(MSPAlliance) - Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - States nationwide are removing sensitive data, such as Social Security numbers and bank account numbers, from official state Web sites. Many state laws require property records to be posted online, allowing thieves to cherry-pick through these records for personal information while the long redaction process takes place.
At least six states already use redaction software to digitally erase information from property records. < ?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Florida has set a deadline of Jan. 1 for each of its 67 counties to redact personal information from county Web sites. Other state-level governmental bodies are in the process of redacting personal information as well.
The New Jersey Department of the Treasury redacts SSNs, bank account numbers and employer ID numbers from contract proposals before they go on the state Web site, Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle signed legislation last month that bars SSNs from real-estate records filed with the Register of Deeds office and a federal judge approved a class-action settlement that forces the removal of SSNs from financial records posted on the Ohio Secretary of State's Web site.
