Carnival Booth: An Algorithm for Defeating the CAPS System

Gabriel Rocha gabe at seul.org
Fri Aug 16 23:47:23 PDT 2002


http://swissnet.ai.mit.edu/6805/student-papers/spring02-papers/caps.htm 

Abstract

To improve the efficiency of airport security screening, the FAA
deployed the Computer Assisted Passenger Screening system (CAPS) in
1999. CAPS attempts to identify potential terrorists through the use of
profiles so that security personnel can focus the bulk of their
attention on high-risk individuals. In this paper, we show that since
CAPS uses profiles to select passengers for increased scrutiny, it is
actually less secure than systems that employ random searches. In
particular, we present an algorithm called Carnival Booth that
demonstrates how a terrorist cell can defeat the CAPS system. Using a
combination of statistical analysis and computer simulation, we evaluate
the efficacy of Carnival Booth and illustrate that CAPS is an
ineffective security measure. Based on these findings, we argue that
CAPS should not be legally permissible since it does not satisfy
court-interpreted exemptions to the Fourth Amendment. Finally, based
both on our analysis of CAPS and historical case studies, we provide
policy recommendations on how to improve air security.





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