Nebraska Screws Deadbeat Dads and Single Moms

Well, this is only a partial screwing. It seems like the security was breached by either a script kiddie or an automated worm, but it exhibits how important it is for all branches of State Governments to maintain very tight security controls on its public webservers.

From the AP here:

Hacker gets into Neb. child-support system

LINCOLN, Neb. – A hacker broke into the child-support computer system run by the state Treasurer’s office and may have obtained names, Social Security numbers and other information of 300,000 people and 9,000 employers.

The system helps collect and disperse child-support payments.

The hacker got into a back-up computer server Wednesday morning for about 40 minutes and launched a virus, which Ross said was immediately removed.

Ross said the hacker was “probably from outside the United States.”

He said he did not believe any information was downloaded but that the State Patrol is launching a computer forensic investigation of the incident.

What is a backup server doing on the Internet? To launch a virus, an attacker must have system level access, so it means that the webserver was not properly configured.

Someone should get a pink slip over this.

It’s hard enough to pay child support or raise a child by yourself. The last thing you need is for the State to be completely negligent and expose your already tenuous financial stability to the grave risk of identity theft.