Government Identification Number

An identification number issued by government authorities to individuals, such as Social Security numbers in the U.S., National Insurance numbers in the UK, or passport numbers. Government ID numbers are highly sensitive because they're used to access government services, financial accounts, healthcare, employment, and other critical systems. Unauthorized access to government ID numbers enables identity theft, fraud, and various harms. Privacy laws often provide special protection for government ID numbers—some jurisdictions prohibit displaying full numbers, limit collection to necessary purposes, require strong security, and mandate immediate notification if compromised. Organizations collecting government ID numbers should minimize collection, truncate or mask numbers when displaying them, encrypt stored ID numbers, implement strict access controls, never use ID numbers as account identifiers, comply with regulations like Social Security Number Protection Acts, and be prepared for heightened breach notification requirements.