Social Security Numbers

Published on May 22, 2019 by intelx

We added support for US Social Security Numbers (SSNs)! You can immediately search for them here: https://intelx.io/?s=086-38-5955

Whis this is important

Searching at Intelligence X works based on selectors (strong search terms). When you search for something, the system automatically detects suitable selectors and performs a search. Below is the list of supported selectors:

Email address
Domain
URL
IP
CIDR
Phone Number
Bitcoin address
MAC address
IPFS Hash
Credit Card Number
Social Security Number
IBAN (International Bank Account Number)

Detecting SSNs is challenging

Detecting SSNs in texts can be challenging: they are essentially just 9-digit numbers, thus prone to false-positives. The basic format of SSNs is “AAA-GG-SSSS” (sometimes without dashes), comprising of an Area, Group and Serial Number. These parts formerly had meaning, but since 2011, and the dawn of the “randomization act”, they are essentially random.

To prevent a high number of false-positive SSNs, Intelligence X uses various smart algorithms to determine whether a 9-digit number is actually a SSN, or indicates something else.

More information about the SSN format

Additional information on SSNs, including historical and current information, is available on this blog post – “Validating Social Security Numbers through Regular Expressions” – and on the “Social Security Number Randomization” page of the Social Security Administration.