CISA Interim Head Uploads Sensitive Files to ChatGPT

Madhu Gottumukkala, the interim head of the United States===Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), uploaded sensitive, unclassified government contracting files marked 'for official use only' into a public version of OpenAI's ChatGPT last summer. This action triggered automated security alerts designed to prevent the disclosure of government material. Gottumukkala had sought and received special approval to use ChatGPT, despite it being blocked for most United States===United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) employees. Following the detection of these uploads in August, senior DHS leaders, including Joseph Mazzara and Antoine McCord, initiated an internal review to assess potential security risks. Gottumukkala also met with CISA CIO Robert Costello and chief counsel Spencer Fisher regarding the incident. The use of public AI tools like ChatGPT raises concerns because information entered can be shared with OpenAI and potentially used for other users, unlike internal government-approved AI platforms. This incident has brought scrutiny to CISA's internal security protocols and Gottumukkala's leadership, especially given previous controversies during his tenure, such as an unsanctioned counterintelligence polygraph and an attempt to remove Costello from his post.