A bombshell whistleblower is sounding the alarm on what could be the biggest risk to Social Security data in history.
Charles Borges, chief data officer for the Social Security Administration (SSA), filed a complaint on Tuesday claiming that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) violated the law by saving copies of all federal Social Security Numbers to a cloud server in June.
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As reported in Forbes, the complaint notes that only DOGE has access to the server. The SSA and other oversight bodies are shut out.
Borges warns that this lack of security and oversight creates “enormous vulnerabilities.”
The DOGE cloud database — Numident — contains “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.”
Here’s what’s at risk.
What does this mean for your Social Security number?
The New York Times describes Numident as “one of the nation’s most sensitive repositories of personal information,” in its report on the case.
While there is no evidence of a breach yet, the database is a prime target for hackers.
“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 reads.
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How did DOGE access this goldmine of SSA data?
Earlier this year, former DOGE head Elon Musk and President Donald Trump claimed that millions of dead Americans were still receiving Social Security payments — even though a 2024 SSA report found that less than 1% of the trillions of dollars paid out by the agency between 2015 and 2022 were “improper.”
Opponents fought DOGE in court to prevent the department gaining access to such sensitive information. But at Trump’s urging, the Supreme Court overruled lower courts that blocked DOGE’s access to sensitive SSA info, allowing the department to proceed.
What to do if you think your Social Security Number has been breached
Of course, the whistleblower revelation will have many Americans wondering what could happen if their Social Security numbers are hacked.
An identity thief can do any number of things with your Social Security Number, including apply for a new line of credit in your name, max it out and leave you with a battered credit rating. They can also file a tax return under your name and claim the refund.
It’s important to stay vigilant so that if your SSN is stolen, you can act quickly:
Monitor your mySocialSecurity account, credit reports and IRS notifications regularly
Be on the alert for any sudden changes to your address on any accounts, unexplained issues with your Social Security benefits or tax returns — or messages from debt collectors regarding services you never requested. Allstate Insurance warns these could be signs your SSN has been stolen.
Identity Guard, an identity theft firm, recommends signing up for a Social Security number monitoring service, which “scans the Dark Web, public forums, and data brokers for your SSN and alerts you if your personal information is found.”
If your identity is stolen, the SSA recommends reporting it to IdentityTheft.gov online or at 1-877-IDTHEFT (TTY 1-866-653-4261). This service, run by the Federal Trade Commission, will help you through the process of recovering your identity.
As well, the SSA advises contacting the IRS online or at 1-800-908-4490 and filing a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
