Madison’s city clerk’s office has been investigating a security breach in which 50 individuals’ Social Security numbers and dates of birth were displayed online, according to a city news release.
According to the release, a city employee notified the clerk’s office Dec. 19 after discovering a liquor license application packet containing personal information posted incorrectly on Madison’s Legislative Information Center.
The clerk’s office shut the system down immediately and removed 17 liquor license applications found to be “problematic,” according to the release.
Of the 17 compromised application packets, eight had spreadsheet attachments containing confidential information and nine were in the old state form, which required applicants to provide their Social Security numbers and dates of birth, according to the release.
According to the clerk’s office, the breach resulted in the publication of 50 individuals’ personal information but none have reported a stolen identity as of Thursday.
Since the incident, the city clerk’s office has amended its application for a liquor license and is advising applicants not to provide their Social Security numbers unless the office requires it, such as in the case of hiring an employee, according to the release.
