🚨 Sensitive Labor Data Breach? What the Alleged DOGE Incident Means for Your Privacy

A new whistleblower report hints at a quiet data grab inside a federal agency—this one’s personal.

Apr 18, 2025

Why It’s Important: This isn’t just about one agency—it’s about how far your private information can travel without your consent.

Imagine applying for a job or supporting a union effort, and later discovering your name, contact info, or even complaints against your employer were shared or accessed without you ever knowing.

Now imagine that information wasn’t just leaked—but was accessed under the radar by a politically appointed team with ties to Elon Musk.

A whistleblower inside the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has come forward alleging that a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) task force—originally designed to “streamline” federal systems—may have exploited its access to sensitive labor data.

This isn’t a theoretical risk. It’s a warning sign about how government systems that hold deeply personal data—especially data tied to labor rights—may be vulnerable to political interference, unauthorized access, and possible foreign surveillance.

What It Is / How It Works: Breaking down the NLRB-DOGE whistleblower allegations

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) oversees union activity, unfair labor practice claims, and employer-employee disputes. It collects personal, sensitive data—including whistleblower complaints, union petitions, internal memos, and employee identification.

According to Daniel J. Berulis, a DevSecOps engineer at the NLRB, members of the DOGE initiative may have:

Accessed privileged NLRB systems without proper clearance
Bypassed normal logging and cybersecurity protocols
Transferred sensitive data during suspicious time windows
Originated data requests from foreign IP addresses—including Russia
Monitored or threatened staff who raised internal concerns

The DOGE task force had previously been criticized for eliminating cyber protections in unrelated agencies, like digital security tools used by USAID and nonprofits abroad. That rollback was eventually ruled unlawful by a federal judge.

In this new case, Berulis reports that drone surveillance and anonymous threats were used as intimidation tactics after he flagged the breaches. The potential abuse of surveillance powers adds another layer of concern—not just for NLRB staff, but for anyone whose information may be sitting in those federal databases.

How to Mitigate It: Practical privacy steps you can take today

While you may not have direct dealings with the NLRB, their role in handling workplace data and complaints means your information might be affected—especially if you’ve filed a grievance, joined a union drive, or worked with an organizing campaign.

Here’s how to stay alert and protected:

1. Know where your data lives
If you’ve been part of any labor disputes, union activities, or complaints involving a federal or state agency, consider requesting a records report under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to see what’s on file.

2. Use encrypted tools for organizing work
Apps like Signal, MakeitPrivate and ProtonMail offer end-to-end encryption and better privacy controls than standard email or messaging tools. Especially important for union reps, whistleblowers, and advocacy organizers.

3. Support stronger whistleblower protections
Reach out to your representatives about improving federal whistleblower protections. Groups like Whistleblower Aid track government misconduct and provide secure channels for reporting.

4. Watch for legislative responses
Congressional oversight matters. Follow lawmakers who are pushing for independent investigations into government data access and the cybersecurity of federal agencies.

How to Track or Report Data Exposure

If you’re concerned your employment or organizing data may have been compromised:

File a complaint with the U.S. Office of Special Counsel
Use a privacy-focused watchdog like the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)
Consider filing for records access under FOIA (especially if you're an employee or participant in NLRB cases)

You can also request a cybersecurity assessment or monitor your digital footprint to see if unusual account activity or identity misuse has occurred.

A Feature That Deserves More Attention: Real-time Logging Protections

One standout aspect of this case is how quickly access logs and monitoring tools were allegedly disabled before data transfers. This underscores why real-time alerting and immutable logging systems are essential—especially in government settings. Agencies must implement logging that can't be turned off without authorization or audit trails. It’s a simple but powerful control that could’ve made this incident far harder to execute quietly.

Keep Pushing for Accountability: Where this story goes next

This isn’t just about one whistleblower. It’s about the bigger shift: when politically appointed teams have the technical keys to override internal protections, public trust takes a hit—and personal privacy becomes a bargaining chip.

Congress needs to conduct a full, transparent investigation into the DOGE team's access to federal systems. And agencies like the NLRB need to restore credibility through independent audits, reimplementation of strong digital safeguards, and protection for employees who speak up.

The health of our democracy relies not just on voting or protesting—but on the security of the systems that hold our private lives behind the scenes.

Stay informed, stay alert—because if it happened here, it can happen anywhere.

If you're concerned about your overall online privacy and want a personalized assessment of your potential risks, you can schedule a free privacy consultation here

Stay secure, stay confident—CyberLife Coach is here to guide you every step of the way!