Weasil
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- Jul 19, 2003
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Here is the abstract from the report issued by the general accounting office.
_________________________________________________
Key activities in the development of CAPPS II have been delayed, and TSA
has not yet completed important system planning activities. Specifically,
TSA is currently behind schedule in testing and developing initial
increments of CAPPS II, due in large part to delays in obtaining passenger
data needed for testing from air carriers because of privacy concerns.
Initial operating capability—the point at which the system will be ready to
operate with one airline—was originally scheduled to be completed in
November 2003; however, TSA officials stated that initial operating
capability has been delayed and its new completion date is unknown. TSA
also has not yet established a complete plan identifying specific system
functionality that will be delivered, the schedule for delivery, and the
estimated costs throughout the system’s development. Establishing such
plans is critical to maintaining project focus and achieving intended
system results. Project officials reported that they have developed cost
and schedule plans for initial increments, but are unable to plan for future
increments with any certainty due to testing delays.
As of January 1, 2004, TSA has not fully addressed seven of the eight
CAPPS II issues identified by the Congress as key areas of interest, due in
part to the early stage of the system’s development. These issues relate to
(1) the effective management and monitoring of the system’s development
and operation and (2) the public’s acceptance of the system through the
protection of passengers’ privacy and enabling passengers to seek redress
when errors occur. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has
addressed one of the eight issues by establishing an internal oversight
board to review the development of major DHS systems, including CAPPS
II. DHS and TSA are taking steps to address the remaining seven issues,
however, they have not yet
• determined and verified the accuracy of the databases to be used by
CAPPS II,
• stress tested and demonstrated the accuracy and effectiveness of all
search tools to be used by CAPPS II,
• completed a security plan to reduce opportunities for abuse and
protect the system from unauthorized access,
• adopted policies to establish effective oversight of the use and
operation of the system,
• identified and addressed all privacy concerns, and
• developed and documented a process under which passengers
impacted by CAPPS II can appeal decisions and correct erroneous
information.
Results in Brief
Page 5 GAO-04-385 Aviation Security
In addition to facing developmental, operational, and public acceptance
challenges related to the key areas of interest of the Congress, CAPPS II
also faces a number of additional challenges that may impede its success.
These challenges are developing the international cooperation needed to
obtain passenger data, managing the expansion of the program’s mission
beyond its original purpose, and ensuring that identity theft—in which an
individual poses as and uses information of another individual—cannot be
used to negate the security benefits of the system. We believe that these
issues, if not resolved, pose major risks to the successful development,
implementation, and operation of CAPPS II.
In order to address the shortcomings we have identified, we are making a
number of recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security to
strengthen CAPPS II project planning, develop plans to mitigate program
risks, provide greater oversight of CAPPS II operations and use, and clarify
passenger redress procedures.
We provided a draft of this report to DHS for its review and comment. In
commenting on the draft report, the department generally concurred with
the report and its recommendations, but expressed some concerns with
the draft report’s presentation of CAPPS II progress, international
cooperation, and mission expansion. We considered the department’s
comments in finalizing the report, and made revisions where appropriate.
_____________________________________________
GAO Report on Passenger Screening
_________________________________________________
Key activities in the development of CAPPS II have been delayed, and TSA
has not yet completed important system planning activities. Specifically,
TSA is currently behind schedule in testing and developing initial
increments of CAPPS II, due in large part to delays in obtaining passenger
data needed for testing from air carriers because of privacy concerns.
Initial operating capability—the point at which the system will be ready to
operate with one airline—was originally scheduled to be completed in
November 2003; however, TSA officials stated that initial operating
capability has been delayed and its new completion date is unknown. TSA
also has not yet established a complete plan identifying specific system
functionality that will be delivered, the schedule for delivery, and the
estimated costs throughout the system’s development. Establishing such
plans is critical to maintaining project focus and achieving intended
system results. Project officials reported that they have developed cost
and schedule plans for initial increments, but are unable to plan for future
increments with any certainty due to testing delays.
As of January 1, 2004, TSA has not fully addressed seven of the eight
CAPPS II issues identified by the Congress as key areas of interest, due in
part to the early stage of the system’s development. These issues relate to
(1) the effective management and monitoring of the system’s development
and operation and (2) the public’s acceptance of the system through the
protection of passengers’ privacy and enabling passengers to seek redress
when errors occur. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has
addressed one of the eight issues by establishing an internal oversight
board to review the development of major DHS systems, including CAPPS
II. DHS and TSA are taking steps to address the remaining seven issues,
however, they have not yet
• determined and verified the accuracy of the databases to be used by
CAPPS II,
• stress tested and demonstrated the accuracy and effectiveness of all
search tools to be used by CAPPS II,
• completed a security plan to reduce opportunities for abuse and
protect the system from unauthorized access,
• adopted policies to establish effective oversight of the use and
operation of the system,
• identified and addressed all privacy concerns, and
• developed and documented a process under which passengers
impacted by CAPPS II can appeal decisions and correct erroneous
information.
Results in Brief
Page 5 GAO-04-385 Aviation Security
In addition to facing developmental, operational, and public acceptance
challenges related to the key areas of interest of the Congress, CAPPS II
also faces a number of additional challenges that may impede its success.
These challenges are developing the international cooperation needed to
obtain passenger data, managing the expansion of the program’s mission
beyond its original purpose, and ensuring that identity theft—in which an
individual poses as and uses information of another individual—cannot be
used to negate the security benefits of the system. We believe that these
issues, if not resolved, pose major risks to the successful development,
implementation, and operation of CAPPS II.
In order to address the shortcomings we have identified, we are making a
number of recommendations to the Secretary of Homeland Security to
strengthen CAPPS II project planning, develop plans to mitigate program
risks, provide greater oversight of CAPPS II operations and use, and clarify
passenger redress procedures.
We provided a draft of this report to DHS for its review and comment. In
commenting on the draft report, the department generally concurred with
the report and its recommendations, but expressed some concerns with
the draft report’s presentation of CAPPS II progress, international
cooperation, and mission expansion. We considered the department’s
comments in finalizing the report, and made revisions where appropriate.
_____________________________________________
GAO Report on Passenger Screening
