Emerging Aviation Security Technologies and Cyber-Physical Interdependency

Emerging Security Technologies 

    The usage of many new and advanced technologies have become a common occurrence when it comes to aviation security. Technologies such as full-body scanners, enhanced screening x-ray lanes, and even facial recognition software and databases (TSA Strategy, n.d.). The TSA has deployed the use of these technologies to combat the emersion of the threat of domestic and foreign terrorist attacks as well as crime such as drug and human trafficking. They use 20 layers of aviation security, some of which are more dependent on technology, while others depend more on the human factors of security (Inside Look, 2017). Some of the more technologically dependent layers of security from the list of 20 are shown below.

• No-Fly List and Passenger Screening - Databases of people who are considered to be unsafe for air travel. Screenings recognize potential hazardous people and disallow them for flight.
• Intelligence - Possibly one of the most important and broad layers of security that the TSA utilizes, they utilize government information and communication technologies and strategies to expose potential threats of terrorism and crime.
• Transportation Security Inspectors - These agents utilize the technologies and equipment mentioned before, such as full-body scanners, to recognize and stop potential threats in their tracks.

Cyber-Physical Interdependency

        As the dependence on security technology increases, so does the risk of compromise of those technologies. The rapidly increasing specialization and complexity of these systems leads to technological failure or disruption having a bigger impact on the physical implications of aviation security. The human factors of security, and the more human dependent layers of security are just as important as the systems and technologies in place. Some of these layers are almost more of a failsafe than a security measure, but that's why having 20  layers is such an effective countermeasure to terror and crime.

• Joint Terrorism Task Force - A force of trained individuals put in place to actively pursue and neutralize/prevent potential terror threats.
• Behavior Detection - Agents and airport employees receive behavior detection training to help recognize potential threats, such as insider threat, and crime, such as human trafficking.
• Trained Flight Crew - Pilots and other crew members also receive specialized training to detect, prevent, and respond to security threats.

    I believe that the true power of security does not necessarily lie in the power of our detection and prevention technologies, but rather in the training of individuals on what to do when these technologies fail to do their job. The specifications and ways around technology are easier to find and get around than the initiative and intuition of a well trained security agent. Technology gives us amazing security measures, but the individuals using them must know it's limitations and how to further combat the constant threat that aviation faces.

References

Inside Look: TSA Layers of Security. (2017, August). Transportation Security Administration.                             https://www.tsa.gov/blog/2017/08/01/inside-look-tsa-layers-security

 TSA strategy. TSA Strategy | Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Retrieved July 25, 2022, from         https://www.tsa.gov/about/strategy