Issue/Question
How do I safely handle Social Security Numbers?
Details
Social Security numbers must be treated as sensitive, confidential information. Access to, storage of, or transmission of social security numbers are tightly governed by federal law (see the attached excerpt from the Federal Social Security Privacy Act):
- At no time shall a Macomb employee require an individual to use or transmit all or more than 4 sequential digits of a social security number over the internet, a computer system, or the College’s network unless the connection is secure or the transmission is encrypted.
- The storage of files or documents containing social security numbers on the College’s network is prohibited unless the need for the document has been approved by a College vice president, legal counsel, or the CIO, and an approved encryption tool is used to secure the contents of the file.
- Standard e-mail should never be used to exchange more than 4 sequential digits of a social security number.
Please contact the Service Desk to report the finding of an unsecure file with social security numbers or assistance with handling this information.