Social Security Chief Data Officer Resigns After Whistleblower Complaint Over Vulnerable Data Storage

Charles Borges, the Chief Data Officer of the Social Security Administration (SSA), resigned citing a hostile work environment and ethical concerns after filing a whistleblower complaint about security risks tied to the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) handling of sensitive Social Security data. Borges alleged that DOGE employees uploaded a copy of the nation's Social Security information to a vulnerable cloud environment, raising fears about potential unauthorized access and violations of federal statutes. The SSA has denied any data breach, asserting that the data is stored in a long-standing, internet-walled environment and that whistleblower complaints are taken seriously. Borges described a culture of panic, minimal information sharing, retaliation, and organizational dysfunction under new leadership, which he said made it impossible to perform his duties legally and ethically. His resignation follows legal battles over DOGE's access to sensitive Social Security data, with unions and advocacy groups challenging the expansion of such access on privacy grounds. The Government Accountability Project represents Borges and continues to support his whistleblower status amidst ongoing scrutiny of data security and privacy protections within SSA and related federal modernization efforts.