Agencies withheld records needed to verify DOGE data safeguards, GAO says
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ByDavid DiMolfetta,
Cybersecurity Reporter, Nextgov/FCW
September 29, 2026 01:27 PM ET
A review of six agencies could not establish the full extent of DOGE’s system access or whether security rules were followed. Two agencies challenged the watchdog’s authority to investigate.
Six federal agencies failed to provide records needed to determine whether Department of Government Efficiency personnel appropriately accessed and protected government systems, leaving Congress and the public without assurances that sensitive information was secured, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday.
The watchdog’s report details unanswered requests for system access records, user activity logs and evidence that DOGE personnel met security requirements. Some agencies explicitly refused further cooperation, with the Securities and Exchange Commission and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration disputing GAO’s authority to conduct the review.
Four agencies reported giving DOGE teams access to more than 23 systems collectively, including...
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