Why did the TSA just take my users RSA token

Not sure if you care, but I can explain this from my experiences (though not as a TSA agent)

When I was at MCT (Marine Combat Training) we part of what we learned was vehicle inspections, we'd stand outside a mock entry control point and one of the instructors would pull up a HMMWV, and act like a haji; from a distance we'd tell the vehicle/driver to stop, honk the horn and turn on the headlights, then flash the high-beams (it was also indicated on a sign). After that, we'd approach the vehicle and tell the driver to get out and made the driver do everything we told him, we never touched the vehicle, because if the driver hesitated, there's a strong possibility that, if the driver did what we told him, would result in kaboom and HIS death.

The same training/method is applicable here, if you refused to enter the decryption key for your hard drive, they'd believe that it was the sequence to detonate whatever charge may have been wired to the laptop.

since we're all hating on the TSA, I'll share another quick story

I had the privilege of spending 2 years over seas in Japan, plane tickets cost ~$3000 for a round trip, and at E-3 pay, I wasn't going home any time soon. I spent some time in a very cold South Korea, some time on the Island of Tinian (great place), but I slaved and worked my ass off. After my two years were up, I packed my things and got on a plane back to the US, leaving a military installation the check isn't bad and Marines don't really care unless you have something stupid on you like a firearm or a big knife, no long line, not much of a hassle or wait.

Then I arrived at Seattle Tacoma air port, got through customs (it felt great after 2 years to hear a customs agent say "welcome home") and had a bit of a layover before my next flight, I saw the TSA lines, and felt disgusted, it looked like they were herding people, it looked so dehumanizing, and I thought "this is what I spent two years away from my family defending? I could have been sent to fucking Korea on a moments notice and fucking die for this bullshit!?"

I was in disbelief, and started doing research to justify it, the TSA has to have caught someone, done something! Nothing, the TSA harasses people, not only that, but shit still gets through them.

That arm of the government needs to go away.

/r/sysadmin Thread