Comments for State Job Website Has Great Opportunities For Self-Starting Identity Thieves

State Job Website Has Great Opportunities For Self-Starting Identity Thieves

2009-10-27T02:26:57Z

CBS 5 exposed a "gaping hole" in the code of California's state-run employment website that allows anyone who views the site to access and modify other users' resumes and personal info simply by changing some numbers in the URL.

]]> CBS 5 spoke with a man who had uploaded his resume to CalJOBS, the state jobs website where residents must register in order to receive unemployment benefits. The man bookmarked the URL where his data was, but each subsequent time he viewed the link, he saw different users' information, including addresses, employment history, and other information that could easily be used by identity thieves.

After CBS 5 showed the glitch to a computer security expert, they discovered that it was possible to modify other people's resumes.

California says they've since fixed the glitch and are going through the site to make sure there aren't any more giant security liabilities. We're glad it's back up, as there are probably a few former state IT workers who need unemployment benefits.

Security Flaws Discovered in California EDD Website [CBS 5]
(Photo: Amazon)
Thanks, Matt!

Comment from wezelboy on 2009-10-28

2009-10-28T07:27:11Z

CalJobs is a pathetic joke.

Comment from Raeth on 2009-10-28

2009-10-28T05:35:39Z

@laserjobs:

Me too. :(

Comment from GenXCub on 2009-10-27

2009-10-28T03:08:34Z

@HogwartsAlum:

This sounds like an online post where someone said

Q: "I'm bringing my 2 girls to a halloween party, what should I have them bring for halloween?"

A: "One Cup"

Comment from hi on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T19:58:12Z

@temporaryerror: It was sold to cash4gold to make up for the unemployment checks. Unfortunatly that didn't work either.

Comment from HogwartsAlum on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T19:31:28Z

@Naame: LOL isn't that always the way, though? People always remember the weird/gross/awful stuff.

Comment from uber_mensch on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T18:49:04Z

A painful 4-handed goatse. Bad pic.

Comment from Naame on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T18:23:55Z

@Matt: It is rather funny (or maybe sad?) that out of all the vast amounts of info on the internet it is things like goatse which will be retained as common knowledge for at least a full generation.

Comment from Brazell on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T18:13:44Z

This was not a glitch. Some designer had to have seen this somewhere along the way and realized it's not worth going through the trouble and fixing it. That's pretty much the story of my life.

Comment from LadySiren on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T18:02:11Z

@Batwaffel: Yup, it was the first thing that sprung to mind here, as well. I haz been corrupted by teh interwebs!

Comment from rockasocky on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T17:58:30Z

Oh California EDD, just when I thought you couldn't be more incompetent...

Comment from LatherRinseRepeat on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T12:21:20Z

I wouldn't be surprised if that website was a result of low ball contract bidding.

Good, fast, cheap.. pick any two.

Comment from gStein_|bringing starpipe back| on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T11:21:38Z

@laserjobs: saw the picture, and forwarded the post to one of my friends. i told her "ignore the content, notice the picture"

Comment from consciousj on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T11:06:08Z

@Matt: so he had a book in there... wow.

Comment from Chinchillazilla on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T06:43:20Z

Well, that's mildly horrifying.

Comment from hungryhomer on 2009-10-27

2009-10-27T05:30:23Z

@SacraBos: Sadly, that was also my first thought. The internet has ruined my innocence forever.

Comment from Batwaffel on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T04:54:59Z

@ReverendLoki: Ahh, how to know we've been using the internet far too long. LOL

Comment from edrebber on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T04:51:34Z

"there are probably a few former state IT workers who need unemployment benefits"

Alex,

Why do you assume a government employee would be held accountable. What about the people who become identity theft victims due to this security flaw? No doubt many will be victims and have no recourse against the state.

Comment from SoCalGNX on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T04:45:42Z

Lovely! About 1/2 the people here are on unemployment right now.

Comment from SacraBos on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T04:32:20Z

@Matt: [bows head in shame] Yes, that was my first thought, too. This image was brilliantly chosen, and works on so many levels.

Comment from cash_da_pibble on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T04:01:52Z

@Matt:
Having never seen the GOATSE meme before for frear of being grossed out into oblivion, your simple post has now informed me of what it is- through the wonderful visuals of my brain THAT WILL NOT TURN OFF.

I'm going to go cower in the corner for a couple of minutes.

Comment from thisistobehelpful on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T03:47:19Z

Oh that makes me so happy thinking about signing up for my state's database...

Comment from Xerloq, we are all made of stars. on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T03:33:01Z

@Matt: I unfortunately saw that for the first time today...

Someone needs to change the cover on the book.

Or not, depending on the intended message.

Comment from JulesWinnfield on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T03:28:48Z

@Matt: Double goatse.

Comment from datamyt3 on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T03:14:23Z

oh no you didn't!!! lol @Matt:

Comment from Matt on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T02:53:48Z

Mmmm cable goatse.

Comment from ReverendBrown on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T02:48:24Z

Too distracted by the picture to absorb the article.

Comment from ReverendLoki on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T02:42:46Z

@laserjobs: One of those hands needs to have a gold wedding ring on it...

Comment from temporaryerror on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T02:41:19Z

One of the hands needs to have a gold wedding band...

Comment from rworne on 2009-10-26

2009-10-27T02:36:03Z