What Web Surfers Can Find Out About You

cweditor writes in with an updated version of a story the likes of which you might have read before, What the Web Knows About You. But reporter Rob Mitchell found out vastly more about himself (his research subject) online than he could have even a year or two ago. The big difference is that state and local governments are putting online digitized records, often with Social Security numbers and other personal details intact. Mitchell ends by questioning how much good it does for banks or credit card companies to require 4, 5, or more independent identity "factors" before providing access to account details, when most or all of the factors they request can be found online about nearly anyone.

Comments

Re:ID information available to the public

[CannonballHead]

I'm always surprised that more "secure" websites don't let users use their own security question. It makes no sense to just always use "mother's maiden name" or "city of birth" or whatever. Why can't I use my own security question and pick something that I actually am one of the few people that know (me and maybe my wife or something)?

I'm not sure adding one more column to a database is going to produce a ton more overhead :)

It is good SSN becomes totally public

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

Social security number has never been designed to be a fool proof identity verification authentication tool. High time the government site get hacked and all the SSNs of ALL Americans are out in the public. Then the onus will be on the banks and others to actually verify people's identity and come up with real authentication mechanisms. Right now it is a joke. Any Tom Dick or Harry can impersonate me if he knows my name and my SSN. How ridiculous is the expectation that I have to take efforts to keep my SSN secret, while the banks and credit issuers have no obligations to check if the applicant is really who he/she says who he/she is?

What? Anonymous Coward? you dare me to publish my SSN? Get lost. It does not make sense for me to do it alone. But if the entire person-SSN map of all people becomes public, it will actually help us all.

Re:ID information available to the public

[LaskoVortex]

If you made up a name, how do you remember it 3 years later?

The idea is to have a set of false, made up answers that you *always* use to the same old security, so you don't forget them. No one is going to find that stuff on line because it's not affiliated with you except in your imagination. If you are afraid of forgetting your passwords and to remember passwords like "d8u*mF@3KowcCR", use an encrypted password keeper.

Times Changes

[olddotter]

I used to think that people who were afraid to give out their SSN probably also slept with tinfoil hats on. Now I only give it to companies that have to report something to the IRS. If someone isn't reporting income to the IRS, they don't need a SSN.