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Israel airport security stole my laptop

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Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#31

Post by notyourday »

boltzmannbrain wrote: post #2

Curbside security guard asked a couple basic questions ("How long were you in Israel? Where are you traveling to?"). The guard at the first security gate inside asked ~20 questions (4-8 is normal). I think answering that I'm a SW engineer to "What do you do for a living?" made her suspicious. I was then directed to a side security area where they searched my bags and discovered my laptop. A few guards then escorted m…

Israel does profile based on the airline. It is a reasonably ( i would actually say very well ) known fact.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#32

Post by isostatic »

kkapelon wrote: post #22
boltzmannbrain wrote: post #2

Curbside security guard asked a couple basic questions ("How long were you in Israel? Where are you traveling to?"). The guard at the first security gate inside asked ~20 questions (4-8 is normal). I think answering that I'm a SW engineer to "What do you do for a living?" made her suspicious. I was then directed to a side security area where they searched my bags and discovered my laptop. A few guards then escorted m…

> As soon as I was through security I went to Turkish airlines for help, but their immediate (read: scripted) response was "We do not deal with airport security." Well isn't this true? I am sorry for your ordeal but there is nothing an airline can do with this matter. Have you tried contacting the airport itself?

If you're taken away for too long, you may miss your flight. I'd hope that the airline would put you on the next one, despite them not having to do so.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#33

Post by chrismeller »

kkapelon wrote: post #22
boltzmannbrain wrote: post #2

Curbside security guard asked a couple basic questions ("How long were you in Israel? Where are you traveling to?"). The guard at the first security gate inside asked ~20 questions (4-8 is normal). I think answering that I'm a SW engineer to "What do you do for a living?" made her suspicious. I was then directed to a side security area where they searched my bags and discovered my laptop. A few guards then escorted m…

> As soon as I was through security I went to Turkish airlines for help, but their immediate (read: scripted) response was "We do not deal with airport security." Well isn't this true? I am sorry for your ordeal but there is nothing an airline can do with this matter. Have you tried contacting the airport itself?

Definitely not something the airline has anything to do with. I can complain to American about the TSA, but it’s going to do just as much as complaining to them about the price of the sandwich at Subway.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#34

Post by chrismeller »

isostatic wrote: post #32
kkapelon wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> As soon as I was through security I went to Turkish airlines for help, but their immediate (read: scripted) response was "We do not deal with airport security." Well isn't this true? I am sorry for your ordeal but there is nothing an airline can do with this matter. Have you tried contacting the airport itself?

If you're taken away for too long, you may miss your flight. I'd hope that the airline would put you on the next one, despite them not having to do so.

What does that have to do with this situation?

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#35

Post by FerretFred »

LeonM wrote: post #14
alex_duf wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

if the thin client hardware is compromised you're back to square one

I don't think that was the point. A thin client (super cheap 'disposable' laptop) and a beefy remote workstation will give you all the horsepower to do your work, but limit the financial damage if the laptop gets stolen by airport security bullies.

You can pick up a cheap Chromebook and install Linux on it. Works fine for me.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#36

Post by tw04 »

so_tired wrote: post #24
boltzmannbrain wrote: post #3

Yes this could have been worse, and is relatively minor compared to other mideast travel horror stories. Nonetheless I feel frustrated not only losing my computer and non-backed up materials, but because this occurs as I am helping an Israeli tech company by sharing my knowledge and expertise. There has been incredible outreach initiative in the AI research community as of late -- e.g., DL Indaba in Africa -- but thi…

> incredible outreach initiative in the AI research community as of late -- e.g., DL Indaba in Africa Geez. You are not "outreaching" some minority tribe here. You are selling your expertize for good money. Israel is the 2nd biggest VC market in the world (maybe 3rd after US, China?). Sorry about your laptop though. There is current incredible outreach of Israelis to tourists who have had a bad experience while visit…

>You are not "outreaching" some minority tribe here. You are selling your expertize for good money.

I guess it's a good thing he didn't say or even hint at either of those two ideas.

>We do our best !! Luckily your plane did not blow up.

Luck? The odds of your plane blowing up are exceedingly rare. He's also "lucky the earth wasn't blown up by an errant asteroid". To suggest the airport stealing his laptop (or ANYONE'S laptop) somehow prevented his plane or any other plane from blowing up is ludicrous. It's not even security theater, it's plain theft.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#37

Post by balls187 »

so_tired wrote: post #24
boltzmannbrain wrote: post #3

Yes this could have been worse, and is relatively minor compared to other mideast travel horror stories. Nonetheless I feel frustrated not only losing my computer and non-backed up materials, but because this occurs as I am helping an Israeli tech company by sharing my knowledge and expertise. There has been incredible outreach initiative in the AI research community as of late -- e.g., DL Indaba in Africa -- but thi…

> incredible outreach initiative in the AI research community as of late -- e.g., DL Indaba in Africa Geez. You are not "outreaching" some minority tribe here. You are selling your expertize for good money. Israel is the 2nd biggest VC market in the world (maybe 3rd after US, China?). Sorry about your laptop though. There is current incredible outreach of Israelis to tourists who have had a bad experience while visit…

> Luckily your plane did not blow up.

He'd be lucky if his plane did blow up, since it's such a rare occurrence.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#38

Post by projectramo »

boltzmannbrain wrote: post #2

Curbside security guard asked a couple basic questions ("How long were you in Israel? Where are you traveling to?"). The guard at the first security gate inside asked ~20 questions (4-8 is normal). I think answering that I'm a SW engineer to "What do you do for a living?" made her suspicious. I was then directed to a side security area where they searched my bags and discovered my laptop. A few guards then escorted m…

I just assume there must be 1000s, perhaps 10s of 1000s of people who answer "software engineer" in any given month.

None of this makes sense on the face of it. I wonder if you were connected to a network that was compromised and they tracked your computer? Also unlikely.

Do you think the last person you talked to was just having a bad day and as you got annoyed you triggered them and they took it on you?

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#39

Post by ilsec_throw »

boltzmannbrain wrote: post #2

Curbside security guard asked a couple basic questions ("How long were you in Israel? Where are you traveling to?"). The guard at the first security gate inside asked ~20 questions (4-8 is normal). I think answering that I'm a SW engineer to "What do you do for a living?" made her suspicious. I was then directed to a side security area where they searched my bags and discovered my laptop. A few guards then escorted m…

What is your goal in this publicity? On the surface, it seems like yet another dispute with unreasonable customer service and you are using the shame tactic to get your way.

This is airport security in Israel. It's not security theater. It's the real deal. There is something in this story that is missing. You may not know what it is, but those people are really good at their jobs. Was that really your laptop? Were all the files on it really yours? Were you really just there as a SW engineer? Did you really tell them the truth to all 20 questions?

You've claimed to spend time in the country. You know how it works. The people in security make good money and have access to tons of resources ... they don't want your laptop for fun or a side hustle. If you have a grievance against the Israeli government, there is due process there just like in the US. It works as well there as it does in the US. File a suit... the courts will sort this out. (Edit: You also would have received a claim ticket for confiscated property, just like in many US jurisdictions. Something is missing from this story.)

Publicity just makes you look like you are acting in bad faith.

Re: Israel airport security stole my laptop

#40

Post by Cyphase »

DanBC wrote: post #21
cm2187 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I presume the first thing you did when you got your laptop back is to re-image it?

If your device has been out of your site, under the control of a well-funded government agency, and you believe that agency to be hostile then the device is compromised and the only thin you can do with it is sell it on to someone else or destroy it.

For Sale: Acme XYZ123 laptop with . Confiscated and returned by Israeli airport security. Great buy for counterintelligence agents or someone looking for a target for hardware compromise detection practice.*

* The security of the laptop, electronic devices in its vicinity, or the purchaser is not guaranteed.

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