Indian-origin Madhu Gottumukkala, who serves as the Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), allegedly uploaded documents marked “for official use only” to ChatGPT, Politico reported. Allegedly, he uploaded sensitive contracting documents to a version of ChatGPT that anyone can use.
The outlet claimed the incident occurred last summer, citing four Department of Homeland Security officials who are familiar with what happened. He allegedly uploaded the documents to the AI chatbot, triggering multiple automated security warnings. These alerts are set to stop the theft or unintentional disclosure of government material from federal networks.
The documents he allegedly uploaded were not classified. However, the outlet reported that they were marked "for office use only.” They included CISA contracting documents, which are considered sensitive and not for public release.
According to three officials who spoke to the outlet, Gottumukkala had specifically sought and received exclusive authorisation from CISA’s tech office to utilise the AI tool shortly after his arrival in May. At that time, the application remained strictly prohibited for all other employees within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Who is Madhu Gottumukkala?
He is a native of Andhra Pradesh and is currently serving as the Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under Donald Trump’s administration.
{{/usCountry}}He is a native of Andhra Pradesh and is currently serving as the Acting Director and Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under Donald Trump’s administration.
{{/usCountry}}Before being appointed as the CISA deputy director, he served as Commissioner and Chief Information Officer for South Dakota’s Bureau of Information and Technology. In that role, he oversaw statewide technology and cybersecurity initiatives.
Madhu Gottumukkala’s educational qualifications:
He completed his BE in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Andhra University. He also holds an MS in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington, an MBA in Engineering and Technology Management from the University of Dallas, and a PhD in Information Systems from Dakota State University.
He has over 24 years of experience in information technology (IT). He also currently serves on the Advisory Committee of the College of Business and Information Systems at Dakota State University.
Madhu Gottumukkala’s family:
He is married to Vasantha and has two children. Reportedly, he is a passionate motorcycle enthusiast.