300 million Americans are at risk of a massive Social Security data breach exposing them to identity theft and loss of benefits, whistleblower says

As reported in Forbes, the complaint notes that only DOGE has access to the server. The SSA and other oversight bodies are shut out.

Borges warns that this lack of security and oversight creates “enormous vulnerabilities.”

The DOGE cloud database — Numident — contains “the name of the applicant, place and date of birth, citizenship, race and ethnicity, parents' names and Social Security numbers, phone number, address, and other personal information.”

Here’s what’s at risk.

What does this mean for your Social Security number?

The New York Times describes Numident as “one of the nation’s most sensitive repositories of personal information,” in its report on the case.

While there is no evidence of a breach yet, the database is a prime target for hackers.

“Should bad actors gain access to this cloud environment, Americans may be susceptible to widespread identity theft, may lose vital healthcare and food benefits,” the complaint reads.

How did DOGE access this goldmine of SSA data?

Earlier this year, former DOGE head Elon Musk and President Donald Trump claimed that millions of dead Americans were still receiving Social Security payments — even though a 2024 SSA report found that less than 1% of the trillions of dollars paid out by the agency between 2015 and 2022 were “improper.”

Opponents fought DOGE in court to prevent the department gaining access to such sensitive information. But at Trump’s urging, the Supreme Court overruled lower courts that blocked DOGE’s access to sensitive SSA info, allowing the department to proceed.