If you live in Massachusetts, you have probably heard about the Mass Privacy Law, which was established in 2010 as a direct result of the TJX data breach. The law’s intent is to protect Massachusetts residents against identity theft, which is the faster growing crime in America. The law is designed to protect personally identifiable information (PII) of residents of the Commonwealth.
“Personally identifiable information” (PII)… is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context” (Wikipedia). Our PII data and our Social Security Number link to all our critical accounts – bank, payroll, etc.
The Mass Privacy Law protects “a Massachusetts resident’s first name and last name or first initial and last name in combination with any one or more of the following: (a) Social Security number; (b) driver’s license number or state-issued identification card number; or (c) financial account number, or credit or debit card number” (Mass Privacy Law). Anyone that owns or manages another individual’s PII data is required to adhere to the law, including any out of state businesses.
The University of Massachusetts ensures compliance to the Mass Privacy Law and other regulations by documenting our requirements in the University Information Security Policy (T10-089) and building a comprehensive Written Information Security Program (WISP). The University Security program is based on industry best practices and is implemented consistently across all campuses.
Remember: Your social security number is a key to unlocking other information, which can lead to identity theft. With a stolen Social Security number, an identity thief can assume your identity by using your actual name and information or use your Social Security number in combination with a different name and information in order to create an entirely different identity.
Here’s a short video-clip from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) with tips for protecting yourself against identity theft: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/media/video-0023-what-identity-theft.