September 23, 2005 | Advisory Panel: Delay Secure Flight

A panel of security and privacy experts tasked by TSA to review the newest proposed upgrade to the nation's airline passenger screening system has recommended that the system not be tested in the nation's airports until more details are revealed, according to National Journal Technology Daily's Sarah Lai Stirland.

The panel of nine security and privacy experts, which included Princeton University computer science professor Edward Felten and Bruce Schneier, founder of the Internet security firm Counterpane, said in the report that DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff should provide Congress with a signed, written statement on the goals of the project - goals that could only be changed on Chertoff's orders.

The department also should provide information on the technologies used in the Secure Flight program, how it works to achieve the stated goals, and what policies are in place to make sure that the stated goals are achieved. The panelists said they also want DHS to provide specifics on what information it collects about people, where the information comes from, how "it flows through the system," who has access to the information, and what the procedures are for its destruction.

"We believe live testing of Secure Flight should not commence until there has been adequate time to review, comment, and conduct a public debate on the additional documentation outlined above," said the report, a portion of which was obtained in advance by Technology Daily.

Full story here.

Stirland, a fine reporter who I recently met, also notes that the group's report is supposed to be published on Monday.

That surprises me as the folks I've talked with who are on the panel believed that the report would not be made public.

They also expressed frustration with the TSA, which, they say, did not provide them with briefings that would allow them to adequately judge the program's efficacy or privacy implications. Instead, they said, they got much the same information that was provided to the public, despite signing strict non-disclosure agreements.

My guess is that Monday will be a very interesting day for TSA and Secure Flight news.

Posted by Ryan Singel at September 23, 2005 07:48 AM

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