Operate a TSA-approved airport security program for covered operations

Use this document to resolve one bounded operational decision: Operate a TSA-approved airport security program for covered operations. Only the official source and traced locations below supply facts. Confirm applicability before acting.

Source fact:

The official 49 CFR 1542.101 — Airport Security from Transportation Security Administration via eCFR supports the following bounded statements:

• Under 49 CFR 1542, the rule requires that each airport operator subject to section 1542.103 maintain one current and complete copy of its security program and provide a copy to TSA upon request. The research record locates this support at 49 CFR 1542.101(b) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(b)).
• Under 49 CFR 1542, no person may operate an airport subject to section 1542.103 unless it adopts and carries out a security program that includes the applicable items listed in section 1542.103. The research record locates this support at 49 CFR 1542.101(a)(3), read with 49 CFR 1542.101(a) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(a)(3)).

Do not import neighboring assumptions into the source record. The supported task is a scoped comparison involving access control, video, intrusion detection, communications, supporting facilities, operators, and documented response paths and the conditions the source actually describes.

What the source does not establish

Applies only to airport operators, tenants, personnel, and areas covered by 49 CFR part 1542 and the cited section. Confirm the TSA-approved security program and current directives; this is not legal advice or a universal access-control standard. The citation is not a substitute for observed state, authorization, compliance evidence, or dependency health. Examine identity, Windows DNS where used, time, networks, power, life-safety systems, vendors, and monitoring personnel before translating the source into an operational decision.

Applicability questions

• For source statement 1 at 49 CFR 1542.101(b) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(b)), which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here?
• For source statement 2 at 49 CFR 1542.101(a)(3), read with 49 CFR 1542.101(a) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(a)(3)), which observable configuration, record, or test can confirm applicability here?
• Which owner can attest to the recorded state of access control, video, intrusion detection, communications, supporting facilities, operators, and documented response paths, including exceptions?
• What baseline for identity, Windows DNS where used, time, networks, power, life-safety systems, vendors, and monitoring personnel must accompany the source-specific observation?
• Which success, stop, and escalation criteria are written before testing begins?

DSE recommendation:

DSE recommends using the cited source as the evidence anchor for this decision. Use a two-person review for the source interpretation and the resulting operational decision. Record the source location, examined part of access control, video, intrusion detection, communications, supporting facilities, operators, and documented response paths, observed and expected states, owner, and reason for deviation.

Translate the conclusion into change control only after documenting dependencies, impact, test method, expected signals, failure signals, and restoration steps. Include identity, Windows DNS where used, time, networks, power, life-safety systems, vendors, and monitoring personnel, while excluding secrets and sensitive personal or topology data from ordinary tickets.

Verification and evidence

Keep the source locations 49 CFR 1542.101(b) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(b)); 49 CFR 1542.101(a)(3), read with 49 CFR 1542.101(a) (eCFR anchor p-1542.101(a)(3)) adjacent to the sanitized artifacts used for comparison. Prefer asset and firmware inventories, configuration exports, event tests, inspections, alarm response records, and maintenance findings, with enough identity and timing data for an independent recheck.

Record the decision even when no change is made, including uncertainty and the next trigger. Use safe testing conditions for disruptive work, preserve rollback proof, and revisit the conclusion after relevant platform, dependency, vendor, or ownership changes.

Official references

• 49 CFR 1542.101 — Airport Security — Transportation Security Administration via eCFR