How will the TSA respond to exploding pagers in the Middle East?  

The Israel military devised an unexpected and devious Trojan Horse method to attack Hezbollah as part of its on-going war in Gaza.

Through a front company, Israel sold pagers and walkie-talkies to Hezbollah leadership that were laden with explosives, then killed at least 40 people and injured thousands more by setting them off all at the same time.

Although much has been said about the cleverness and success of this attack, one obvious fact is being overlooked: the attack demonstrates that a lethal amount of explosives can be embedded and remotely detonated in such devices. How will this affect the domestic and international airport security procedures that millions of people are subjected to every day? Will the Transportation Security Administration institute changes in response to this event? 

Here is the good news for travelers: TSA already has numerous layers in place that protect the air system from attacks of all types, including explosives in checked bags and embedded in electronic devices. A threat of this type was uncovered back in 2017, resulting in changes in some airport security screening procedures and electronic device restrictions.  

TSA allows electronic devices to be placed in checked luggage, provided they do not contain lithium batteries (fire risk is the primary issue of concern). It is reasonable to expect a hard look at this policy, with the TSA perhaps moving to require all electronic devices be carried in carry-on bags.

The TSA screens both carry-on and checked bags at airport security checkpoints using computed tomography machines (or CT scanners). Such devices take a 3-D image of the bag content, as opposed to 2-D images produced by the X-ray machines that they replaced.  

Obtaining 3-D images of bag content allows for greater analysis of what is in bags, like material density and shapes of embedded items that may appear out of place. If a pager, walkie-talkie or cell phone has been tampered with to explode, a CT scanner would likely identify something unusual, requiring additional attention from TSA officers. 

Perhaps most importantly, for a person to bring such a device to an airport to take a flight, their identity would have to be validated. The Credential Authentication Technology with facial recognition (CAT-2) is the game changer in keeping people who wish to carry such devices from entering the secure areas of airports. Anyone attempting to board an airplane with such a device would have to pass through this security gauntlet, acting as a strong deterrent to keep them away.

However, the nonsecure side of the airport poses a much greater risk and challenge for airport administrations and the TSA.  

Anyone can enter an airport with hidden explosives, including the type used by Israel in the Middle East. These devices can then be strategically placed around the airport. Upon their detonation, the airport would be in complete chaos, effectively shutting down all flights and operations. 

If such a mission were executed simultaneously at the largest airports around the nation, an effect akin to what was experienced on 9/11 would be achievable, though the number of lives lost would be much lower. However, the level of disruption to the air system, and potentially to the economy, would be devastating, and the fear generated overwhelming. If this occurred prior to the 2024 election, it could even affect how people vote. 

Our nation’s air system is a critical cog in the nation’s well-being. As many as 3 million people are screened at airports by the TSA every day, with 45,000 flights on average every day handled by air traffic control. Any widespread and substantial disruptions would affect both business and leisure travelers. If such a disruption occurred around the holiday travel season in November or December, the effect would be amplified even further. 

The good news is that the element of surprise has been eliminated. Airport security operations, particularly on the non-sterile side of airports, will likely garner greater attention in the coming months. The non-sterile side has always been a vulnerability that demands additional attention in some locations. Airport security checkpoint procedures will continue to provide the necessary protections to the sterile side.

A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. The events in the Middle East remind us that attack vectors can be unpredictable. The layers employed by the TSA are designed to keep people and property safe, and to deter bad actors from even attempting attacks. Even if travelers must endure some inconvenience when traveling by air, the end product is secure travel for all.

Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a professor of computer science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.