Madhu Gottumukkala uploaded multiple “for official use only” contracting documents to OpenAI’s public platform, bypassing DHS-approved AI tools and triggering automated cyber alerts.

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The acting director of CISA uploaded at least four "for official use only" government contracting documents to public ChatGPT in summer 2025, triggering automated security alerts. The incident occurred despite the official having requested special permission to use ChatGPT, which was blocked for most DHS employees. Security experts highlight this as a governance failure, noting that data uploaded to public ChatGPT can be incorporated into training data and exposed to millions of users, unlike DHS-approved AI tools with proper controls. The incident raises questions about AI governance enforcement, especially for senior officials who often receive exceptions to security policies.

CISA chief uploaded sensitive government files to public ChatGPT