Safeguarding PII, reporting inappropriate disclosures: It is your duty

  • Published
  • By Safeguarding PII, reporting inappropriate disclosures: It is your duty
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  A large number of offices on McConnell Air Force Base handle personal information; so it is important all members understand what constitutes Personally Identifiable Information and how such sensitive information should be properly handled.

PII is information about an individual that identifies, links, relates or is unique to, or describes an individual. Examples include social security numbers, age, marital status, race, telephone numbers, email addresses and medical and financial information. It is vital to protect this information because it can easily result in identity theft, loss of public trust, legal liability or high costs to handle the breach. Breaches of PII are hazardous to individuals and organizations.

How should you protect PII? Do not leave items such as performance reports, recall rosters or alpha rosters in an area that could result in their loss or theft. Do not place PII on public Internet Web sites. Encrypt any PII contained or maintained on "mobile" equipment. Once you are finished using this type of information, you need to dispose of it properly. Disposal methods may include: tearing, erasing, burning, melting chemical decomposition, pulping, pulverizing, shredding and mutilation. Use shredders that produce a crosscut to ensure paper pieces are indecipherable. Finally, the Air Force mandates encrypting all For Official Use Only and PII information sent over e-mail.

If you discover any disclosures of PII data, report it immediately through your chain of command to Linda Pinkett. Mrs. Pinkett is the base Privacy Act Manager and can be reached at 759-4881.

Lost, stolen or possible compromised PII must be reported to US CERT (http://www.us-cert.gov/) within one hour of the discovery. An investigation will be initiated and those found guilty of causing the breach could be charged with criminal and civil penalties.

Everyone is vulnerable to identity theft. The monetary and emotional cost of repairing an individual's identity can be expensive, requiring years to recover. Everyone must be diligent in protecting and properly destroying PII.