US official uploaded sensitive documents to ChatGPT public version

Madhu Gottumukkala, the interim head of the US cyber defense agency, uploaded sensitive contracting documents into a public version of ChatGPT last summer, Politico writes.

The incident triggered internal security alerts and raised concerns among federal officials. According to the report, the uploaded materials were marked “for official use only.”

Politico sources say that after being appointed acting director of the agency, Gottumukkala requested permission to use the public version of ChatGPT — a platform that had previously been prohibited for agency staff.

Following the disclosure, the US Department of Homeland Security launched an internal investigation, though its findings have not yet been made public.

It is also reported that Gottumukkala previously failed a counterintelligence polygraph exam — a test that is not a routine employment screening. Such exams are designed for high-level security vetting and are typically administered to individuals with access to sensitive government information.

Counterintelligence polygraph tests are used by security agencies to determine whether an individual has undisclosed ties to foreign governments, has leaked sensitive information, or poses a potential threat to national security.