Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website was hacked after cyber attackers exploited a security vulnerability, allowing them to post unauthorized messages. One hacker left a statement reading, “THESE ‘EXPERTS’ LEFT THEIR DATABASE OPEN.”
The website, which tracks Musk’s efforts to cut wasteful government spending, was reportedly unsecured and pulled data from an open database that could be edited by anyone, according to two individuals who identified the vulnerability and spoke with 404 Media.
A hacker who discovered the flaw modified the site to display a message stating, “This is a joke of a .gov site.” Another message mocked the team’s oversight, reading, “THESE ‘EXPERTS’ LEFT THEIR DATABASE OPEN.”
The breach comes just days after DOGE’s official website launch, where Musk emphasized the importance of transparency. “We post our actions to the DOGE handle on X, and to the DOGE website,” Musk stated. “So all of our actions are maximally transparent.”
Currently, DOGE’s website includes sections labeled “Savings,” “Workforce,” “Regulations,” “Join,” and “About,” offering insights into the agency’s initiatives. The “Savings” tab features a message stating, “Receipts coming soon, no later than Valentine’s Day.” The “Workforce” section presents statistics on federal employees and spending, while the “Regulations” tab highlights the number of agency rules enacted for each law passed by Congress.
Web development experts told 404 Media that the DOGE website appears to be built on Cloudflare Pages rather than government servers. The database it relies on is allegedly open to third-party modifications, allowing unauthorized users to alter its contents in real time.
The full extent of the security breach remains unclear, and DOGE has not yet commented on whether the issue has been resolved. The attack highlights the risks of launching a major government transparency initiative without fully securing its digital infrastructure, raising concerns about potential future vulnerabilities.
