Federal employees file lawsuit to disconnect DOGE server – WIRED
Two federal employees are taking legal action to issue a temporary restraining order against a group of individuals affiliated with Elon Musk who are allegedly operating an illicitly connected server from the US Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) headquarters in Washington, DC. The move comes as the server’s existence is said to breach federal regulations and put the personal information of government employees at risk of exposure to foreign adversaries through unsecured emails.
The lawsuit, spearheaded by National Security Counselors and representing the interests of two federal workers, highlights claims of the server’s unauthorized connection to a government network, intended for information gathering purposes regarding federal employees’ identities and email addresses. The server’s installation within the OPM’s building is said to have occurred without the requisite privacy impact assessment mandated by federal law, as stipulated in the 2002 E-Government Act.
The complaint stresses the absence of a privacy assessment prior to integrating the server, as well as raises concerns over the expedited implementation of new systems by OPM, facilitating direct communication without proper security protocols. If the motion is approved, OPM would be compelled to disconnect the server pending a comprehensive assessment, potentially delaying the Trump administration’s downsizing objectives within the federal workforce.
National Security Counselors elaborates on the novel use of a restraining order to address the urgent situation, underscoring the necessity for a prompt response given the sensitivity of the exposed information. Kel McClanahan, the organization’s executive director, argues for the injunctive measure’s minimal impact on the government compared to the potential risks posed by the server’s continued operation.
The motion underscores the government’s haste in deploying the server to support its forthcoming resignation program, despite the program’s ambiguous legal footing and uncertainty regarding worker compensation. Federal employee unions have cautioned against unwarranted optimism regarding the resignation program, with questions raised over its financial viability and adherence to legislative provisions.
Furthermore, the lawsuit draws parallels to the OPM data breach in 2015, which compromised sensitive information on millions of individuals, including those with security clearances. The legal action serves as a critique of the government’s response to past cybersecurity incidents and aims to rectify potential infringements on federal regulations regarding the protection of employee data.