
TSA Issues Secret Warning on ‘Catastrophic’ Threat to Aviation - eplanit
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/02/25/tsa-issues-secret-warning-catastrophic-threat-aviation/
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Someone1234
I think the reason why they haven't released information on how to combat a
Thermite Fire is because, frankly, it cannot be stopped. Even under lab
conditions it is only just plausible, but with the limitations of pressure and
safety, there's nothing you could have on an aircraft to combat it. All you
can do is land ASAP and hope for the best.

I very rarely say this, but in this specific case I question why someone would
leak this. I'm sure their intent was to get public attention on the issue, but
all they're accomplished is giving any potential bad guys notice of what was
effective less than three months ago, and reminding them of an attack vector
which is hard to combat logistically.

Some leaks are in the public good, like Snowden, I am just not sure this
specific leak is even if Thermite itself isn't remotely secret or unknown. It
is just painting a bullseye on one way of committing an attack.

Maybe someone in the DHS leaked this hoping someone would use it, so that the
DHS continues to get funding (given the recent struggle to get them re-
funded). That's kind of what happened with the Anthrax case (i.e. it got
leaked and the USG spent tons more on R&D in that area).

