Carnival Booth: An Algorithm for Defeating the Computer-Assisted Passenger Screening System

http://www.swiss.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.