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OMB Website Exposes Thousands of SSNs

Posted by Zonk on from the good-managing dept.

msblack writes "The New York Times is reporting that an Office of Management and Budget website accidentally exposed at least 30,000 social security numbers publicly online. As many as 100,000 to 150,000 individuals may have been affected. The cost to taxpayers just for notifications and credit monitoring is estimated to run $4 million. 'While there was no evidence to indicate whether anyone had in fact used the information improperly, officials at the Agriculture Department and the Census Bureau removed the Social Security numbers from the Census Web site last week. Officials at the Agriculture Department said Social Security numbers were included in the public database because doing so was the common practice years ago when the database was first created, before online identity theft was as well-known a threat as it is today. '"

11 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. they're half right by User+956 · · Score: 4, Funny

    The New York Times is reporting that an Office of Management and Budget website accidentally exposed at least 30,000 social security numbers publicly online.

    Sounds like they got the "Social" part right... "Security", not so much.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  2. Oh no. by Mockylock · · Score: 4, Funny

    Was 565-459-9342 on the list? If so, can you please take it off?

    --
    "Please, shut up. Just when I think you can't say anything more stupid, you speak again." -Archie Bunker.
    1. Re:Oh no. by Kawolski · · Score: 2, Funny

      Can you provide all your credit card numbers too just in case one of them are on the site?

  3. 30,000 SS numbers? by Skevin · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's nothing. Right now, I'm going to threaten to expose every single SS number that has ever existed:

    for ($i=1;$i1000000000;$i++) {
        echo $i . "\n";
        }

    The first line of output is Strom Thurmond's or George Burns' SSN.

    Solomon

    --
    "Twice half-assed makes an ass whole." --Solomon K. Chang
    1. Re:30,000 SS numbers? by winmine · · Score: 2, Funny

      So your plan of attack is something like this?

      Haxor: Hello I need to withdraw all of the money from my account. My SSN is 123-45-6789.
      Teller: Is your name John Smith?
      Haxor: Uh....yes.
      Teller: Thank you, here is your money!

    2. Re:30,000 SS numbers? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      At least make the effort of printing dashes and leading zeros.

              int a, b, c;
              for (a = 0; a < 1000; a++)
                      for (b = 0; b < 100; b++)
                              for (c = 0; c < 10000; c++)
                                      printf("%03d-%02d-%04d\n", a, b, c);

  4. So how... by FlyByPC · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...does exposing 30,000 SSNs affect 100,000 to 150,000 people?

    Oh, I get it. The original SSN recipient and the 3-4 ID thieves. Never mind.

    --
    Paleotechnologist and connoisseur of pretty shiny things.
    1. Re:So how... by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      So how does exposing 30,000 SSNs affect 100,000 to 150,000 people?
      One of them was Kevin Bacon's.
      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
    2. Re:So how... by number1scatterbrain · · Score: 2, Funny

      I exposed myself once. The cops asked me for my Social Security number.

      --
      Remember the future...
  5. Re:Mine by eln · · Score: 1, Funny

    Your home address, phone number, birthdate, and mother's maiden name are also not particularly secret. Can you post those too? I'm...um...working on a genealogy project.

  6. Re:Thanks.. by Sparr0 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Go ahead. I am not someone that you want to be. Good luck getting a loan or a credit card, I haven't managed it.