Watchdog group finds numerous TSA airport security failures

WASHINGTON - An undercover probe revealed the Transportation Security Administration is missing the mark on its top responsibility -- security. A federal watchdog group made that claim Tuesday before Congress.

The federal watchdog group conducted more than 100 covert audits of eight different airports nationwide. They wrapped up the mission in September.

While TSA may be quick to confiscate your water bottle, it is failing on several security fronts from technology failures to procedure gaffes to flat-out human error. The watchdog group says layers of security are missing.

TSA has been under intense scrutiny since June when it was revealed that its employees did not find fake explosives and weapons at several major airports. That alarming revelation was the outcome of tests performed by the Department of Homeland Security.

Now, the federal watchdog group says if this culture of complacency continues throughout TSA, we may be hearing about more instances of guns and other threats making it through security checkpoints.

Last year, the same federal watchdog group discovered vulnerabilities and flaws in checked baggage screening caused by technology and human error.

It says TSA does not have the process in place to troubleshoot equipment-based errors.

In response, the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the TSA, met with TSA's senior leadership and has demanded a plan of action to correct the deficiencies uncovered by this probe.