Senate Probe Finds DOGE Offices Barricaded, Windows Covered
▼ Summary
– Whistleblowers allege DOGE uploaded the sensitive SSA NUMIDENT database to an unmonitored cloud environment, circumventing oversight.
– The exposed data includes Social Security numbers, birth information, and parents’ names for virtually all Americans.
– DOGE-affiliated SSA officials approved the data move despite a high-risk internal assessment warning of potentially catastrophic impact.
– The internal risk assessment estimated a 35-65% likelihood of catastrophic impact, including widespread disclosure of personal information.
– A Senate Democratic staff report also describes DOGE officials appearing to hide areas during a site visit at the General Services Administration.
A Senate investigation has uncovered alarming security practices at the Digital Office of Government Efficiency (DOGE), including allegations that a highly sensitive Social Security Administration database was uploaded to an unmonitored cloud environment. A report from Senate Democratic staff details these findings, which stem from a probe into DOGE’s operations across several federal agencies. The situation appears so concerning that during a site visit to the General Services Administration, DOGE officials were observed barricading office areas and covering windows, actions interpreted as an attempt to hide activities from view.
The core allegation, previously raised by former SSA Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges and corroborated by other whistleblowers, is that DOGE personnel created a live copy of the NUMIDENT database in a cloud setting that deliberately bypasses standard oversight protocols. This database contains the most sensitive personal information for virtually every American who has ever held a Social Security number. The compromised data reportedly includes Social Security numbers, dates and places of birth, work permit statuses, and parents’ names.
According to the Senate report, permission for this risky data transfer was allegedly granted by SSA Chief Information Officers Michael Russo and Aram Moghaddassi, both identified as being DOGE-affiliated. This approval was given despite a stark internal risk assessment completed on June 12, 2025. That assessment had flagged a high level of risk, warning of a potentially catastrophic impact on SSA beneficiaries and programs if additional security controls were not implemented to prevent unauthorized access.
The internal evaluation reportedly estimated the likelihood of such a catastrophic event, involving the widespread disclosure of personally identifiable information, to be between 35 and 65 percent. The report specifically names Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old DOGE staffer who was previously fired from another job for leaking company data to a competitor, as being among the personnel involved in moving the sensitive SSA data.
(Source: Ars Technica)
