Chapter B, Problem B6.5MBD

Explanation of Solution

Posting Social Security Number (SSN) in advertisements:

• No. This number is the major key for personal information.
  • Don’t share this data with a person whom does not know.
  • Consider the SSN is being misused by a hacker; the data that is used by the hacker is furnished by the victim.
  • So, the victim is totally liable for the data that is being misused.
• Reasons:
  • Identity theft in financial activities
    • If a hacker uses SSN of any person, then the given person is a victim of financial identity theft.
    • The hacker may fill out wrong applications for loans, credit cards or bank accounts in give user name or take the amount from that accounts.
  • Identity theft in government
    • The hacker may use user personal information in communications with the government.
    • Consider an example is tax related identify theft.
      • Hacker uses any person SSN to file an income tax return in given person name to call that a tax repayment.
  • Problems in criminal activities
  • Problems in medical activities
    • A hacker might give any person private information such as SSN in medical emergency; then it affecting that person healthcare treatment negatively.
  • Problems in utility
    • The problem in utility services such as phone, water, gas and cable services.
    • Here the criminals may use user SSN and other personal data to open utility service agreements on current accounts...