Security → Ars editor learns feds have his old IP addresses, full credit card numbers

»arstechnica.com/tech-pol ··· numbers/

"FOIA request turns up 9 years of records, including plaintext credit card numbers..."

I wonder what they have on each of us.

And do realize that the article only covers data included within the author's Passenger Name Records. Whatever else the government may have collected regarding him via other arenas and related databases was not subject to the FOIA response.

Suffice it to say 'they' have more data on each of us than we can perhaps ever imagine, though there will certainly be a larger trove on those who (for whatever reason) loom larger on their "target selection" algorithms.

Anyone want to explain what value an old IP address has? I've posted my IP Address in this forum tons of time, so likely you all have multiple old IP addresses of mine, oh scary stuff.

And the why would the government want your credit card number, well maybe because the credit card companies know more about you then anyone (maybe even more then your spouse for example, what have you been buying lately)?

Whenever I travel to the US I know they are fully aware of my arrival, destination etc pretty much as soon as I make the booking and when I meet the customs agent he has pretty much everything there and so far they keep letting me in, so we still must be buddies.

You want to see someone that knows something about you, go gambling in Vegas someday.

Blake

Just for discussion's sake, it may have significant value to an analyst who is able to match it to other "old-ish" data in an after-the-fact analysis. In fact, it is the old data that often is of greatest value in fleshing out a human network or revealing behavioral patterns. But, unfortunately, it can be that old data that is more likely to entangle innocent people as well. "Who did you know and when did you know them" becomes much more difficult to defend against as more time passes...

I'm counting on that to disentangle me

Blake

IP addresses to find out where you were online. Assuming those are real ones and not proxies.

quote:

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The breadth of long-term data retention illustrates yet another way that the federal government enforces its post-September 11 "collect it all" mentality.

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The East German Stasi and a few other Communist-era secret police come to mind with this level of obsession of collecting everything.

...as does the Cardassian Obsidian Order -- "It was said that a Cardassian citizen couldn't sit down to a meal without each dish being
duly noted and recorded by the Order."

*sighs*

Regards

I hit for $67,000 at Las Vegas last fall. It was an advance wager on the Breeders Cup Dirt Mile placed about a month before the races. I hit on the trifecta and superfecta. I had to give all sorts of personal data to collect my winnings and they give you a W2-G (sort of a W2 for gambling) right there on the spot. I've made subsequent trips to Vegas and all the casinos affiliated with the M Life card trip over themselves trying to get me to part with my cash. And the funny thing is....the sports book isn't affiliated with M Life. So the casinos must share information. I still have comps from last fall that I've yet to use. The ponies and keno have been very kind to me.

It was fate. Goldencents & Golden Ticket.

What happens in Vegas might stay in Vegas but everyone in Vegas knows about it as heck ya they share info.

Blake