One Step Ahead: Almanac Security Tips - 2013

Table of Contents (view all)

Spring Cleaning Your Office? Know What to Do with E-Waste
Keep Your Identity Safe When Filing Taxes This Year
Why use Penn+Box when Storing Data in the Cloud
Mobile Device Security - 3 Recommendations for Cloud Users (Hint: That's You!)
Be Aware of QR Code Risks
It’s Data Privacy Month: Update Your Facebook Privacy Settings and More
How Are You Celebrating Data Privacy Month?
Stay Secure while Working on Public Wi-Fi Networks
Protecting Your Finances During This Year's Holiday Shopping Season
Cloud and You
Security and Privacy Online Training & Tools
October: Free Secure Disposal of Paper and Electronics at Employee Resource Fair; NCSAM
Student Privacy - What Do I Need To Know? A FERPA Reminder
Top 10 Tips for Securing Your Smartphone or Tablet
Working Off Campus? Some Tips to Consider

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Tagged with SSNs , privacy

Tuesday, May 8, 2007 - Almanac Vol. 53, No. 33

SSN cleanup tools - use them and protect the Penn community

You’ve read about the hundreds of colleges, universities, retailers, banks, and others that have had data security breaches - hacked systems, lost laptops, stolen backup tapes and the like - involving Social Security numbers. You worry about this type of problem because:

• You can’t be sure whether you still have old SSNs in any of your desktop or server files, OR
• You think you need full SSNs to interface with other systems on campus, OR
• You need some type of identifier to make sure you’ve got the right "John Smith" and SSN is the best one out there, OR
• You don’t need to use SSNs, and you know you have some old ones, but you don’t know how to truly delete them.
• You actually do need to work with SSNs (legally required or necessary for certain third-party transactions, for example), but want to handle them responsibly.

Know the following:

• Finding SSNs. Your local support provider can assist you in using automated tools to determine if a file containing SSNs is still on your desktop, laptop, or server. Contact your LSP.
• Keeping SSNs to Interface with Other Systems?  Check Again. Many systems at Penn have been reconfigured to accept PennID in lieu of the SSN as a unique identifier (also sometimes a "key"). Contact the relevant system owner, or Data Administration at da-staff@isc.upenn.edu.
• Converting SSNs to PennID. A new, free tool exists to convert files containing full SSNs to PennIDs. Contact the Office of Audit, Compliance, and Privacy at (215) 573-4492.
• Deleting Unnecessary SSNs. Talk to your LSP for options.
• Truncate/Restrict View Wherever Possible. If all else fails and you must continue to work with SSNs, truncate to show only the last four digits in as many "views" as possible. Truncating SSNs and limiting access to only those people with a need to know are important ways to minimize risk.