Timothy C. May wrote:
Many of you in the United States have probably seen the reports on how the Social Security Administration has pulled their Web site, citing security problems.
I'm not naive. I knew that anything I reported to the IRS, or that my employers reported, was accessible to those with access (Q.E.D.). I just am surprised that my earnings for the past 28 years are "online," available to anyone with the few bits of entropy needed to get past the minimal security.
This ought to be recounted far and wide. Remind your siblings, friends, and others about this situation. Point out to them that when a society becomes dominated by "accounts," instead of old-fashioned cash payments, then he who controls the keys controls everything.
IRS Continues Personal Privacy and Security Breeches (From the NYTimes, April 9, 1997) The IRS admitted that it has not stemmed the improper browsing of taxpayer records by nosy agents. 1,515 such cases have become known in the last two years. A study of the EARL (Electronic Audit Research Log) software program indicates that, "some employees, when encountered, indicated they browsed because they do not believe it is wrong and that there will be little consequence to them if they are caught." About 51,000 IRS employees have access to taxpayer records through the Integrated Data Retrieval System. Senator John Glenn, (D-OH) agrees, as recent court rulings have decided that these invasions of privacy are not illegal as long as the information is not given to others; as though determining that was at all possible. Senator Glenn is attempting to levy heavy fines and imprisonment for violators. The GAO has also determined, according to their recent report on these abuses, that 6,400 tapes and cartridges which "might" contain taxpayer information are also missing. -- Toto "The Xenix Chainsaw Massacre" http://bureau42.base.org/public/xenix/xenbody.html