The acting director of the United States’ top cyber-defence agency has been accused of uploading sensitive documents into a publicly accessible version of OpenAI’s ChatGPT last year, as per a report.
Madhu Gottumukkala, the interim head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), obtained a special exception to access the AI tool –which was blocked for other DHS employees – and used it to input contracting documents marked “For Official Use Only”, the report says.
The material, while not classified, is considered sensitive and was not meant for public release, it added.
The allegations have prompted the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to assess the extent of any damage caused.
Four officials familiar with the incident said CISA’s cybersecurity monitoring systems had flagged these uploads in early August 2025, prompting a DHS-led internal review to assess any potential damage from these uploads.
While it remains unclear what the review concluded, the incident has raised concerns in Washington’s defence circles because ChatGPT uploads are shared with the developer OpenAI, potentially exposing government information to the platform’s large user base.
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However, DHS-approved AI tools are configured to prevent data leaks.
In a statement, CISA’s Director of Public Affairs, Marci McCarthy, said Gottumukkala “was granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place” and that his use was “short-term and limited.”
Gottumukkala has served as acting director of CISA since May 2025, while the nominee for permanent director, Sean Plankey, awaits confirmation.
The ChatGPT incident is the latest in a series of security and leadership controversies during Gottumukkala’s brief tenure.
In July 2025, he failed a counterintelligence polygraph test required to access highly sensitive intelligence.
During congressional testimony last week, Gottumukkala declined to acknowledge the failed test, telling Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) he did not “accept the premise of that characterisation.”
The incident has called into question US officials’ understanding of the potential risks of using AI platforms at a time when the Trump administration is aggressively pushing for their adoption.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon has unveiled an “AI-first” strategy to accelerate military use of artificial intelligence, with Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth announcing plans to integrate leading AI models into defence networks.
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