A new whistleblower complaint is sounding alarms about how the federal government handles sensitive information, with claims that the Social Security data of more than 300 million Americans was left exposed on an unsecured server.
According to ABC News, the complaint, filed Tuesday by Social Security Administration Chief Data Officer Chuck Borges, alleges that in June, the Department of Government Efficiency uploaded a complete copy of Social Security records to a “vulnerable cloud environment” without proper security or oversight. “Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits,” the complaint states.
Borges, who joined SSA in January 2025, said the exposed database includes “the name of the applicant, place and date of birth, citizenship, race and ethnicity, parents’ names and social security numbers, phone number, address, and other personal information.” He also claims he raised concerns within the agency, but “to date has not been made aware of any remedial action.”
The SSA disputed the allegations, stressing that its systems remain secure.
“Commissioner [Frank] Bisignano and the Social Security Administration take all whistleblower complaints seriously. SSA stores all personal data in secure environments that have robust safeguards in place to protect vital information,” an SSA spokesperson told the outlet.
The agency added that the data mentioned in the complaint is held in a “long-standing environment used by SSA and walled off from the internet.”
Borges, a Navy veteran, previously held senior roles at the General Services Administration, the Office of Management and Budget, and the Centers for Disease Control.
