Kelly McLaren :: Kankakee County Recorder of Deeds

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Social Security
Redaction

Social Security Redaction
Kankakee County's next Recorder of Deeds may have to implement a redaction system in the office. Redaction is the process of “blacking out” sensitive information and your social security number is one of the most sensitive pieces of information you have. The problem of electronically stored information such as property and tax records, court filings, military discharges, death certificates, health/medical records, financial statements, and insurance information falling into the wrong hands is increasing. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), incidences of identity theft are on the rise, and are costing businesses more than $50 billion annually while losses to individuals have surpassed $5 billion. Given that the crime of identity theft has immense consequences to the victims and is both a criminal and civil threat, government agencies must be diligent in protecting against the disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized parties. The proper implementation of a redaction system would take 9 digit numbers and display them as ###-##-####, thereby helping to protect you from potential fraud or identity theft. It will be the responsibility of the next Recorder of Deeds to see the proper implementation of a comprehensive, secure, and cost-effective redaction system in our county.

The following report offers information about some of the principles of implementing such a system and computer software functionality to consider: Redaction is the removal of non-disclosible information from a document. For the purpose of this Report “redaction” relates only to the automated removal of social security numbers (SSNs) from electronic copies of land records maintained by the Recorder’s offices made available via secure remote access. Original records of the Recorder’s office would not be altered. The redaction of SSNs from land records is accomplished by employing directly a software redaction system designed for this purpose. Such a system is designed to defeat any electronic attempt to reinstall redacted information by physically removing SSNs permanently from the document.

This Report sets out principles and functionalities for software redaction systems and three recommendations for the redaction of SSNs from electronic land records.

Redaction Principles:

• Redaction should always be carried out on copies and never result in the removal of text from an original document.

• Redaction should be limited to SSNs and performed on a “day-forward” and on a “back-file” basis, as defined in the Glossary to this Report.
• Redaction should be performed by persons who are knowledgeable and trained in redaction; and the Recorder’s offices may choose to engage vendors to perform these functions.
• Decisions regarding redactions need to be documented and stored. Most software redaction systems automate this process.
Functionality of Software Redaction System:
• Compatibility with the Recorder’s offices’ electronic recording (eRecording) and secure remote access systems when implemented.
• Employ Optical Character Recognition or other software applications which are capable of translating images of typewritten text into machine-editable text.
• Ability to accurately store and process date/time data between the nineteenth through the twenty-second centuries, with leap year calculations.
• Retain original electronic files in their native formats.
• Perform automatic data extraction by file property/attribute and document property.
• Automated redaction process workflow should include, but is not limited to, the following steps: Input (image scanning); Field Identification (locate and read SSNs); Validation (test the accuracy of data recognition); Quality Control (ensure data recognition is accurate); Redaction (permanently removes SSNs and documents the decision); Output (publish the redacted documents).

For any further information please contact Kelly any of the following ways: Email: kelly@kellymclaren.com Mailing Address: 685 E. Broadway Bradley, IL 60915 Phone: 815.932.3346


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Social Security Redaction Social Security Redaction Kankakee County's next Recorder of Deeds may have to implement a redaction system in the office. Redaction is the process of “blacking out” sensitive information and your social security number is one of the most sensitive pieces of information you have. The problem of electronically stored information such as property and tax records, court filings, military discharges, death certificates, health/medical records, financial statements, and insurance information falling into the wrong hands is increasing. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), incidences of identity theft are on the rise, and are costing businesses more than $50 billion annually while losses to individuals have surpassed $5 billion. Given that the crime of identity theft has immense consequences to the victims and is both a criminal and civil threat, government agencies must be diligent in protecting against the disclosure of sensitive information to unauthorized parties. The proper implementation of a redaction system would take 9 digit numbers and display them as ###-##-####, thereby helping to protect you from potential fraud or identity theft. It will be the responsibility of the next Recorder of Deeds to see the proper implementation of a comprehensive, secure, and cost-effective redaction system in our county. The following report offers information about some of the principles of implementing such a system and computer software functionality to consider: Redaction is the removal of non-disclosible information from a document. For the purpose of this Report “redaction” relates only to the automated removal of social security numbers (SSNs) from electronic copies of land records maintained by the Recorder’s offices made available via secure remote access. Original records of the Recorder’s office would not be altered. The redaction of SSNs from land records is accomplished by employing directly a software redaction system designed for this purpose. Such a system is designed to defeat any electronic attempt to reinstall redacted information by physically removing SSNs permanently from the document. This Report sets out principles and functionalities for software redaction systems and three recommendations for the redaction of SSNs from electronic land records. Redaction Principles: • Redaction should always be carried out on copies and never result in the removal of text from an original document. • Redaction should be limited to SSNs and performed on a “day-forward” and on a “back-file” basis, as defined in the Glossary to this Report. • Redaction should be performed by persons who are knowledgeable and trained in redaction; and the Recorder’s offices may choose to engage vendors to perform these functions. • Decisions regarding redactions need to be documented and stored. Most software redaction systems automate this process. Functionality of Software Redaction System: • Compatibility with the Recorder’s offices’ electronic recording (eRecording) and secure remote access systems when implemented. • Employ Optical Character Recognition or other software applications which are capable of translating images of typewritten text into machine-editable text. • Ability to accurately store and process date/time data between the nineteenth through the twenty-second centuries, with leap year calculations. • Retain original electronic files in their native formats. • Perform automatic data extraction by file property/attribute and document property. • Automated redaction process workflow should include, but is not limited to, the following steps: Input (image scanning); Field Identification (locate and read SSNs); Validation (test the accuracy of data recognition); Quality Control (ensure data recognition is accurate); Redaction (permanently removes SSNs and documents the decision); Output (publish the redacted documents). For any further information please contact Kelly any of the following ways: Email: kelly@kellymclaren.com Mailing Address: 685 E. Broadway Bradley, IL 60915 Phone: 815.932.3346