TSA Full Body Scanners Seemingly Circumvented

Just how hard is it to sneak a concealed weapon or item past the TSA's new full body scanners? If claims by blogger Jonathan Corbett are to believed, easier than you might think. In a video posted to YouTube, he describes a method of being able to get items past the scanners by taking advantage of the way scanned images are produced.

According to Corbett, the TSA body scanners generate a black and white image of the person being scanned, with the person showing up in white, and any threatening objects appearing as black. However, the area surrounding the scanned body is pure black: Corbett suggests that by placing an item at your side, you could sneak it past the scanners.

Through his YouTube video, he claims to have sewed a hidden pocket to the side of his shirt and placed a metal carrying case inside. Visiting two different airports, the scanners apparently failed to detect the object. Although he was recording both attempts, the camera had to placed within the standard security trays, and the footage doesn't clearly show his claimed successes.

The TSA have responded, with spokeswoman Lisa Farbestein telling Digital Trends that the video was "a crude attempt to allegedly show how to circumvent TSA screening procedures." She went on to say that the "imaging technology has caught many items large and small, and is one of the most effective tools available to detect metallic and non-metallic items, such as the greatest threat to aviation, explosives." We recommend you don't try this one out for yourselves.

[via Wired]