How is the Canvas ID assigned?

[DiannaKim]

I need to know how the Canvas ID is assigned? More specifically, I need to know if there is an ordering effect of the IDs that can lead back to the user. I also need to know if the ID only holds true for a specific class or stays with you throughout. 

[Ron_Bowman · Accepted solution]

@DiannaKim -

What do you mean by ordering that can lead back to the student?  

I just checked my two classes (I have the same student in both) and they have the same Canvas ID.  So in answer to your question my guess is that the Canvas ID is given to a student when their account is created at your institution (ID's are local to your institution only).  I do not think there is anyway that student X could figure out the id for student Y based off of their knowledge of their canvas id.

[DiannaKim]

I'm not too concerned about other students knowing each other's Canvas ID. I am doing some research and I was using students' Canvas IDs as a way for me to check back on my data if needed and need to make sure how strong an identifier the Canvas IDs could be. I will be identifying the IDs anyway, but I still needed to know what I could. Thank you for telling me that the same student had the same ID.