A recent whistleblower report alleges that DOGE endangered the personal information of millions of Americans by uploading sensitive data to a vulnerable server.
Accusations Against DOGE
Charles Borges, the Chief Data Officer of the Social Security Administration, has filed a complaint stating that DOGE uploaded a copy of the Numident file, containing names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, and addresses of over 300 million people, to an unsecured cloud server in June. Borges indicated that there is no evidence to suggest that the data has been breached or misused. However, he expressed concerns that the lack of independent oversight increases the risk of identity theft.
Ignoring Internal Warnings
Borges’ complaint, backed by numerous internal emails and memos, details how agency officials raised concerns before the data transfer. Earlier this year, a federal judge blocked DOGE’s access to the Numident file, but the Supreme Court reversed that order on June 6. On June 16, Joe Cunningham, the SSA’s acting chief information security officer, issued a formal risk assessment labeling the project as 'high risk' with potentially 'catastrophic impact' if compromised.
Response from Authorities and Advocates
SSA spokesman Nick Perrine emphasized that the agency takes whistleblower complaints seriously and that personal data is stored in 'secure environments' with 'robust safeguards.' Nonetheless, privacy advocates and Congressional Democrats have raised alarms since the data transfer. Representative Richard Neal noted that 'all oversight has been lost, all accountability gone.'
The incident concerning DOGE's data leak raises significant concerns among the public and advocates. Investigations and protective measures are necessary to prevent future incidents.
