Incident highlights gap in new security plans. Although Congress intended to design a seamless airport security system, the 4 July shootings at Los Angeles International Airport exposed the persisting problem of competing agencies. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), created by lawmakers to impose federal control over airport security, said it had no jurisdiction over the crime because it occurred at a ticket counter, outside the area where TSA operates. Instead, it was an El Al airline agent who subdued the shooter, local police who secured the scene and FBI agents who will conduct an investigation. The TSA, its officials said, will simply observe. The FBI has agents stationed in all large airports, and airport security forces, or in many cases local police, continue to have responsibility for security at parking garages, perimeter fencing and entrances around the terminal. Airlines have security personnel of their own, but only El Al is known to have armed agents at ticket counters, experts said. The crucial job of coordinating all those groups will fall to one person at each of the nation's 429 commercial airports: the TSA federal security director. (Washington Post, 6 Jul) Upgrading airport terminal security. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to look at whether additional measures are needed as a result of the 4 July shootings at Los Angeles International Airport but has not ordered any. Drastic measures, like screening for weapons outside US airport entrances and keeping non-passengers out of airports, are not being considered according to Transportation Security Administration spokesman Greg Warren. At Chicago O'Hare International Airport, the federal security chief added extra police patrols in the public areas between entrances and security checkpoints. The federal government is considering putting more police in airport lobbies and around ticket counters but it has not done so yet, and there is no timetable for that to happen. Some experts called for more intensive profiling of airport visitors. Other security consultants assert that the best protection is to check for weapons three times: as people enter airports, as they go through current screening locations, and as they board airplanes. (Associated Press, 5 Jul) Agency to put more armed guards at airports. The Transportation Security Administration will place armed law enforcement officers - uniformed and plainclothes - at ticket counters and other public areas of airports in response to the fatal shootings at Los Angeles International Airport. It is not known how many officers would be involved in the new deployment or whether there would be a guard at each ticket counter at all times. Undercover investigators, who have transferred to the new security agency from the Federal Aviation Administration, will look for suspicious individuals and intervene when necessary. Initially, the law enforcement officers will be local police working with the security agency. (Associated Press, 7 Jul) Government warns private plane owners of possible terrorist attack. On 5 July, the US government told owners and operators of private planes to strengthen security because terrorists may try to use general aviation aircraft to attack in the United States. The security agency asked private plane owners and operators to lock airplanes when they're not in use and check the identification of all crew members and passengers to ensure there is no unidentified baggage or cargo on board. In addition, they were urged to look for planes with unusual modifications, people with altered or phony identification, and individuals standing idle near planes. Association officials say the planes are too small to do much damage, but other airline experts disagree, saying they can carry plenty of explosives. There also is concern that terrorists will use private planes to scatter chemical or biological material. (Associated Press, 6 Jul) Pilots report possible threats, uniforms being stolen. Airline pilots unions are warning members to be careful because terrorists may be watching their movements. Some pilots have reported that their hotel rooms were broken into and uniforms and identification cards stolen. Department of Transportation spokesman Chet Lunner said because of these reports of theft, the government has asked the airlines to tell their pilots to be more careful. The current number of thefts to date is not known. (Associated Press, 5 Jul) Central Command, Inc. releases its dirty dozen. On 1 July Central Command, Inc., a provider of PC anti-virus software and computer security services, released its monthly listing of the top twelve viruses reported for June 2002. The report, coined the "Dirty Dozen", is based on the number of virus occurrences confirmed through Central Command's Emergency Virus Response Team. The table below represents the most prevalent viruses for June 2002, number one being the most frequent. 1. Worm/Klez.E (includes G variant) 60.2% 2. W32/Elkern.C 24.5% 3. Worm/W32.Sircam 3.9% 4. W32/Yaha.E 2.6% 5. W32/Nimda 2.3% 6. W32/Magistr.B 1.9% 7. Worm/Frethem.D 1.6% 8. Worm/Badtrans.B 0.7% 9. W95/CIH 0.4% 10. W95/Hybris 0.4% 11. W32/Magistr.A 0.2% 12. Worm/Shakira 0.1% "While Worm/Klez continued its relentless march in the history books, we once again saw much focus on exploiting high profile events and celebrities this month," said Steven Sundermeier product manager at Central Command, Inc. "The global exposure of the World Cup brought a frenzy of new worms and viruses, as did the growing popularity of Latino pop star Shakira." Disguised as a friendship screensaver, W32/Yaha.E entered the Dirty Dozen at number four. Other new viruses for this month included Worm/Frethem.D an Internet worm masquerading as a decrypted password and W32/Perrun, a proof-of-concept JPEG file infector. (centralcommand.com, 1 Jul)
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