Membership Number Confidentiality

I am a new ward clerk and have come across some custom reports in MLS that show membership record numbers. I have searched these forums for a couple of days and I see that this information is confidential, but Handbook 1 sec 13.6 does not specifically say anything about the membership number. I feel I should delete these custom reports but I want to make sure I have my ducks in a row before I do. Is it written anywhere that the membership number itself is confidential?

The real question is who is getting these reports. LDS Tools seems to be giving the information to members of the bishopric. MLS will not run the reports if someone without adequate MLS permissions tries to run them.

I'd certainly consider the MRN sensitive information as it can be used to take over a member's LDS Account.

russellhltn wrote:The real question is who is getting these reports.

Agreed. We would print a report with MRN's that we put with the temple recommend books so that the bishopric would have easy reference to filling out recommends. This seems like a legitimate use (bishopric members have to have the MRN to write out the recommend) and the report was secure because recommend books have to be secured as well.

On the other hand, if the the reports were given to others (to help create LDS Accounts, for instance), then they are questionable. Personally, I would arrange to be available to provide MRNs if there was a LDS Account sign-up session or I would have the leaders ask the members to text me directly and I would provide MRNs directly back to the member.

Although I know of no policy statement that MRNs are considered highly confidential, common sense and evidence shows they are. Since MRNs can be used to create an LDS Account (or take one over) they provide access to sensitive information (and something fairly soon they will even provide access to donation information). Also, all of the tools provided by the church severely restrict access to very few individuals.

eblood66 wrote:or I would have the leaders ask the members to text me directly and I would provide MRNs directly back to the member.

The problem I have with that is making sure the person texting is the member. Maybe during a sign-up session, but not in general. It would seem to me to be ripe for social engineering.

Also, with the addition of financial information, I think it makes the LDS Account subject to state computer breach laws should there be a security breach involving them.

Thank you all for your help