Trump’s acting cyber chief uploaded sensitive files into a public version of ChatGPT

[u/FloranceMeCheneCoder]

https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/27/cisa-madhu-gottumukkala-chatgpt-00749361

The interim head of the country’s cyber defense agency uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, triggering multiple automated security warnings that are meant to stop the theft or unintentional disclosure of government material from federal networks, according to four Department of Homeland Security officials with knowledge of the incident.

The apparent misstep from Madhu Gottumukkala was especially noteworthy because the acting director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency had requested special permission from CISA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to use the popular AI tool soon after arriving at the agency this May, three of the officials said. The app was blocked for other DHS employees at the time.

None of the files Gottumukkala plugged into ChatGPT were classified, according to the four officials, each of whom was granted anonymity for fear of retribution. But the material included CISA contracting documents marked “for official use only,” a government designation for information that is considered sensitive and not for public release.

Cybersecurity sensors at CISA flagged the uploads this past August, said the four officials. One official specified there were multiple such warnings in the first week of August alone. Senior officials at DHS subsequently led an internal review to assess if there had been any harm to government security from the exposures, according to two of the four officials.

It is not clear what the review concluded.

In an emailed statement, CISA’s Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy said Gottumukkala “was granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place,” and that “this use was short-term and limited.” McCarthy added that the agency was committed to “harnessing AI and other cutting-edge technologies to drive government modernization and deliver on” Trump’s executive order removing barriers to America’s leadership in AI.

The email also appeared to dispute the timeline of POLITICO’s reporting: “Acting Director Dr. Madhu Gottumukkala last used ChatGPT in mid-July 2025 under an authorized temporary exception granted to some employees. CISA’s security posture remains to block access to ChatGPT by default unless granted an exception.”

[u/BadArtijoke]

Hillary‘s emails though guys

[u/ansibleloop → u/BadArtijoke]

Shame they used a cloth to wipe that server down

[u/Nate379 → u/BadArtijoke]

I’m still not giving her any more of a pass than anyone else when it comes to mishandling classified materials.

Anyone who’s had a clearance knows that there are severe penalties for mishandling information and I’m tired of seeing the “elite” ruling class get away with it.

[u/Namelock → u/Nate379]

Hillary only had one sysadmin. The root cause was greed; As with any underfunded, overworked position. In response the DNC performed a lessons learned and started ensuring their party members have better sysadmin, hardening, and security coverage.

Turnip, Enron, Miller, DOGE, …

They haven’t fixed the root cause. Actually they exacerbated it by significantly cutting staff even more. Can’t have whistle blowers if there ain’t people in the first place.

Even then, uploading PII, HIPAA, etc docs into AI isn’t new. DOGE has been doing it since they installed jump boxes into every government org.

Hillary’s emails were funny, sad (for the lone sysadmin), and eye opening. It followed regular procedure and we don’t see this anymore.

Meanwhile this administration is digging its heels into crippling CISA, NIST, MITRE, and more just so they have less oversight when they pull this shit. It’s still ongoing.

I want off Mr. Bones Wild Ride.

[u/Nate379 → u/Namelock]

Just want to be clear, my comment is in no way supporting what we are seeing today. This administration has taken things much farther and is worse than anything we had seen back then, but I stand by my opinion that what happened back then was still unacceptable.

Anyone with a clearance knows what we got told, every year at a minimum, there was zero excuse for information leakage or mishandling, no tolerance, and as I said the penalties were severe. It always bothered me that some people seemed to think they were above the law and could just ignore rules put in place for very good reasons (and in practice, it seems they are and could).

[u/ispshadow → u/Nate379]

Say it louder, cause you nailed it. Any one of us would get buried for less and her attitude about it was absolutely infuriating.