[Infowarrior] - Data loss at Passport Canada could lead to identity theft

[Richard Forno]

(c/o Nick)

Data loss at Passport Canada could lead to identity theft

Filed Under Technology Issues

http://www.digitalhome.ca/blog/2007/12/04/data-loss-at-passport-canada-could
-lead-to-identity-theft/

The Globe and Mail (reg reqd) reported this morning of a massive privacy
breach in the Passport Canada¹s website that allowed hackers to access the
personal information of people who had recently applied for a Canadian
passport online.

The information left unprotected included addresses, social insurance
numbers and driver¹s licence numbers. The  same type of personal information
that the federal government says is commonly used by hackers to steal
someone¹s identity.

Passport Canada claims the problems were quickly resolved, however, after
the website was brought back online, the Globe found the site could again be
compromised in a few keystrokes. Clearly Passport Canada did not take this
security breach seriously and their pronouncement that the system was secure
was either extreme arrogance or sheer incompetence.

Whether it was incompetence or arrogance, the federal government needs to
take this data breach very seriously in order to assure Canadians that it
can keep our personal information secure.

My feeling is this data breach was likely not likely to have any long term
repercussions but how do we know unless the government comes clean and
identifies and notifies every Canadian whose personal information could have
been compromised.

By informing these Canadians of the potential breach, it gives them the
opportunity to monitor their personal finances for any suspicious activity
in the future. By not informing Canadians, you give the hackers the
advantage.