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Social Security Card Technology Upgrade

Myths v Facts

Myths Facts
A biometric Social Security Card Upgrade is an infringement on privacy, civil liberties and Constitutional rights. The number one job of government is to protect citizens and provide for the common welfare. Not upgrading the Social Security card to current data protecting technology standards leaves Social Security Information vulnerable to ID thieves, hackers and criminals.  Not having secure Social Security cards is a threat to our Constitutional rights.
Upgrading the Social Security Card amounts to a National ID card/

Every identity card or other credential used by the U.S. today includes more security than the current Social Security card. The Social Security card of 2010 is essentially the same technology and design as we introduced in 1936.

 

An upgraded smart card-based design Social Security card would include a biometric identifier, provide multi-level authentication, and ensure that only the individual to whom the card is issued can use it.  The user must consent before the card can be read eliminating the fear of government or employer tracking.
We can accomplish the same end without a biometric ID card system; just enforce the laws. The only way to enforce the current immigration laws for work eligibility is to definitively know who each person is and their work status.  The biometric Social Security card ties the individual cardholder to the document so that the card can only be used by them.  Employment eligibility would be tied to the individual and employers will know who is eligible to work and who is not, eliminating the primary driver of illegal immigration.
Biometric verification systems are too complex and costly; it is unfair to place the burden on employers to set-up and manage a complicated biometrics system. Biometric card readers are widely available today for as little as $50 and can be added to any computer through a USB port just like a printer or a camera.  Handheld readers are also widely available for use in an outdoor environment.  Functionally, the reader will giver the employer a yes/no response- does this person match the enrolled card they are presenting for verification.
The sheer size of the project is too much to manage and it's too complicated to ever work. Enrolling the entire working population in the U.S. is going to be a challenge.  However, other less wealthy nations including India, Brazil and Guatemala are currently undertaking similar initiatives without incident.  If less wealthy nations can do it, certainly the United States can as well. 
It will be inconvenient for citizens to enroll. Citizens can easily enroll at a Federal Building in their home town-possibly Post Offices.
There is no way to ensure the right person is enrolling with weak supporting or "breeder" documents; no way to cope with people who steal an identity from the legitimate person.

Breeder documents are problematic in the U.S.  To solve this problem we need to begin the process of upgrading card technology and systems.  It is for that reason that moving to a secure biometric Social Security card is so important. 

 

Once an individual is enrolled they will not be able to assert a false identity for the purpose of gaining employment.  Policies and procedures can be put in place to ensure only the legitimate person can claim their Social Security number and attach their biometric identity. 
Biometric databases would create a central repository for ID thieves and hackers. Any biometric database must be used solely for enrollment to verify an individual is not already enrolled in the system.  After enrollment the database must be locked away and not accessed for verification or other daily use purposes.  All identity verification must be done between the card itself and the local reader giving the use control over their information. 
Estimated costs to deploy this system are in the $100's of billions, this is too expensive. Cost estimates are significantly overblown.  A biometric enabled card could be deployed for less than the average cost of a driver's license.
Hackers could intercept the personal information stored on the card and steal personal information or track people. 

Information stored on smart cards is protected by encryption and extensive security features.  The chop on the card is effectively dead (inert) until it comes into physical contact with the card reader.  No information is exchanged between the card and the reader until both agree they are part of the same system and secure.  At that point the cardholder would need to provide either their PIN code or biometric to authorize the card to be read. 

 

Because only the legitimate person can claim and use their identity, biometric card systems provide maximum protection of personal information, user control and consent. 
Consolidating data would facilitate the tracking of individuals. Policies about data use must go hand-in-hand with any requirement for deployment.  Users must know in advance how information about them will be used and a agree to those terms.  Terms of use cannot change after the fact.
Biometric cards would require workers to pay a few in order to be eligible to work. Fees for an upgraded Social Security card are unrealistic and unworkable.  The Federal Government constantly upgrades infrastructure including roads, computers, the military, and federal facilities.  The Social Security card should be no different.  Additionally, the reductions in ID theft and resulting fraud would pay for the deployment of such a system. 

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Secure News to Know

  • Secure ID Coalition Applauds Introduction of Medicare Common Access Card Act

    The Medicare program is plagued with fraud, estimated by the Department of Justice to be $60 billion a year. Yesterday Senator Mark Kirk (R- IL) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced The Medicare Common Access Card Act, a bill to prevent fraud before it happens, saving taxpayers billions.

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  • Rx For Frustration: Medicare Fraud In the News (Again)

    Ohio, Chicago, Maine, Miami, Mississippi, and Detroit newspapers all published similar stories last week about blatant Medicare scams that make you wonder why the country’s not deeper in debt.

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  • VISA to Move the US to EMV

    This morning VISA announced plans to incentivize the adoption of more secure payments in the United States, specifically EMV.  By adopting the international EMV standard, VISA is promoting both increased security and interoperability. To read more, please see VISA’s announcement.
     

  • Knowing who you are; could save the US billions

    At the March 30, 2011 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and other Agencies held a hearing on the FY 2012 Health and Human Services (HHS) Budget, Senator Kirk (R- IL) questioned HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius about the outdated Medicare Card issued to America’s seniors.  In a system that is riddled with fraud, waste and abuse, Sen. Kirk suggested that knowing who is receiving services and who is providing them could significantly help reduce the amount of fraud in Medicare - currently estimated b y the Department of Justice to be $60 billion per year.  Read more...