Chapter Thirteen: New

Learning ObjectivesAfter reading this chapter the reader should be able to: Identify some of the new security technology available on the commercial market. Comprehend how these technologies may fit well, or not, within a transportation component network.Grasp the costs related to developing new technology and the liability risks involved. Compare current technologies to the needs in the field and be able to debate the effectiveness of some of these technologies within an indoor versus outdoor environment.

SubtopicsIntroduction Costs of new technology are enormous and may take years to perfect. However, the longer the government waits to encourage this development the longer it will take to acquire them. Steps in the right direction have taken place with the passage of the SAFETY Act, which provides some relief from liability.

Radio Frequency Identification Technology (RFID) 

This technology is essentially an electronic barcode that has traditionally been used to track and manage inventory. The main components of an RFID system are a tag, a reader, and a database. A reader scans the tag for data and sends the information to a database, which stores the data contained on the tag. The major initiatives at federal agencies that use or propose to use the technology include physical access control and

tracking assets, documents, or materials. The system transmits a stored code from a chip to a reader without direct contact or line of sight

scanning. Radio Frequency Identification technology will also allow transporters and security staff to track luggage from the time it is checked in to when it is loaded into cargo holds. Currently, most

facilities use optical based systems. For example, this technology is essentially an electronic barcode that has traditionally been used to

track and manage inventory. The system transmits a stored code from a chip to a reader without direct contact or line of sight scanning. Radio Frequency Identification technology will also allow transporters and

security staff to track luggage from the time it is checked in to when it is loaded into cargo holds. Currently most facilities use optical-based

systems.

Pulsed Neutron Analysis 

A major goal of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the development of new technologies for detecting explosives and illegal drugs in freight cargo and passenger luggage. Pulsed fast neutron analysis (PFNA) technology is

based on detection of signature radiation (gamma rays) induced in material scanned by a beam of neutrons. These technologies exploit the high nitrogen and oxygen content

present in most explosives. Pulsed fast neutron transmission spectroscopy (PFNTS), one of these element-specific detection

technologies, also has the potential for generating low-resolution tomographic images (NRC, 1998; Overlay, 1987). However, PFNTS also has a number of practical limitations,

including large size and weight, the necessity of radiation shielding, and the regulatory and safety issues associated with

using a nuclear-based technology (NRC, 1993, 1997).

Geobacter 

The Geobacter is a class of bacteria. This organism, known as Geobacter metallireducens, was the

first organism found to oxidize organic compounds to CO2 with iron oxides as the electron acceptor. Of particular importance is the fact that the Geobacter species are also very useful in removing radioactive metal contaminants from groundwater. The species

acts like tiny delivery agents, shuttling electrons from atoms in a harmless organic substance to a

species of highly radioactive uranium.

FlightGuard An airborne defense system against shoulder-launched missiles aimed at civilian aircraft underwent a successful test at Palmahim in May 2004. The system, dubbed FlightGuard, is being jointly produced by Israel Aircraft Industries and Israel Military Industries. It is slated to be installed on El Al passenger aircraft. The two companies have sold marketing rights to an American firm, Aviation Protection Systems, which has Israeli and American investors.

E-seals 

An e-seal is a radio frequency device that transmits shipment data as it passes a reader and indicates whether the container has been somehow compromised. They are about the size of a large cell phone and weigh a little more than one pound. The seals have been reengineered twice already, once to work on

the connection between the seal and the communication network and once to fix another operational protocol. One

drawback is that the seals have a limited signal strength and must be read at line of sight distance that do not exceed 70

feet. The limitation makes it difficult to read the signals when the containers are in marine terminals or in cargo holds where the containers are stacked in close proximity. See

Wolfe, M. "Electronic Cargo Seals: Context, Technologies and Marketplace", July 12, 2002. Prepared for: Intelligent

Transportation Systems Joint Program Office Federal Highway Administration U.S. Department of Transportation.

Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) A comprehensive evaluation of the DHS-sponsored TWIC Program reveals that currently there is grave opposition to its implementation due to competing interests of stakeholders and inadequately designed methods aimed at achieving its goals. The TWIC program’s goals are to improve security through reducing fraudulent credentials by using biometrics, enhance commerce by streamlining the application process for transportation workers, and preserve privacy by using a secure network. The recommendations for program improvement require government officials to establish an oversight committee for privacy concerns and reevaluate costs and applicant vetting procedures.

Active Denial System (ADS) The Active Denial System is a non-lethal, counter personnel directed energy weapon. It is designed to prove stand-off non-lethal capabilities at ranges beyond the effectiveness of small arms. It projects a focused, speed-of-light, millimeter-wave energy beam to induce an intolerable heating sensation on the target’s skin. The reaction is so intense that the targeted individual is repelled without injury. The tactical theory behind the weapon is to provide a means to stop an aggressor without causing any injury and before a more serious situation develops.

Biometric Scanners 

Iris Scanning: It is user-friendly (glasses, contact lenses, and color lenses can be worn without interfering with the process), and there are no hygiene issues, as identification is contactless. Independent research companies have found the system to be

accurate and secure, with a virtually non-existent false acceptance rate. The false rejection rate is only about 1%,

caused mostly by inexperience in using the iris scanner. The project has been met with great approval, not only from

passengers and people in the industry, but even from the most ardent of smart-card critics.  Expense is the biggest hurdle for

the expansion of the border passage project.Security is also a major concern today among computer users, and manufacturers are looking to reassure their customers by

utilizing tiny scanners that can read a fingerprint and unlock an otherwise accessible PC and/or application.

Radioactive Material Detectors 

Over 5,000 are currently in use but they are only effective at very close range and the cost of encasing radioactive materials in a lead shield, thereby avoiding detection is only about $100. Portals that scan moving vehicles were developed before 9/11; however, they are limited in that they can only properly scan

very slow moving vehicles. Newer technology will improve the chances of successful detection. In December 2005, undercover

teams from the Government Accountability Office, carried small amounts of cesium-137—a radioactive material used for

cancer therapy, industrial gauges, and well logging—in the trunks of rental cars through border checkpoints in Texas and Washington state. The material triggered radiation alarms, but the smugglers used false documents to persuade U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors to let them through with it. Read What every Public Safety Officer should know about

radiation and Radioactive Materials.

Update: October 25, 2006 Department of Homeland Security — DHS announces investment in next generation handheld radiological detection

equipment. The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Domestic Nuclear Detection Office (DNDO) announced on Wednesday, October 25,

$113 million in competitive awards to enhance the detection of radiological materials at the nation's ports of entry. "These next

generation handheld devices will bring an even faster and more reliable means to detecting and identifying radioactive materials at our ports," said Vayl S. Oxford, DNDO director. "They are part of a robust global

nuclear detection architecture built for the most consequential threats to the homeland." DNDO anticipates purchasing and deploying roughly

1,000 next generation handheld systems and 200 backpack systems through the Human Portable Radiation Detection Systems program. The portable technology will be used primarily by U.S. Customs and Border

Protection officers for secondary screening of cargo to identify and localize radiological material after a primary alarm has been triggered. It

is also anticipated that the devices could be used by U.S. Coast Guard officers aboard vessels prior to an arrival at port. There are more than

14,000 handheld devices in use at the nation's ports.

Bioagent Autonomous Networked Detectors 

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate announced in mid-2004 that more than a dozen teams have been

selected for contract negotiations with the Homeland Security Advanced Research Projects Agency

(HSARPA).  These contractors will be expected to conduct research and development leading to next

generation biological detection sensors and systems. See: Homeland Security Advanced Research

Projects Agency (HSARPA) Biological Countermeasures Programs, Technologies for

Critical Incident Preparedness. New MagViz Airport Liquid Analysis System Undergoes Testing

T-rays or Terahertz Radiation Visible light provides the naked eye with a very narrow slice of the electromagnetic spectrum. The technology is designed to reveal not only the shape of objects hidden but also their composition. A t-ray machine looks much like a copying machine. An object is placed on the imaging window, the beam passes across it, and a detector measures the transmitted rays. A screen displays the image and a separate probe arm can scan objects that do not fit neatly into the image window. Using ultra-fast lasers and nonlinear crystals to generate coherent light beams, t-rays have already been used for a variety of purposes that include the nondestructive imaging of biological and other materials. It is widely believed that t-rays could be put to even better use if the power of t-ray beams could be substantially boosted. Michael Martin, a Berkeley Lab physicist says, "They should also be useful for security inspections, because terahertz radiation goes through most everything except metal and water, and you don't have the shielding issues you do for x-rays.

Fiber Optic Sensor Systems 

Fiber optic sensor systems have provided perimeter security for many permanent and temporary military facilities for

many years. They are particularly useful in the protection of borders because of their stability, long range applicability,

suitability for buried applications, and the fact they are immune to lightening and other electrical interference.

Newer systems provide protection for a diverse mix of fences, walls, buildings, driveways, or fields that may require

monitoring. Some systems are zone-based detection systems with zone lengths limited only by the total length of the

overall system: 100 km. A command system supports up to four zones. Each zone can be mounted on a different

platform: fence, below ground, or on almost any other available base. A single fiber optic cable is all that is needed for complete coverage and no additional infrastructure is

required.

Short Waited Integrated Flight Travel (SWIFT)  Travelers who voluntarily submit to and pass a security screen will use a card containing personal and biometric information. The government will define the details of the clearance, specifically the national databases to be scanned and the criteria for granting approval of each traveler. The students have recommended that the biometric component use finger and iris scans. They believe the system will streamline the security operation at checkpoints and enable security officers to focus on passengers not previously cleared.

iA-thenticate 

According to the manufacturer, Viisage iA-thenticate®  is a hardware/software platform designed to automatically

authenticate documents, such as passports, drivers’ licenses, and ID cards that individuals use as proof of their identity.

iA-thenticate uses a patented authentication process to perform its security checks automatically in seconds to

provide enhanced security while ensuring better customer service. Bedford, N.H.—based Imaging Automation, a maker

of automated document authentication and identity verification technologies, has signed on the

Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) as a user of the company's iA-thenticate platform to authenticate identification documents for potential

employees. CVG is one of the first airports in the nation to deploy this technology, which is used by many countries

around the world to enhance border security.

ibuttons 

One of the newest technologies relating to access control is the iButton.® It consists of a computer chip enclosed in a 16mm stainless steel can. Because of this unique and durable stainless steel can, up-to-date

information can travel with a person or object anywhere they go. The steel button can be mounted virtually anywhere because it is rugged enough to withstand harsh environments, indoors or outdoors. It is

durable enough to attach to a key fob, ring, watch, or other personal items and used daily for applications such as access control to buildings

and computers. In a security application, Guard Tour enables a guard to quickly and easily check the security conditions of any facility and report all information back to a supervisor. By using a small iButton reader, the guard simply walks his rounds and touches iButtons at each designated location to prove that he checked that location at the prescribed time. Collected data from the reader is then uploaded to a reporting system

that generates reports for supervisors.

Small Craft Intrusion Barrier (SCIB) 

The SCIB™ can be configured as a swinging gate with end point attachment slings to provide for an enclosed protected area, but with the possibility of

opening the area immediately. By using a small craft of sufficient power the SCIB™ can be swung on a

pivot point to allow for large craft to pass. A facility can be completely enclosed and protected, but ready for the quick movement of large vessels, if conditions require. The SCIB was designed both to demarcate

the marine port security zone and significantly impede hostile small crafts from penetrating it.

Vessel Exclusion Barrier (VEB) 

The WhisprWave® Force Protection Marine Barrier Systems assists in the demarcation of Homeland Security Zones and serve as a physical barrier/"marine fence" to help mitigate the risk of nautical terrorism. The flexibility of the marine port security barrier systems allow them to be opened to allow authorized vessels to enter or depart the maritime

Force Protection Security Zone and then closed to re-establish the security zone perimeter. There are four primary

configurations of the WhisprWave® barrier: Line of Demarcation ("LOD"), Small Craft Intrusion Barrier™ ("SCIB™"), Vessel Exclusion Barrier™ ("VEB™"), and

Enhanced Vessel Exclusion Barrier™ ("EVEB™").

Immigration Gates 

According to Gunnebo, its system, the ImmSec automates the immigration at the airports, ports, and land borders. The detection

system identifies single and multiple configurations of people. Luggage, infants, and children are also detected. The integrated overhead detection

system verifies single person occupancy and persons fraudulently attempting to violate immigration security protocols. The combination of the technologies can also check and identify when luggage has been left behind inside the portal. Once a user has stepped into the portal, the

panels will close, and lock whilst the detection technology verifies singular occupancy and/or irregular use function. With one person detected the

system will hand over passport verification to the System Integrator (SI) system to confirm identity of the occupant. When authenticated the SI

system will hand back to the controller to allow the second set of sliding doors on the non secure side to open and allow egress of the unit. Biometrics devices can be integrated for enhancement of security. Verification methods are selected by governmental immigration

authorities. Magnetic Autocontrol Immigration gates.

Exit Security System 

The ExitSentry airport security detection system is sensitive enough to allow for detection of a person or an object

traveling in the wrong direction in the presence of may people traveling in the right direction. In June 2003, GAO

has concluded that INS had preliminary plans showing that it intended to acquire and deploy a system that has

functional and performance capabilities that satisfy the general scope of capabilities required under various laws. These include the capability to (1) collect and match alien arrival and departure data electronically; (2) be accessible to the border management community (including consular

officers, federal inspection agents, and law enforcement and intelligence agencies responsible for identifying and

investigating foreign nationals); and (3) support machine-readable, tamper-resistant documents with biometric

identifiers at ports of entry.

Mobile Identification Module 

The AMAG Mobile ID is a pocket PC-based mobile security

application that creates high speed wireless links between the supplier’s

access control and security management system users and their

security systems.

Secure Device Servers 

Security servers frequently connect through the Internet exposing serial device data to security

risks. To keep data streams secure, it is important to use data encryption to achieve the highest level

of security. Device servers should support user authentication, i.e., the positive verification of the identity of a user or device in a system, often as a

prerequisite to allowing access to system resources. Device servers should also provide an IP address

filtering function to deny inappropriate data streams forward transmission over the network.

Conclusion 

Advances in technology will continue to improve security at transportation facilities. However, how

quickly prototypes can be transformed into practical use and exactly who will pay for the research and development costs will continue to be important

issues and will need to be addressed. The public must also accept them. If the public feels they are too

intrusive or somehow unhealthy or dangerous, the implementation of any new technology will be lengthy or not happen at all depending on its

purpose and effectiveness. Staying on top of what is under development and what is commercially

available can amount to a full time job.

Case Study: Research a security technology currently on the horizon but not available for commercial use, which may be useful to your place of employment.

Discussion Questions and Exercises1. How can RFID be used effectively within the transportation security logistics chain?2. Explore the problems and success of the program to implement TWICS.3. Discuss the deficiencies of pulsed neutron analysis within a transportation component environment.4. What is Geobacter technology and how can it be used effectively?

5. Flight Guard was developed by the Israelis and is presently in use by El Al. Can this technology be efficiently adapted to the U.S. market?6. Analyze the use of non-lethal crowd control systems.7. The U.S. Bio-Watch program uses biological autonomous network detectors. Has their deployment been advantageous? What are their drawbacks?8. How has the emergent field of biometrics been integrated in the security of the transportation network? 9. How can t-Rays improve transportation facility security?10. Describe how fiber optics function.11. Critique the deployment of radiological detection devices in the United States. 12. Track the development of immigration Gates in the United States.13. Discuss emerging maritime security devices.