"The point we were trying to make, which everyone involved stated very clearly over and over again, was that this was all an act of civil disobedience in order to create an excellent metaphor for the general public to better understand the inherent dangers of trusting a highly-targeted third-party to have the tools necessary to grant unfettered access to your stuff," Johnny Xmas said.Īround the time the Travel Sentry keys were released, Apple and the FBI were going to war over the FBI's demand that Apple develop a backdoor in their software. The media coverage related to the Travel Sentry leak primarily focused on the fact that hackers could now break into luggage, which the hackers involved in the leak claimed completely missed the point. Later, DarkSim905, Johnny Xmas, and another hacker by the name of MS3FGX, added to the project by fixing a few of the early design flaws and sharing knowledge. In late 2015, a hacker who goes by name of Xylit0l, using high-quality public images released by the TSA and published by Travel Sentry, as well as a ton of community-driven research, eventually produced 3D-printable copies of the Travel Sentry master keys. Testing the security of TSA approved locks is something lock enthusiasts have been working on since 2004. The point being made by the development and subsequent release of the eighth and final TSA master key centers on the dangers of government key escrow. Locked or not, your luggage can be opened with a pen, a knife, or screwdriver in seconds – and most of the more common Travel Sentry or Safe Skies locks can be picked with ease.īut, as Johnny Xmas said during a recent interview with Salted Hash, the point being made isn't about "how bad men can lick your travel toothbrush" after opening your luggage with a printed key. Granted, the locks do serve as a deterrent against opportunistic theft, but that's about it. In addition, the reported accessibility of keys to unauthorized persons does not affect the physical security of bags while being screening by TSA officers." "Carry on and checked bags are subject to the TSA's electronic screening and manual inspection. "These consumer products are convenience products that have nothing to do with TSA's aviation security regime," an agency spokesperson said. When asked for comments concerning the creation of a Safe Skies master key, the TSA sent Salted Hash a similar comment. But it’s possible some travelers did believe in the concept stronger protection, as the TSA made claims in 2012 that the locks would "prevent anyone from removing items" from locked bags.Ī few years later, the TSA reversed their stance in a statement given to the Intercept, saying the approved lock program was implemented to provide "peace of mind." When the approved locks program was introduced, some felt the concept was security theater and wouldn’t actually provide additional protection from thieves.
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