Researchers crack SSN Algo(Social Security Number Algorithm)

Social Security numbers have a predictable pattern, according to Carnegie Mellon University researchers, who have developed a reliable method of cracking a person’s SSN based on data gleaned from multiple sources, including profiles on social networking sites.

The researchers cracked the algorithm, guessing the first five digits of a SSN on the first try for 44% of people born after 1988. The method is even more reliable with a 90% success rate of cracking SSNs of individuals born after 1988 in less populated states. In fewer than 1,000 attempts, the researchers could identify a complete SSN in 8.5% of those born after 1988, “making SSNs akin to 3-digit financial PINs.”