Virus Shuts Down Customs Computer System

[Eugene]

Virus Shuts Down Customs Computer System


Friday August 19, 2005 11:46 AM

By LISA ORKIN EMMANUEL

Associated Press Writer

MIAMI (AP) - Travelers arriving in the United States from abroad were
stuck in long lines at airports nationwide when a virus shut down a
U.S. Customs computer system for several hours, officials said.

Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke said the virus impacted
computer systems at a number of airports Thursday night, including
those in New York, San Francisco, Miami, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas
and Laredo, Texas.

Knocke said customs agents immediately switched to manual inspections.
He declined to provide details on where the computer virus originated.

The worst delays appeared to be at Miami International Airport, where
as many as 2,000 people waited to clear immigration, airport spokesman
Marc Henderson said. The passengers were not permitted to leave the
area before then.

Brian Hunt and his wife, who were visiting from Spain, said it took
them nearly five hours to be processed.

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5220444,00.html

[demnan]

1. I got my start in technical support at U.S. Customs Headquarters

and they had so many viruses my first day I found myself on the phone with McAfee (very nice people, by the way) and taking a crash course in viruses and virus software.

I guess they haven't changed much from ten years ago.

[acmejack]

2. all while thousands of good IT people can't find work.

At least in the US.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. Who would have expected a branch of Homeland Scrutiny to download

the proper patches.

how stupid can they be?