Thousands of Social Security numbers have been stolen from the computers of a New York state agency.
The Social Security Administration in New York City reports that a subcontractor, who was working for the Office of Temporary Disability Assistance on computer infrastructure upgrades, illegally downloaded approximately 15,000 Social Security numbers. These numbers were taken from computers belonging to private contractors working for the agency, which is responsible for deciding Social Security disability claims.
The commissioner of Social Security, Michael Astrue, confirmed that the accused worker has been arrested and is now in the custody of the New York State Police. According to Astrue, the unauthorized download of information occurred in a limited number of cases. However, investigations are ongoing, and the full extent of the damage is still unknown.
Individuals whose information was compromised will be notified. They will also be offered free credit monitoring and a special toll-free telephone number for assistance.
