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End of the Social Security Number? A White House Official Thinks So
www.wsj.com ^ | Updated Oct. 3, 2017 7:20 p.m. ET | By Yuka Hayashi

Posted on 10/04/2017 8:08:22 AM PDT by Red Badger

One possibility is using cryptographic keys, or a combination of long random numbers

WASHINGTON—The administration of President Donald Trump is exploring ways to replace the Social Security number with a safer system based on modern technology in the wake of the Equifax Inc. EFX -0.58% hack, the White House cybersecurity czar said Tuesday.

Rob Joyce, the White House’s cybersecurity coordinator, said one possibility is using cryptographic keys, or a combination of long random numbers, to unlock personal data. The merit of such numbers is that they could be revoked once they are found to be compromised, he said.

“I feel very strongly that the Social Security number has outlived its usefulness,” Mr. Joyce said at a cybersecurity conference hosted by the Washington Post. “It’s a flawed system. If you think about it, every time we use the Social Security number, we put it at risk.” He described the current system as “untenable,” noting that his own Social Security number has been compromised at least four times.

“We’ve got a modern digital age. We’ve got to find a way to use that modern cryptographic identifier to help us drive down that risk,” Mr. Joyce said, adding he has asked various departments and federal agencies to submit ideas. He didn’t provide a schedule for further policy steps.

(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government
KEYWORDS: socialsecurity; ssa
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1 posted on 10/04/2017 8:08:22 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger

With the added benefit that it will really SCROOOOOOO illegals who are looking to use someone else’s SSN to secure employment.


2 posted on 10/04/2017 8:09:59 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
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To: Red Badger

So, what will Obama do with his fake SS number?


3 posted on 10/04/2017 8:11:38 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper (WKU 2016 Boca Raton Bowl Champions)
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To: Red Badger

Woo Hoo! I just got my 2018 Medicare booklet and they’re gonna issue new member ID cards without SS numbers on them. Isn’t that awesome? Now that everybody and their friggin’ brother already have my SS number. Horse, barn door. Just sayin’. Fidiots.


4 posted on 10/04/2017 8:12:05 AM PDT by rktman (Enlisted in the Navy in '67 to protect folks rights to strip my rights. WTH?!)
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To: Red Badger

5 posted on 10/04/2017 8:12:19 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Red Badger

...or an implanted chip.


6 posted on 10/04/2017 8:12:48 AM PDT by Mr. K (***THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE OF REPEALING OBAMACARE THAT IS WORSE THAN OBAMACARE ITSELF***)
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To: Red Badger

This’ll work great until the .gov’s private key is compromised.

Then anyone and their DACA mother will be able to generate a valid identifier.

At that point, the solution will be to revoke all the previously issued id’s, and start over, generating new ones using a new private key.

Until that key is also lost...


7 posted on 10/04/2017 8:13:00 AM PDT by ConservativeWarrior (Fall down 7 times, stand up 8. - Japanese proverb)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

They can use a mix of letters and numbers with no dashes or spaces and add some digits.

It would be much more secure, but it would require massive re-programming of government and civilian computer databases to install......................


8 posted on 10/04/2017 8:14:16 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Red Badger

My SS card (typed using a typerwriter) says:

” Not for identification purposes “


9 posted on 10/04/2017 8:14:23 AM PDT by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: ConservativeWarrior

Save time and effort...Just put Hispanics,preferably illegals in charge of the program...


10 posted on 10/04/2017 8:15:19 AM PDT by Hambone 1934
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To: WKUHilltopper

Give it to a refugee from Syria................


11 posted on 10/04/2017 8:15:36 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: ConservativeWarrior

Computers can automate that to go round the circle at a great RPM....


12 posted on 10/04/2017 8:15:55 AM PDT by Paladin2 (No spelchk nor wrong word auto substition on mobile dev. Please be intelligent and deal with it....)
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To: Paladin2

And it doesn’t identify you!.......................


13 posted on 10/04/2017 8:17:41 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Red Badger

Making Social Security numbers secure is racist!!!


14 posted on 10/04/2017 8:18:24 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: Red Badger

Blockchain is the future! It is inevitable.


15 posted on 10/04/2017 8:20:33 AM PDT by glorgau
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To: Red Badger
It would also help tremendously if a law was passed forbidding the use of SSNs for anything that is not related to Social Security, even if a person consents to its use for other purposes.

Plus, have that law be strictly enforced and allow for lawsuits by people affected by its use for non-SS purposes.

16 posted on 10/04/2017 8:20:50 AM PDT by gdani (Everyone is a snowflake these days)
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To: glorgau

Which is...................................?


17 posted on 10/04/2017 8:21:32 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Red Badger
a safer system based on modern technology

??

Bizarro world.

18 posted on 10/04/2017 8:22:28 AM PDT by Ezekiel (All who mourn(ed!) the destruction of America merit the celebration of her rebirth.)
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To: gdani

I believe it already is a law.
It’s just ignored...................


19 posted on 10/04/2017 8:24:18 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: ConservativeWarrior
The governments private key?

Would think everybody ought to get their own private key, with the government only having public keys. Thus if someone hacked a government server they would just get public keys and not be able to impersonate anyone.

20 posted on 10/04/2017 8:24:41 AM PDT by AndyTheBear
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