This episode explores the alarming security breach at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), revealed by whistleblower Daniel Berulis and investigated by NPR reporters Jenna McLaughlin and Stephen Fowler. Against the backdrop of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)'s access to federal agency systems, Berulis observed unusual activity, including the disabling of security logs and a significant data spike coinciding with DOGE's presence. More significantly, the discovery of a project named "NxGen B-Door Extract" raised serious concerns about potential backdoor access and data extraction. For instance, the leaked data included sensitive information on union members, ongoing investigations, and potentially business trade secrets. The NLRB's denial of DOGE's access and subsequent inaction on Berulis's findings further fueled concerns. As the discussion pivoted to broader implications, Stephen Fowler highlighted the Privacy Act of 1974 and the numerous lawsuits challenging DOGE's access across various agencies, revealing a pattern of widespread data vulnerability. This raises serious questions about potential misuse of sensitive data for political, business, or even foreign adversarial purposes, and what this means for the privacy and security of millions of Americans.
