Social Security number code cracked, study claims (AP)

This story makes important points. Not the least of which is that your Social Security number has already become your national ID number. Never mind that the SS number was never intended as ID, or that it is not supposed to be used for any purpose other than Social Security. One has to show one's SS card (or, at least give the number) not just to open a bank account, but to get a driver's license, car insurance, even to rent an apartment. Yeah, 'cause they have to do a credit check on everyone for everything, like having good credit is going to make a person a better driver. But, since there is no picture on your SS card, it isn't really an ID. All of this usage just increases the chance some criminal will get hold of it.

Duh. they taught me about the "secret" jn generl business class back in 1962.

Good going Associated Press. Now ALL the stupid wannabe hackers will give their computers another shot at getting into anything they can.

YOU DUMBASSES.

What we need to do is get rid of our "personal ID numbers". My card still says that my number is for Social Security and Tax Purposes ONLY!! That was the promise made to my parent's generation. If they want to number us, then let them give us NEW numbered cards with our photos or other biometric data on them and let them stop using our Social Security numbers. They will have to do this in the future anyway. With no money to pay Social Security recipients and everyone moving away from our ridiculous credit market, no one will need this number for anything in the future. Once a majority of people stop using it, it will become worthless.

So like the AP to give hackers a hand in boosting their crime sprees! - What does that say about the AP?? Is it possible to charge the AP as "accomplice" to crimes these hackers will commit??

I've had problems for years with my number. My age and the digits associated "don't add up". Anybody in HR or having to read a SS number knows that! You don't need a pc to figure this out. Guess the age and you have the first 5 digits! The people assigning the numbers are responsible.

I'm kind of surprised this wasn't the subject of a "Numb3rs" show. It would have made it more interesting.

I just filed bankruptcy anyone who wants to steal my identity can have it.

Morons just help the hackers screw more things up.

Wow, 8% of people born after 1988 in less than 1,000 attempts!,..............faaaaart..............

Don't people at a college have anything better to do? Why don't people mind their own business and do something productive?

If we only would look back to the 1960's we would find that the Social Security card stated not to give this number to anyone except an employer for the purpose of sending your SS dedudtions to the proper account. Futher, the card states that this is not to be used for identification.
When did these 'rules' change?
My card still has the refered to statements and more, all concerning my identity safety.
With the computer capibilities we have at our diposal, random identifiers can be generated for any and all situations leaving the SS # out of the picture. Let's all of us just refuse to freely give out our SS 3 from now on!

in Massachusettes they give two option one is to use social security number right over your driver license its dumpest thing ever - so you are giving out your adress and ss what else left behind ??? for being victim of identity theft ,

some old fart genius must have introduced in back in days to make it easy for him thats hard to remember as its 9 digits
They can hack in SS but first they need to hack this "TYPE THIS CODE" on all internet forums :)

Before I started doing music fulltime, I worked 15 years as a software engineer. The reason computer systems use the social security number for keys in a database is because they are unique. However, I always disagreed with that as the basis for input when searching for a person's record. The social security code should be randomized for the database and to search on a person, you can easily use their name, birthday, and current address. For the media to publish the cracking of a "code" is ill-advised because it encourages identity thieves to look for patterns which they otherwise may not have realized existed. Back in the early 80s, congress was warned about extending the keys to classified search engines from 50 to 70 digits, but of course, the warnings were deemed "to expensive to implement". This is one reason identity theft of national databases is now a serious problem.

I think I'll paint mine on the front of my house along with my bank account number and date of birth

well... wtf?

glasnost. openness. perestroika. so society can really get
wrecked. homo computerus is taking over. their goal 100%
unemployment, and the People? oh, they just party party
party and party some more. their raison d'etre? to party.
from birthday parties to war parties. partiers party. they don't
care who they party with, they wanna forget who they are anyway.
lose your identity. just be one of the voices of the party.
no escape from the party. is there life after high school?
some say there is. others disagree. think no life exists
after high school. all the old dudes carry the news.

To clarify, when a social security number is randomized, it created an encrypted key, so the actual social security number is not stored in the database, and hence, is never available to identity thieves. In order to crack the randomizer, an identity thief would have to access the software running the database and reverse engineer millions of lines of code to find the randomizing routine. Because most systems keep the software source code on a secure server, theft of the software would be quite difficult. To reverse engineer the "runtime" code would be extremely difficult because it is not the original source code and it's garbled with machine language.

Somewhere in my files I have a description of the logic of social security numbers published for the purpose of writing computer programs to validate data entry input. At one point, the first three digits were tied to the geographical area where the application for SSN was originally made (example: 478 was Iowa). the next two digits were related to the date of birth and the last four were assigned by a formula. This related back to the days when most SSN application were made whe.n a person got their firs job and not assigned shortly after birth. I'll dig some more and post the rules if I can find them.

no need for social security anyway. the entire fund was loooted
and cleaned out years ago. and besides most people
will never live long enuff to collect a dime.

Here's a real pet peeve of mine. When using a VISA card, some stores ask to see your drivers license. This is ill-advised, so ALWAYS refuse! The store is supposed to check the signature on the back of the VISA card with the signature on the paper you just signed. NEVER show them an ID with your VISA card billing address. Anyone who has your VISA card number , 3 digit security code, and billing address can order things on the telephone or on the Internet. If a cashier insists on seeing your drivers license, ask to speak to a manager and then report the store to VISA because it's against VISA card rules.

Once again, our Government doesn't get it.They seem to exist only to make new unneeded laws. My 30 yr old Soc. Sec. card says "NOT TO BE USED FOR IDENTIFICATION ". End of problem.

it doesn't matter. Social Security is about worthless anyway unless you are already collecting it. If you are under 55 forget about it.

And you want the government to control your healthcare? Put your health records online? Make you buy an ObamaMobile? Kill coal powered electric generation? Tax all manufacturing companies (companies do not pay taxes, consumers do)?..and basicly control every aspect of your life.
What the hell has happened to freedom? What has happened to the things that made America great?
Stop this maddness!

The rules did not change. It is ILLEGAL to ask for SS numbers for ID, but there is no enforcement so all the bastards use it to screw you. I agree with the sentiment of many on this thread. It is like being fingerprinted to cash a check if you don't belong to the issuing bank. I always tell the teller that I am doing so under protest and that the only other place they have you do that is in jail! It is up to us to call out the scum, especially to the sheep who know not because they have been fed lies. Just like in this article, they say that the SS admin has cautioned against it. WTF? LIES!

so it is this important that they can crack the ssn. and help thieves steal everyones ' identity and steal every cent we make. big deal...

If you are on Medicare, your medicare number is your social security number. You must present your Medicare card to obtain medical services. Of course on your Medicare card, it's called "Medicare Number." When you deal with the IRS, you use your "Federal Tax ID," not your SSN, even though they're the same!

Social Security is for our retirement account from the US Government program, it is clearing stated that You are not to share, show or give any informations on reguarding about your social security, expection for employment (IRS purpose) and the Department of Social Security.. If you feel that you have been breach by any one other then your employer, you have the right to sue in such case. You may file lawsuit at any Federal Court House..
Thank you...

The AP should be added to the domestic terrorism list for leaking information that contributes to identity theft, of course a favorite financial tool for Al-Kaida. Social security.......It just goes to show that government was really good at stealing money from us long before the last 10 presidents. Obama's group of traitors have just nearly perfected the system. And "all she wants to do is dance".

Did anyone ever stop to think that the minute banking institutions were required to gain your SSN for bank accounts and also credit cards that there was really no guess work truly involved. The banks say they are safe but, I can honestly say that they are wreckless with thier approach to protecting our identies having worked for two major companies and a credit union, the worst offender for ID theft would be Bank of America. And sadly they do nothing to help you when this occurs. They simply pass you from one agent to another.