Topic: US News
by MPeriod
Posted 1 week ago
A recent whistleblower statement has brought to light serious allegations of a cybersecurity breach at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) resulting from actions taken by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration. This claim, made by Daniel Berulis, a federal cybersecurity specialist, demands urgent attention and thorough investigation.
In a sworn declaration, Berulis reported a series of alarming incidents following the arrival of DOGE staffers in March. These incidents included significant changes to established security protocols, notably changes to multi-factor authentication— a key security measure— and the disabling of internal alert systems.
Notably, Berulis observed an outbound data transfer that he estimated at around 10 gigabytes, which he analogized to “the equivalent of a full stack of encyclopedias” if composed entirely of text files. He remarked that such data removal is highly unusual for the NLRB, casting doubt on the ethical practices of DOGE.
The database that Berulis claims DOGE accessed contains sensitive personal information of individuals involved in pending NLRB matters, as well as confidential business information collected during investigations. Alarmingly, Berulis noted an increase in attempted logins from foreign locations, including a suspicious login attempt from an IP address in Russia that had been created only minutes prior by DOGE engineers.
| Claim | Details |
|---|---|
| Security Protocol Changes | Modification of multi-factor authentication and disabling of alerting systems. |
| Data Transfer | Roughly 10 gigabytes of data transferred, highly unusual activity. |
| Suspicious Login Attempts | Increased attempts from IP addresses outside the US, including Russia. |
In response to Berulis’s claims, Anna Kelly, a deputy press secretary at the White House, asserted DOGE's commitment to transparency without addressing the specific allegations of data transfer. Meanwhile, an NLRB spokesperson denied that DOGE had been granted access to their systems or that a breach had occurred, asserting a thorough internal investigation found no wrongdoing.
The Justice Department, in the context of ongoing litigation concerning DOGE's access to federal data, argues that DOGE possesses expansive authority to access data per a presidential executive order issued on Trump's first day of his second term. This order mandates that agency heads ensure DOGE has comprehensive access to unclassified records and IT systems.
Berulis's claim raises significant concerns not only about the potential breach of sensitive data but also about the broader implications for national security and public trust in governmental oversight. His allegations could signal a deep-rooted issue regarding the safeguarding of government data and adherence to laws such as the Federal Information Security Modernization Act.
Disturbingly, as he prepared his whistleblower statement, Berulis faced intimidation tactics, including a threatening note left on his door alongside drone-captured photographs of him in his neighborhood. This escalation underscores the gravity of the situation and raises further questions about the safety and treatment of whistleblowers in government roles.
The allegations brought forth by Daniel Berulis require extensive investigation to ascertain the veracity of the claims and the potential implications for the National Labor Relations Board and the wider governmental landscape. The balance of security, oversight, and accountability must be preserved to protect both the integrity of sensitive data and the rights of individuals within governmental agencies.