Opm To Review Potential Risks From Doge’s Access To Sensitive Federal Systems

The Trump administration is taking some of the first, though limited, steps to examine whether the gutting of the federal government and its networks by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency has created major cybersecurity vulnerabilities.

The efforts by the Office of Personnel Management — the federal government's human resources agency — come after Democratic lawmakers and security researchers have repeatedly sounded the alarm on possible security issues raised by DOGE personnel slashing the federal workforce and accessing sensitive government systems in the process.

Norbert Vint, the deputy inspector general performing the duties of OPM inspector general, sent a letter to House Oversight and Government Reform Committee ranking member Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) and other committee Democrats last week pledging to take action in response to concerns of "potential unauthorized access of government networks and sensitive information." This includes looking at "specific emerging risks at OPM that are related to issues raised” by the lawmaker, and assessing the risks "associated with new and modified information systems at OPM.”

“We believe that, ultimately, our new engagement will broadly address many of your questions related to the integrity of OPM systems,” Vint wrote. He did not elaborate on specific details of this work.

The letter, made public by Connolly on Monday, was sent after the lawmaker and other leading House Democrats early last month sent a separate missive to OPM raising serious concerns about potential cybersecurity risks to OPM and federal networks posed by "unauthorized individuals" gaining access to sensitive and possibly classified data, and asking how federal data could be kept private and secure.

Connolly said in a statement Monday in response to Vint’s letter that he hoped the new steps to secure federal networks would be carried out without interruption.

“Inspectors General must have the independence to carry out their mission free from partisan pressure and threat,” Connolly said.