Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
According to the former chief data officer, data including health diagnoses, income records, bank details and more were also at risk.
According to the former chief data officer, data including health diagnoses, income records, bank details and more were also at risk.
What is happening?
A former chief data officer at the Social Security Administration (SSA) has raised the alarm over a massive data security lapse that could impact virtually every American, AP reports.
In a whistleblower complaint filed Tuesday, Charles Borges revealed that sensitive personal information was uploaded to an unsecured cloud environment lacking proper oversight.
Sensitive data could be exposed
The data involved goes far beyond just Social Security numbers.
Borges claims the information includes Americans’ health diagnoses, income records, banking details, family connections, and personal biographical data.
The potential for identity theft and benefit fraud is enormous.
“A substantial threat”
“If bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft,” the complaint warns.
It also says people could lose access to vital healthcare and food benefits, and the government might be forced to issue new Social Security numbers — a costly and complicated process.
Urgent plea for oversight
The Government Accountability Project submitted the complaint on Borges’ behalf to both House and Senate oversight committees.
The group urged lawmakers to investigate and take “appropriate oversight action” to safeguard the data of millions of Americans.
DOGE under scrutiny again
This latest complaint is part of a growing list of concerns about the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), established under President Donald Trump.
Tasked with rooting out waste and fraud, the agency has been granted unprecedented access to federal data — sparking legal challenges and privacy fears.
Legal battles already underway
Earlier this year, labor and retiree groups sued the SSA for allowing DOGE to access sensitive personal data.
Despite these concerns, a divided appeals court recently ruled that DOGE could continue its access, intensifying the controversy around the agency’s reach.
SSA downplays concerns
In a public statement, the SSA said it takes whistleblower complaints seriously but pushed back on Borges’ claims.
The agency insisted that all personal data is stored in secure environments, isolated from the internet, and overseen by its Information Security team.
SSA added, “We are not aware of any compromise to this environment.”
Borges: “This is an abuse of authority”
In his complaint, Borges stated he had informed superiors that uploading the data without oversight was an abuse of authority.
He believes the act poses a clear risk to public safety and potentially breaks federal law.
Whistleblower acts “out of duty,” says lawyer
Andrea Meza, Borges’ legal representative, said her client felt morally compelled to come forward.
“He released the information out of a sense of urgency and duty to the American public,” Meza explained.
Congressional action possible
With pressure mounting, it’s unclear how Congress will respond to the whistleblower’s warning.
But the scale of the potential breach, affecting over 300 million Americans, ensures that the issue won’t go away quietly.
