Identity theft, social security numbers, and the Web
Hal Berghel · Communications of the ACM · 2000
Computer privacy is lost in the proliferation of technology's omnipresent accessibility Biblioteca de Ciencias y Tecnología Normal Biblioteca de Ciencias y Tecnología 1 0 2006-05-24T21:07:00Z 2006-05-24T21:07:00Z 1 159 879 UCLA 7 2 1036 11.6568 Clean Clean 21 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Tabla normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Computer privacy is lost in the proliferation of technology's omnipresent accessibility. In the article, the author discusses the widespread use of Social Security Numbers (SSN) as primary keys within university administration, municipal and state government, and a good percentage of utility and communication companies. He explains to sundry administrative folks just how dangerous the practice of using SSN as primary keys and authenticators in their databases is, how it exposes employees and citizens to unnecessary risk. The article suggests that if credit isn't involved, there's never a reason to give out an SSN. The two themes, the history of misuse of SSN on the one hand, and the evolution of privacy concerns with respect to the Internet and Web on the other, intersect at identity theft. This may prove to be one of the most negative consequences of the Web. Identity theft and sundry-related computer crimes ported over to the Internet may become an unparalleled, destabilizing force for 21st century society to deal with.