DataBreaches.Net

Menu
  • About
  • Breach Notification Laws
  • Privacy Policy
  • Transparency Report
Menu

Social Security kept silent about private data breach

Posted on October 13, 2011 by Dissent

Thomas Hargrove writes:

The Social Security Administration has failed to inform tens of thousands of Americans that it accidentally released their names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers in an electronic database widely used by U.S. business groups.

The federal agency has kept silent about a potentially harmful security breach of the personal data of about 14,000 people each year, ignoring recommended reporting guidelines for such confidentiality breaches and violating the intent, at least, of the U.S. Privacy Act which protects personal information of private citizens.

Read more on The Republic.

Category: Breach IncidentsCommentaries and AnalysesExposureGovernment SectorU.S.

Post navigation

← Update: Lawsuit against Keystone and Amerihealth remanded to state court
Credit card data stolen from Chili’s restaurant at Yokosuka →

3 thoughts on “Social Security kept silent about private data breach”

  1. withheld says:
    October 14, 2011 at 12:42 pm

    Just to put this in context: SSA’s error rate is 0.00156%

    And you want them to apologize for that?

    Mistakes happen.

    If there is any other human organization with an error rate that good, please let me know, as I’d like to invest.

    1. admin says:
      October 14, 2011 at 12:45 pm

      So if an entity has a generally good rate, hapless victims of its rare errors don’t need to be notified?

      Yes, mistakes happen. Own up to them. If you’ve put someone at increased risk of identity fraud, you owe it to them to at least warn/alert them.

      1. Charles Jennings says:
        October 14, 2011 at 2:33 pm

        Ay Ay

Comments are closed.

Now more than ever

"Stand with Ukraine:" above raised hands. The illustration is in blue and yellow, the colors of Ukraine's flag.

Search

Browse by Categories

Recent Posts

  • Central Maine Healthcare tackles suspected cybersecurity issue; hospitals remain open
  • Cartier Data Breach: Luxury Retailer Warns Customers that Personal Data Was Exposed
  • Beyond the Pond Phish: Unraveling Lazarus Group’s Evolving Tactics
  • Akira doesn’t keep its promises to victims — SuspectFile
  • Fraudsters, murderers, students: who the GRU assembled a team of hacker provocateurs from and why it failed
  • Order of Psychologists of Lombardy fined 30,000 € for inadequate data security protection and detection following ransomware attack
  • Lower Merion School District says a data breach was caused by a computer glitch (1)
  • After $1 Million Ransom Demand, Virgin Islands Lottery Restores Operations Without Paying Hackers
  • Junior Defence Contractor Arrested For Leaking Indian Naval Secrets To Suspected Pakistani Spies
  • Mysterious leaker GangExposed outs Conti kingpins in massive ransomware data dump

No, You Can’t Buy a Post or an Interview

This site does not accept sponsored posts or link-back arrangements. Inquiries about either are ignored.

And despite what some trolls may try to claim: DataBreaches has never accepted even one dime to interview or report on anyone. Nor will DataBreaches ever pay anyone for data or to interview them.

Want to Get Our RSS Feed?

Grab it here:

https://databreaches.net/feed/

RSS Recent Posts on PogoWasRight.org

  • Stewart Baker vs. Orin Kerr on “The Digital Fourth Amendment”
  • Fears Grow Over ICE’s Reach Into Schools
  • Resource: HoganLovells Asia-Pacific Data, Privacy and Cybersecurity Guide 2025
  • She Got an Abortion. So A Texas Cop Used 83,000 Cameras to Track Her Down.
  • Why AI May Be Listening In on Your Next Doctor’s Appointment
  • Watch out for activist judges trying to deprive us of our rights to safe reproductive healthcare
  • Nebraska Bans Minor Social Media Accounts Without Parental Consent

Have a News Tip?

Email: Tips[at]DataBreaches.net

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

Contact Me

Email: info[at]databreaches.net

Mastodon: Infosec.Exchange/@PogoWasRight

Signal: +1 516-776-7756

DMCA Concern: dmca[at]databreaches.net
© 2009 – 2025 DataBreaches.net and DataBreaches LLC. All rights reserved.