Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening II (Capps II) is technology meant to improve current airline passenger screening methods. Green means go, yellow, take pause, and red, stop. According to some, what’s good for traffic is also good for travel. Computer Assisted Passenger Prescreening II (Capps II) is technology meant to improve current airline passenger screening methods. It received $35 million last year, is due to receive $35 million more in FY04, and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plans to start testing the system soon.The system will collect information in government and commercial databases, and look for a pattern of purchases and activity that indicate a traveler is a threat to security. It’s like an instant credit check that scores how “terroristic” you seem. Passengers will be rated Green (free to go and subject to the normal security checks that have been going on before and since 9/11), Yellow (held back for more intense screening and questioning), and Red (not allowed to fly).Once a passenger is rated, the TSA says Capps II purges the gathered data. The next time you buy a ticket, the process begins all over again. Privacy advocates want more proof that data isn’t warehoused.The TSA and its partners in this effort, Delta Air Lines, IBM and Lockheed Martin, didn’t expect the upheaval that Capps II has created. They were trying to improve current technology (Capps I) by reducing false positives and honing the threat profile. But privacy advocates, including the Electronic Privacy Information Center, contend that Capps II invades privacy and flouts constitutional rights. They have flooded the TSA with complaints. Is Capps II the Orwellian nightmare of background checks and personal data collection some have made it out to be? It’s difficult to say because, even as the TSA gets set to test the system, the agency has been remarkably evasive. Where privacy groups see a threat to civil liberties, the TSA sees convenienceletting most of us breeze through security instead of dealing with the secondary checks and de-shoeings. Some supporters even hope the technology could lead to a program that lets preregistered travelers speed through a fast lane at airport security checkpoints.Capps II is in its early stages and questions loom about the cost of the program and whether it will truly deter terrorism. And it looks like privacy groups aren’t likely to give up their fight any time soon. For now, keep wearing your good socks to the airport. Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe