A question on LifeHacker.com about socially engineered hacking has me questioning methods of securing information.

A person can google information on me and go to a company and claim to be me. The typical “Mother’s maiden name” does not have the same security that it did in pre-Google times. A few ways to keep this from happening is to shred your mail and remove your information from public information databases.

Another way is to answer security questions. Instead of the correct answer for your mother’s maiden name, answer with your favorite food.

How about working with a company who knows you instead of your number or your file?

Thoughts?