to the public wide area network wan 1102 a command and control center 110 is also connected to the public wan 1102 unauthorized users 1202 may be connected to the public wide area network the threat scanning machine communications system comprises a router phone 1112 an encryption module 1114 or 1120 depending on the level of security a firewall 1116 and a local area network lan switch 1118 the command and control center 110 comprises a threat management computer 404 a remote management computer 406 a maintenance server computer 408 a web server logic module 806 log files 1204 a database 808 a router phone 1112 an encryption device 1114 or 1120 depending on the level of security required a firewall 1116 and a lan switch 1118 in operation the unauthorized users 1202 are restricted from accessing the threat scanning machine 106 or the command and control center 110 while the encryption devices 1114 or 1120 permit the threat scanning machine 106 and the command and control center 110 to communicate in a secure manner fig1 is a functional block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the threat scanning machine management system showing exemplary alternative approaches to the network connection of security equipment in accordance with the present invention in particular fig1 shows two approaches to network security within a transportation facility in fig1 a the threat scanning machine 106 requires the security hardware and software to be present with the threat scanning machine in fig1 b there is one set of security hardware and software for an entire facility and the threat scanning machines 106 are all interconnected to the one set of communications security hardware and software in fig1 a the threat scanning machine comprises application code 220 a local area network switch 1118 a.