It is clearly impossible to protect yourself from identity theft these days. Even if you take the most paranoid of precautions, there's always the very real risk that someone else will just hand your details to all and sundry.

What we need is a more secure system (or rather, set of systems) to identify yourself. Be it technological (like public/private keys) or more old-fashioned (pitching up in person before you can open a bank account) or something not yet invented, there is no doubt in my mind that society needs it!

But in reality, banks seem to think it's cheaper just to fix errors as they are reported, rather than create an error-resistant system. And the little guy gets an unwelcome sexual experience. As usual.

...the old military aphorism; 'Always remember, your weapon was made by the lowest bidder'. Applies everywhere else, too by the looks of it.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/07/19/ebay_enigma_machine/

Guess what a major part of SAIC's business is. Security consulting for Uncle Sugar.

Until the U.S. military and Veterans' Administration stop using the servicemember's Social Security Number as an identifier. I seem to remember the SSAN only supposed to be used for banking, credit applications, and of course Social Security purposes. But could it be the U.S. government is not playing by its own rules?

Say , this is almost as hilarious as the dumb and stupid Bank in America , that inadvertently lost data tapes , with all the pay and account details of all the Pentagon Staff , along with the entire staff of both the houses of Congress and including all Senators and Congresspersons as well!

Oh well , does go to show cheap cost cutting wankers and adherents to the "Peter Principle" are in plague proportions!

But then again , can you expect any better performance from the lowest bid tenders , where after expending all the usual bribe monies , and palm greasing to get government contracts , security is the last option on the list of things to do! , for after all we live in the age of profits first and foremost with the customer the absolute last in all equations!