Elon Musk's DOGE team raises big concerns about cyber security risks

Photo : AP

A group of young engineers sent to work in the U.S. government by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has caused big worry. Many people in Washington are scared because these engineers have been given deep access to important government systems, even though they have little experience.

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The DOGE team first started working at the Treasury Department. They took charge of the U.S. government’s payment system, saying they wanted to check how money was being spent. But soon, their work spread to many other offices. They took control of important computers in different government departments to cut costs.

Because of this, some major offices like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Department of Education, and the General Services Administration (GSA) have been badly affected. Some of these offices are not working properly anymore.

One of the biggest worries is at the Bureau of Fiscal Services, which handles all payments for the U.S. government. A report from an outside expert warned that letting the DOGE team control this system is the biggest risk the Bureau has ever faced. This system is one of the most complex and secure in the world, and giving access to outsiders could be very dangerous.

Most of the DOGE team members are young tech workers in their 20s, connected to Musk’s companies. Many of them do not have experience working for the government, and they have not been properly checked or cleared for security.

People are also worried about Musk himself. Since he is not an elected official, some believe he should not have so much power. His businesses already have big contracts with the government, and some think this access could help his companies make more money unfairly.

Meanwhile, many experienced government workers who have been handling these systems for years have been removed from their jobs. Some were locked out of their offices and not allowed to work. Experts say this is dangerous because these workers know how to keep the system safe.

At the Office of Personnel Management, which takes care of government workers, the DOGE team is said to have connected a private computer to the government’s network without permission. Reports say they are using artificial intelligence to check personal data of U.S. citizens, which is against privacy laws.

The DOGE program has caused many legal fights. Some government officials have already admitted in court that DOGE workers were given too much access. In one case, an intelligence agency mistakenly sent a list of all its new employees in the last two years, which could put their safety at risk.

Security experts say the biggest danger is not just the current problems but the future risks. A security expert warned that important safety rules have been ignored. He explained that the Treasury system is as important as nuclear launch codes. Usually, big decisions about the system require more than one person, but now, a small team has too much power.

Musk, who often shares his opinions on social media, has said that government workers are slow and not good at their jobs. He believes his team can do things better.

But many cybersecurity experts strongly disagree. A former White House security officer warned that countries like China and Russia are always looking for ways to break into U.S. government systems. If there are weaknesses, foreign hackers will take advantage of them.

Another expert, who worked for the FBI, said that removing trained government workers is a big mistake. He warned that even a small security gap could be used by foreign spies or cybercriminals for many years.

He said, "If security is not the main focus at every step, foreign hackers will find a way in."

As more people question the DOGE program, no one knows what will happen next. But it is clear that giving so much access to an untested team has created one of the biggest cybersecurity risks in U.S. history.