The state insurance exchanges mandated by Obamacare go live on the internet at the first of next month. But there are growing concerns that the federal system for collecting information on those who sign up may itself need critical care.

While the Obama administration is pushing hard to get the internet-based state insurance exchanges running by October 1, internet security experts like David Barton at UHY Advisors are increasingly worried about security at the new federal data hub that is deemed critical to those exchanges. That hub allows the government to pool your information from a number of sources.

“The people helping are going to have access to all the information contained in (databases operated by) the Social Security Administration, Department of Homeland Security, the IRS…” said Barton. And that’s just to name a few.

The problem is the security system protecting the hub from hackers who want that information has failed two certification attempts and won’t likely be tested until the day before the hub goes live.

“This is creating an unprecedented potential for theft and abuse,” Barton warned. The reason? Barton says, if the hub’s security isn’t up to snuff when it finally is tested, there may not be ample time to fix it.