United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 2006-01-23 monographic deposited born digital 41 p. GA 1.13:GAO-06-238 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238 P0b002ee180389344 f:d06238 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-24 GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238 GAO-06-238 Contractors Identity theft Information disclosure Information security Internal controls Policy evaluation Privacy policies Private sector Safeguards Social security number Standards Information sharing Policies and procedures Other Written Product A45457 Recent data breaches highlight how identity theft may occur when businesses share individuals' personal information, including Social Security Numbers (SSNs), with contractors. Because private sector entities are more likely to share consumers' personal information via contractors, members of Congress raised concerns about the protection of this information in contractual relationships. In response, GAO examined (1) how entities within certain industries share SSNs with contractors; (2) the safeguards and notable industry standards in place to ensure the protection of SSNs when shared with contractors; and (3) how federal agencies regulate and monitor the sharing and safeguarding of SSNs between private entities and their contractors. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238/html/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238.pdf GAO-06-238 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GAO-06-238 Other Written Product GAO-06-238; Social Security Numbers: Stronger Protections Needed When Contractors Have Access to SSNs; Contractors Identity theft Information disclosure Information security Internal controls Policy evaluation Privacy policies Private sector Safeguards Social security number Standards Information sharing Policies and procedures