Re: Clipper for luggage
[Moderator's note: With this, I'm ending all baggage messages for now. --Perry] > > It will also mean more peace of mind for > > passengers worried about reports of increased pilferage from unlocked bags. > > ... so, TSA people are stealing from unlocked bags. Not necessarily. I was under the impression that there are also non-TSA folks (airline-employed baggage handlers) in the baggage-handling pipeline. - Bill - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipper for luggage
> I usually travel with zipper closed duffel bags. I fasten the zipper > closed with a screw link. Anyone can unscrew the link and get into the > bag, but it does effectively keep the zipper closed in transit. That's a good idea for cheaply monkey-wrenching the whole illegal search apparatus. For about 5c you can get a nut and bolt. Blow 50c and get ten, and carry the spares on with you (the security screeners will love you, but there is no prohibition on carrying nuts and bolts on board.) If you want to make their life more difficult you can put loctite on the nut, so it will take a pair of wrenches to remove it. TSSA will either have to spend a lot of time unscrewing the nut and bolt, or will have to chop it off with bolt cutters. If they cut it, you know they opened your bag, and you can complain (or file a lawsuit for illegal search without warrant). If they don't, they have to waste lots of their time on it, so they can't do it to very many people. It's a win-win situation, and it gets better the more people do it. John - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipper for luggage
At 03:00 PM 11/16/03, peter gutmann wrote: Bill Frantz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >>I usually travel with zipper closed duffel bags. I fasten the zipper >closed >>with a screw link. Anyone can unscrew the link and get into the bag, >but it >>does effectively keep the zipper closed in transit. I suppose it also >>provides some level of security because someone wanting to do a quick >grab >>from luggage will probably pick a less-secured piece. > Whentrue locks are banned, that's actually a rather good protection mechanism, constituting a type of hashcash for luggage. Someone who's looking for targets of opportunity and has a choice between a Clipper-locked container they can get into almost unnoticed in 5 seconds or something where it'll take a minute or two of obvious fiddling will presumably go for the Clipper-lock. Just don't go overboard with those custom foot-long screw machined "locks". TSA had been recommending electricians cable ties made of nylon. The 4" (10 cm) or 8" (20 cm) sizes work well in most zipper-type locks. They can't easily be removed without cutting them. I had "improved" the ties by using colored ones (available at most electrical supply houses and better hardware stores), so that there would be clear evidence of entry. For further security I dropped a bit of colored sealing wax on each cable tie. On a longer trip I have to carry spare cable ties. I made sure not to have spares of the color I used on each leg. I also tried to carry the spare cable ties and spare sealing wax (several colors) in my carry-on (or my pockets). These can easily be cut with fingernail clippers, which are now "legal" to carry, and which can also be carried in an unlocked pocket on the checked bag. For some years, numbered one-use nylon or plastic ties have been available in luggage supply stores. These also have to be cut or broken to open the suitcase, and they cannot readily be replaced because the serial numbers are "unique." None of these totally prevent theft, but any lock that can fit through most zippers can easily be cut with a short 12-inch bolt cutter (30 cm long), that can be bought for $10 at Sears or most hardware stores, and that will fit in the pockets of most work-clothing. (Indeed, it can probably be cut with an 8" (20 cm long) diagonal cutting pliers (or electricians pliers).) Given the lax security in the back areas of the airports, it's easy enough for the baggage handlers to have cutting instruments. But, if the object is to be able to tell immediately that the suitcase has been opened, and so file a claim, they will work. Indeed, if all you have to do is slow down a thief, then a "twist tie" or the plastic seal from a garbage bag can be used to seal the lock. Hard-sided luggage is more difficult to lock in this way. However, the plastic cable ties are available in lengths up to about 48" (120 cm). These can be passed around the bag and tightened (if necessary, two or more can be linked together). Since these are not available in colors, and are too big to be convenient in carry-ons (and might invite queries since they are the same things that police use as handcuffs), the lock portion should be sealed with sealing wax. - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipper for luggage
Bill Frantz <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes: >I usually travel with zipper closed duffel bags. I fasten the zipper closed >with a screw link. Anyone can unscrew the link and get into the bag, but it >does effectively keep the zipper closed in transit. I suppose it also >provides some level of security because someone wanting to do a quick grab >from luggage will probably pick a less-secured piece. When true locks are banned, that's actually a rather good protection mechanism, constituting a type of hashcash for luggage. Someone who's looking for targets of opportunity and has a choice between a Clipper-locked container they can get into almost unnoticed in 5 seconds or something where it'll take a minute or two of obvious fiddling will presumably go for the Clipper-lock. Just don't go overboard with those custom foot-long screw machined "locks". Peter. - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipper for luggage
At 9:27 AM -0800 11/13/03, David Turner wrote: >On Tue, 2003-11-11 at 22:31, Tim Dierks wrote: >> From the New York Times. Any guesses on how long it'll take before your >> local hacker will have a key which will open any piece of your luggage? > >Local hacker, hell: > >> It will also mean more peace of mind for >> passengers worried about reports of increased pilferage from unlocked bags. > >... so, TSA people are stealing from unlocked bags. The solution: > >> "In other words, we can open it, but no one else can." > >... allow only the TSA to get into bags. Brilliant! > >Actually, this does have some security benefit, in that now TSA can be >effectively held responsible for thefts. Still, the subject is quite >accurate, except that it won't be mandatory as Clipper is. I've never seen a luggage lock that provides anything like what I would call security. On the other hand, unlocked luggage does sometimes open in transit. (I saw a suitcase open when it was dropped while being loaded onto an airplane.) I usually travel with zipper closed duffel bags. I fasten the zipper closed with a screw link. Anyone can unscrew the link and get into the bag, but it does effectively keep the zipper closed in transit. I suppose it also provides some level of security because someone wanting to do a quick grab from luggage will probably pick a less-secured piece.\ Cheers - Bill - Bill Frantz| "There's nothing so clear as a | Periwinkle (408)356-8506 | vague idea you haven't written | 16345 Englewood Ave www.pwpconsult.com | down yet." -- Dean Tribble | Los Gatos, CA 95032 - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Clipper for luggage
On Tue, 2003-11-11 at 22:31, Tim Dierks wrote: > From the New York Times. Any guesses on how long it'll take before your > local hacker will have a key which will open any piece of your luggage? Local hacker, hell: > It will also mean more peace of mind for > passengers worried about reports of increased pilferage from unlocked bags. ... so, TSA people are stealing from unlocked bags. The solution: > "In other words, we can open it, but no one else can." ... allow only the TSA to get into bags. Brilliant! Actually, this does have some security benefit, in that now TSA can be effectively held responsible for thefts. Still, the subject is quite accurate, except that it won't be mandatory as Clipper is. -- -Dave Turner GPL Compliance Engineer Support my work: http://svcs.affero.net/rm.php?r=novalis&p=FSF - The Cryptography Mailing List Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe cryptography" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]