A recent report from Senate Democrats raises concerns regarding the security practices of the DOGE team, associated with Elon Musk. The document, issued by Senator Gary Peters (D-MI), indicates that members of the DOGE team possess access to the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) of all Americans on a cloud server which lacks verified security measures. According to the report, an internal assessment identified potential “catastrophic” risks associated with this situation.
The report details that DOGE staff moved sensitive personal data, categorized as “production data,” to this cloud server. This action posed a risk as the data could be manipulated without appropriate safeguards. In addition to SSNs, the database reportedly contains other personal details, including individuals’ places and dates of birth, work permit statuses, and parents’ names. The risks identified include possible data breaches by foreign adversaries and the potential for mishandling by DOGE employees, one of whom, identified as Edward “Big Balls” Coristine, allegedly had previous issues related to data breaches.
Moreover, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs expressed concerns about DOGE’s activities at additional federal agencies. The Social Security Administration (SSA), responsible for securing sensitive data, reportedly has been unable to oversee DOGE’s operations, which appear to function in a highly secretive manner. Visual descriptions include workplaces that have been modified into private living spaces, raising further questions about their operations.
Senate Democrats are urging the Trump administration to dismantle DOGE’s cloud environment and revoke their access to sensitive personal information until compliance with privacy regulations can be assured. They are also requesting transparency concerning the data accessed by DOGE staff.
Source: https://www.theverge.com/news/785706/doge-insecure-cloud-server-social-security-numbers