SSN details leaked to federal gov’t officials

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has been found to have accidentally given access of government entities access to Social Security number information pertaining to roughly 3,200 drivers and license applicants, the state agency has admitted in a data breach notification. This has been said to have happened for the last four months.

Regarding the incident, a notification letter stated by the DMV to the affected individuals 'You are being sent the attached Notice regarding the disclosure of Social Security number information to another government agency because state law requires that it be sent when there is an ‘unauthorized acquisition of computerized data that compromises… confidentiality… of personal information.

According to an L.A. Times report, the government agencies and individuals who incorrectly had access to the SSN information included the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration, and district attorneys in San Diego and Santa Clara counties.

The data, which included whether or not a license holder had a verified Social Security card or was ineligible to be registered with Social Security, was accessed as a result of investigations into criminal activity or tax law compliance, reported the Times, citing officials. The Times also noted that the breach may have allowed federal government officials to look up information on illegal immigrants who applied for driver’s licenses. (California allows them to apply if they can provide proof of identity and California residency.)