A Cause for Concern for Congress, DoD Personnel, and the Public
With the ascension of Donald Trump to the presidency of the United States, a wave of executive orders has reshaped various governmental functions. Among them, the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force has raised significant concerns regarding national security. This task force, which has facilitated personnel placement—some affiliated with Elon Musk—within government agencies, has resulted in individuals gaining access to sensitive information across multiple federal departments. While some of this access may be limited to unclassified systems, the aggregation of data across agencies presents a serious and growing security risk.
A Lesson from the Past: DoD’s Web Security Review
In 1998, during my tenure at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), I had the opportunity to work on several critical projects, one of which led to an order issued by then-Deputy Secretary of Defense Dr. John Hamre. Titled “Information Vulnerability and the World Wide Web,” this directive highlighted the dangers of “aggregation of information.”
Dr. Hamre’s concerns remain strikingly relevant today. He stated:
“I have become aware that some information…provides too much detail on DoD capabilities, infrastructure, personnel, and operational procedures. Such details, especially when combined with information from other sources, may increase the vulnerability of DoD systems and potentially be used to threaten or harass DoD personnel and their families.”
This principle underscores a foundational risk in information security: isolated pieces of unclassified information, when combined, can form a highly sensitive and actionable intelligence picture.
The Emerging Threat of Mass Aggregation
The influx of personnel unfamiliar with the culture, policies, and procedures of the defense industry—now wielding unprecedented access to information across multiple agencies—raises significant security concerns. Even if the information they access is technically unclassified, modern AI tools and data aggregation techniques can process, correlate, and synthesize vast amounts of data, providing adversaries with an intelligence goldmine.
Recent developments further validate this concern. On July 15, 2024, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) issued an updated Request for Information (RFI) for cyber threat intelligence (CTI) aggregation. This move underscores the DoD’s ongoing efforts to mitigate the dangers posed by large-scale information aggregation. Yet, despite these precautions, the Trump administration has granted several individuals unrestricted access to data spanning multiple agencies—an approach that directly contradicts established security principles.
The Long-Term Risks to National Security
For decades, the United States has invested billions in developing a robust and resilient Defense Information Systems network designed to withstand cyber threats and unauthorized disclosures. The risks posed by the current approach—where individuals with little experience in national security have access to a broad swath of government data—are alarming.
Many senior defense officials I have worked with would be deeply concerned by this development. The lessons learned from past breaches and intelligence leaks emphasize the importance of limiting access, compartmentalizing information, and ensuring that personnel handling government data are properly vetted and trained.
A Call to Action
Given these concerns, it is imperative that:
- Congress conducts an immediate review of the DOGE task force’s personnel policies and information access privileges.
- The DoD and intelligence community strengthen safeguards against unauthorized data aggregation, particularly in light of AI’s growing capabilities.
- A cross-agency audit is conducted to assess the extent of information access granted to new personnel and whether existing security protocols are being circumvented.
Unchecked access to government information, even if unclassified, poses a severe national security risk. The aggregation of disparate data points can provide adversaries with unprecedented insight into U.S. defense and state operations, personnel, and infrastructure. Without decisive action, the consequences could be dire.
It is not too late to reinforce the safeguards that have protected the nation for decades. Congress, the Department of Defense, and the public must remain vigilant to ensure that security is not sacrificed in the name of expediency.
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