The incident triggered multiple automated security alerts designed to prevent government information from being lost or accidentally exposed, Politico reported, citing officials. In a statement to the media outlet, CISA's Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy confirmed that Gottumukkala "was given permission to use ChatGPT with DHS (Department of Homeland Security) controls in," noting that “this use was short-term and limited.
But, how did US President Donald Trump's Indian-origin aide plug sensitive files into ChatGPT? Who is Madhu Gottumukkala? Were the documents classified? We take a look.
Who is Madhu Gottumukkala?
Gottumukkala was born on October 29, 1976. He completed his schooling at Kakinada Public School in 1993. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Andhra University and earned a Bachelor of Engineering in Electronics and Communication Engineering. He then moved to the United States to pursue his further education, according to his LinkedIn profile.
From 1998 to 2000, he was at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he pursued Masters in Computer Science. Gottumukkala also holds a PhD in Information Systems from Dakota State University and an MBA degree in Engineering and Technology Management from the University of Dallas.
The use of ChatGPT was blocked for other employees of the Department of Homeland Security at the time Gottumukkala sought permission. Image courtesy: X
In information technology, Gottumukkala has more than 24 years of experience. Over the years, he has built experience in both the public and private sectors. Earlier in his career, he also served as South Dakota’s Chief Technology Officer.
According to his LinkedIn profile, before joining CISA, Gottumukkala served as the Commissioner and Chief Information Officer for the state’s Bureau of Information and Technology, overseeing technology and cybersecurity across the state.
Alongside his government service, he also sits on the Advisory Committee for the College of Business and Information Systems at Dakota State University.
Gottumukkala is married to Vasantha. They are parents to two children. The Acting Director of CISA is a passionate motorcycle enthusiast, reported Hindustan Times.
How were sensitive files uploaded?
The CISA's acting director, Gottumukkala, has come under the radar after leaking sensitive files to the public version of ChatGPT. According to a media report, Gottumukkala sought special permission from CISA’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to use the AI tool shortly after joining the office in May. At the time, the app was blocked for other DHS employees.
The Politico reported that files uploaded by Gottumukkala weren’t classified; however, materials included sensitive CISA contracting documents marked “for official use only,” meaning they weren’t meant to be shared publicly.
Report noted citing officials that Gottumukkala "forced CISA's hand into making them give him ChatGPT, and then he abused it.
All the information he uploaded to ChatGPT was accessible to OpenAI, meaning it could potentially be used to generate responses for other users. The app has over 700 million active users.
The publication reported, citing Department of Homeland Security officials, that CISA’s cybersecurity systems detected the uploads several times in August last year, prompting an internal investigation to determine whether the exposure posed any risk to government security.
However, the outcome of that review remains unclear.
The acting director of CISA met with senior DHS leaders to examine what had been uploaded after the issue was flagged. The then-acting DHS General Counsel, Joseph Mazzara, and DHS Chief Information Officer, Antoine McCord, participated in evaluating potential risks, the media outlet reported.
In August, Gottumukkala also met with CISA CIO Robert Costello and chief counsel Spencer Fisher to discuss the handling of sensitive material.
How did the agency react?
"Gottumukkala was granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place. The use is short-term and limited," said CISA Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy, in a statement to Politico.
McCarthy added that "The agency was committed to harnessing AI and other cutting-edge technologies to drive government modernisation and deliver on Trump's executive order removing barriers to America's leadership in AI," as quoted by the media outlet.
However, the CISA email seemed to challenge the timeline outlined in Politico’s report, saying, "Acting Director Dr Madhu Gottumukkala last used ChatGPT in mid-July 2025 under an authorised temporary exception granted to some employees. CISA's security posture remains to block access to ChatGPT by default unless granted an exception."
Gottumukkala’s leadership under scrutiny?
The report also noted that Gottumukkala’s tenure is marked by controversy. Earlier, at least six employees were sent on leave after Gottumukkala requested an “unsanctioned” counterintelligence polygraph.
"I did not accept the premise of that characterisation," he said during Congressional testimony last week.
The publication separately reported that Gottumukkala tried to remove CISA CIO Robert Costello from his post last week, however, political appointees intervened.
Now this ChatGPT episode fuels growing internal scrutiny at the agency responsible for protecting US cyber and infrastructure security.
With inputs from agencies
