Information Calamity

I recently received an email from the Vice President for Information Technology, here at GMU:

The university server containing the information relating to Mason’s ID cards was illegally entered by computer hackers.  The server contained the names, photos, social security numbers and G numbers of all members of the Mason community who have identification cards...

With the possibility of identity theft, we've all been advised to place fraud alerts on credit files. On hearing the news I was miffed by the unapologetic tone of the announcement: when a central data server stores your personal information, without you having ability to realistically opt out, you've suurendered a very important right to privacy. If that authority then suffers a break-in, I expect an apology.

The hacking has made the wider news, and Jamie Lewis worries that such centralized identity stores are prime targets for thieves, and that the British govenment should take note. The Ideal Government Project have also jumped on board.

Writing this post prompted me to check the  No2ID petition, which has received a belated response from 10 Downing Street.

This was written in January 2006