Calling it a “flawed system,” the White House’s cybersecurity coordinator is calling for the end of Social Security numbers as a national identification code.

"I believe the Social Security number has outlived its usefulness," Rob Joyce said Tuesday at The Washington Post's Cybersecurity Summit.

In the wake of the Equifax security breach, the White House is looking for safer ways, based on newer technology, to verify Americans’ identities.

"It's a flawed system that we can't roll back after a breach," Joyce said.

Equifax hackers gained access to the Social Security numbers of more than 145 million Americans in a recent breach, The Hill reported.

Joyce said Congress needs to take some form of action to regulate the cybersecurity of credit bureaus

"It's really clear there needs to be a change," he said.

About the Author

Keep Reading

People are silhouetted against a huge Pride flag before the start of the Atlanta Pride Parade on Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025. (Ben Gray for the AJC)

Credit: Ben Gray for the Atlanta Journal

Featured

Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.  Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)