Social Security numbers found on state websites

Iria · Mar 4, 2006, 03:23 PM

The disclosure of Ohio residents' Social Security numbers on the state government's website highlights what many privacy experts — and criminals — already know: Such information is readily available to anyone with an Internet connection.

It is common for the websites of the USA's secretaries of state to contain personal information, including Social Security numbers (SSNs) and home addresses, in business statements. Besides Ohio, the data is available in New York, Florida and at least seven other states, say privacy experts who provided USA TODAY with links to public websites.

"When you have state agencies putting this stuff online, you are spoon feeding criminals valuable information," says Betty Ostergren, a privacy activist whose husband was a victim of identity theft in 1987 and 1989. "And they can be anywhere in the world — an Internet cafe in Pakistan or a library in Mexico."
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Read More / Source: USA Today

Necrosis · Mar 4, 2006, 09:07 PM

Quaint

Distroyed · Mar 6, 2006, 03:56 PM

Unless dissemination will lead to progressive security increase, this news is very inappropriate and the site should consider what it reports in light of how it may be used.

Mar 4, 2006, 03:23 PM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 89	Social Security numbers found on state websites The disclosure of Ohio residents' Social Security numbers on the state government's website highlights what many privacy experts — and criminals — already know: Such information is readily available to anyone with an Internet connection. It is common for the websites of the USA's secretaries of state to contain personal information, including Social Security numbers (SSNs) and home addresses, in business statements. Besides Ohio, the data is available in New York, Florida and at least seven other states, say privacy experts who provided USA TODAY with links to public websites. "When you have state agencies putting this stuff online, you are spoon feeding criminals valuable information," says Betty Ostergren, a privacy activist whose husband was a victim of identity theft in 1987 and 1989. "And they can be anywhere in the world — an Internet cafe in Pakistan or a library in Mexico." ______________ Read More / Source: USA Today

Mar 4, 2006, 09:07 PM	#2
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Quaint

Mar 6, 2006, 03:56 PM	#3
Distroyed DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 170 Rep Power: 0	Unless dissemination will lead to progressive security increase, this news is very inappropriate and the site should consider what it reports in light of how it may be used.