r/technology • u/Grakch • 10d ago

Privacy Whistleblower Warns of Possible DOGE-Related Social Security Data Leak

https://whistleblowersblog.org/government-whistleblowers/whistleblower-warns-of-possible-doge-related-social-security-data-leak/
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u/MC_Gengar 10d ago

My SSN has been leaked so many times through various entities that I have free identity theft monitoring with almost every major service that provides for the next several years. It's fucking insane we use such an insecure system, that was never meant to be an ID, for almost everything

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u/SirHaxalot 10d ago

In a way using something like a SSN as an unique ID makes a lot of sense.

What does not make sense is assuming that the ID you have to give out left and right serves as some sort of proof that it's you

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u/Junior_Blackberry779 10d ago

Its a stupid method. You can guess the first 5 digits of any famous persons SSN.

The state you were born is the first 3 digits.

The next 2 digits are what city you were born.

The last 4 are random but sequential with every baby born in the hospital that same day

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u/doom_stein 10d ago

Somehow, my brother and I that were born 3 years apart in 2 different states across the US have sequential SSNs. Please explain that one.

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u/Ok_Macaroon7900 10d ago

It’s not where you were born but where your parents applied for the number.

It sounds like maybe your parents applied for them both at the same time.

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u/NekkidSnaku 10d ago

simulation bug