FAQ: The passport breach: What exactly is in those records?

Computerworld - An admission late Thursday that three contract workers in the U.S. Department of State illegally accessed the passport records of Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) has sparked a firestorm of controversy. While State Department officials characterized the incident as the result of "imprudent curiosity," Obama's campaign spokesman called the breach an "outrageous breach of security and privacy." The breaches occurred Jan. 9, Feb. 12 and March 14, but were apparently not reported to higher-level State Department employees, who said they learned of the incidents just this week. The three workers, two of whom have been fired, have not yet been identified.

No sooner had that news broken than the State Department today had to admit that the files belonging to Sens. Hillary Clinton, (D-N.Y.), and John McCain, (R-Ariz.), had also been improperly accessed.

Just what sort of information did those contractors have access to? What records on the presidential candidates might they have seen? The State Department's own description of its passport record system offers some clues, as well as an indication of just how much data the government compiles on passport applicants.

What exactly is a passport record? A passport record typically consists of applications made by a person for a U.S. passport, together with supporting evidence of U.S. citizenship. The records include details such as date and place of birth, naturalization details, family status, occupation and physical characteristics. Passport records do not include evidence of travel, such as exit and entrance stamps, visas or residence permits. Passport records are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974.

Where are passport records stored? The records are maintained in a classified passport records system located at the State Department's Passport Services annex in Washington.

What individuals and records are covered by the system? The passport records system stores information about people who have applied for or have been issued a passport, or who have asked for an amendment to or renewal of a passport. It contains information on individuals whose passports have been denied, revoked or limited in some way, as well as data on individuals born outside of the country to U.S. citizens, or those who have applied for registration or were registered at U.S diplomatic or consular posts abroad. In addition to those categories of records, the system includes certificates of loss of U.S. nationality and records of death of American citizens abroad.