The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has begun a full audit of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). This move follows advocacy from many stakeholders calling for an assessment of DOGE’s access and activity in various federal agencies. Earlier this week, Representative Bobby Scott expressed concern over DOGE’s access to some of the most critical federal systems. In response to concerns, he encouraged the GAO to investigate, stressing risks to personal and confidential information.
The audit seeks to examine how DOGE functions between and within various agencies, particularly in its collection and storage of sensitive data. The review aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive order that directs agencies to dismantle information silos, thereby combating fraud and waste in government operations.
The GAO will also look into how DOGE is allowed access to systems across numerous cabinet-level agencies. These agencies are the Departments of Labor, Education, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Treasury, and the Social Security Administration. The GAO is also performing an investigation to get a much more comprehensive understanding of DOGE’s engagement with these departments. They are especially concerned with how DOGE gets access to agency systems and information.
The plight of former X engineer Marko Elez, 25, is more typical, and indeed emblematic of a deeper problem. He was allegedly given permissions to read and write code in Treasury systems. This newfound access has set off concerns over just how far DOGE could go. It raises alarm bells about safeguards that are meant to protect sensitive data.
The GAO is required to do a full systems audit of all systems made available to DOGE. They will closely review audit logs, risk assessments, and memorandums of understanding regarding access to data. DOGE constituents now have exclusive access to DOL and SSA. As a result of an extant court order, these researchers are severely limited in their access to SSA data.
In their investigation, the GAO has made several targeted requests to get a grasp on DOGE’s operational structure. These inquiries include:
“Please identify any systems and information for which USDS and/or agency DOGE team staff were provided access. In doing so, please identify all accounts created, including those for any applications, servers, databases, mainframes, and/or network equipment.” – GAO
The GAO seeks clarity on the nature of access granted to DOGE staff:
“Please describe the type of access that USDS and/or agency DOGE team staff have to agency systems and information (e.g., read, write, execute).” – GAO
We’re seeing the growing urgency for this audit from the increasing concern lawmakers have on how citizens’ privacy is being protected. Representative Richard Neal articulated this sentiment clearly:
“Please describe how USDS and/or agency DOGE team staff access agency systems and information (e.g., on-premise or remote, agency furnished equipment or other equipment).” – GAO
We look forward to the GAO’s full review, expected to be finalized by late spring, 2024. This timeline should highlight how seriously government officials are beginning to take these troubling privacy developments. As we all know, data privacy is an increasingly important issue in our technology-driven world. This audit will provide important information about how agencies across government are protecting sensitive information.
“Please describe the safeguards that are in place to determine that USDS and/or agency DOGE team staff protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of agency systems and information consistent with relevant laws and guidance.” – GAO
“Please describe the processes that the agency has in place to ensure that USDS and DOGE teams are appropriately protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the agency systems and information as required by applicable laws and guidance.” – GAO
The urgency for this audit stems from a growing concern among lawmakers regarding citizens’ expectations for privacy. Representative Richard Neal articulated this sentiment clearly:
“Americans expect that when they share personal information with the government, whether for paying taxes or accessing health or Social Security benefits, it will be safeguarded.”
The GAO’s comprehensive review is scheduled for completion by the end of spring 2024. This timeline underscores the seriousness with which government officials are taking these privacy concerns. As data privacy becomes increasingly crucial in the digital age, this audit will provide essential insights into how agencies manage sensitive information.
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