during the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Lacy had hoped air travel had become safer but was disappointed to hear about the lack of security at the employee gate and about contractors tossing out critical employee information. Our citizens died on 9/11, and they are going to die again if we dont correct this, she said. Another airport cleaning contractor, Prospect Airport Services in Des Plaines, also failed to shred sensitive employee files. There are security issues. Its not OK, its not acceptable, said Vicki Strobel, Prospects president. She says she couldnt believe someone in her company just threw away confidential information regarding airport workers without shredding it. Now that youve shown it to me, it will be taken care of. Again, Im totally shocked. Unaccounted badges Strobel says if an employee fails to return a badge, the company holds that persons last paycheck. She said the Department of Aviation is then contacted so the badge can be deactivated. Using Scrub Inc.s records, CBS 2 tracked down some former employees. One is Obang Omat from Sudan. He says he quit in September, but the Department of Aviations database shows his badge was still active until Nov. 14. I sent the badge and my uniform back to the company in the mail after Sept. 22, Omot said. Thats when I quit and moved to Minneapolis. Omot has two aliases associated with his criminal record in Cook County and, since 2001, he has been arrested seven times for crimes including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and for exposing himself. He was convicted on charges of resisting arrest and reckless conduct. His badge is still listed as missing. OK, I will have to look into it, says Mark Rathke, a spokesperson for Scrub Inc. Rathke wouldnt answer specific questions about Omot or the 148 missing badges the company is listed as not having turned over in the department of aviation database. It is Scrub Inc.s position that we cannot discuss any security matters related to OHare International airport. ?We like to feel like we are safe here, said Napervilles Lacy, who hopes changes are made immediately. And we are assured by the government we would be safe and we spent billions and billions, but we are not safe. CBS 2's Michele Youngerman contributed to this report. (Copyright MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.) ______________________________________ Subscribe to the InfoSec News RSS Feed http://www.infosecnews.org/isn.rss
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