U.S. judge rules DOGE access to federal personnel data violated privacy law

A federal judge found that the Office of Personnel Management unlawfully gave DOGE personnel broad access to systems holding sensitive data on tens of millions of federal workers without showing a need. The ruling also cited bypassed cybersecurity safeguards and the principle of least privilege; OPM has since tightened access procedures.

• 20 DOGE-related individuals accessed OPM systems between Jan 20 and Mar 6, 2025
• Most access was administrative; many completed security training weeks later
• Judge Cote: IT modernization does not require access to confidential PII
• OPM now requires written approval and verified training before access