SSN is supposed to be a secure sort of credit card extra code number that identifies you -- but dumb peasants never treat it that way. The consequence is that its 1 of the 3 identifiers needed to complete the stolen identity tools.
Think about the requirements for applying for a credit card -- SSN, address and ..nope that's it. :)
A 9-digit number is not exactly what I would call secure. Better yet is the first 3 digits indicate the state of issue (for numbers before 2011). Cryptographically, this a travesty.
It is amusing how conditionally people see that the SSN is protected on most inputs they enter but when it comes to actually treating that number as personal, no one cares. Same with license #. The trust to distrust but not act on it ratio of Americans is infuriating for security analysts.
How SSN could be used in malicious way?
SSN is supposed to be a secure sort of credit card extra code number that identifies you -- but dumb peasants never treat it that way. The consequence is that its 1 of the 3 identifiers needed to complete the stolen identity tools.
Think about the requirements for applying for a credit card -- SSN, address and ..nope that's it. :)
A 9-digit number is not exactly what I would call secure. Better yet is the first 3 digits indicate the state of issue (for numbers before 2011). Cryptographically, this a travesty.
It is amusing how conditionally people see that the SSN is protected on most inputs they enter but when it comes to actually treating that number as personal, no one cares. Same with license #. The trust to distrust but not act on it ratio of Americans is infuriating for security analysts.