Denver DMV Ups Risk of Identity Theft

The Denver Post
July 9, 2008


The Denver Post reports that the Division of Motor Vehicles puts 3.4 million Coloradans at risk of identity theft due to flaws in the way driver’s-license information is handled.

At an interim transportation committee hearing, it was revealed that the DMV regularly sends large batches of personal information over the Internet without encryption and has failed to properly limit access to its database, according to a recent audit.

At one point, 33 former DMV employees could access names, addresses, dates of birth and Social Security numbers — some workers more than a year after their departure.

Revenue Department leaders who oversee the division say they are working to hire internal watchdogs and build up their technological defenses.

But the state, facing a budget shortfall, will have no additional money in the foreseeable future for new computer systems.

Auditors said the division must better ensure that its employees know how to spot fake documents, deactivate the licenses of the deceased and perform checks of applicants’ immigration status.

The Denver Post also reported "while the state checks employee backgrounds for crimes committed in Colorado, it does not look at other states or federal crimes."

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