{"id":182512,"date":"2026-01-29T00:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T05:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/29\/us-cybersecurity-chief-at-centre-of-chatgpt-security-controversy-who-is-madhu-gottumukkala-and-what-landed-him-in-soup-world-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-29T00:20:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T05:20:09","slug":"us-cybersecurity-chief-at-centre-of-chatgpt-security-controversy-who-is-madhu-gottumukkala-and-what-landed-him-in-soup-world-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/testing.news-you-need.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/29\/us-cybersecurity-chief-at-centre-of-chatgpt-security-controversy-who-is-madhu-gottumukkala-and-what-landed-him-in-soup-world-news\/","title":{"rendered":"US cybersecurity chief at centre of ChatGPT security controversy: Who is Madhu Gottumukkala, and what landed him in soup | World News"},"content":{"rendered":"

US cybersecurity chief at centre of ChatGPT security controversy: Who is Madhu Gottumukkala, and what landed him in soup | World News<\/a><\/p>\n

https:\/\/indianexpress.com\/article\/world\/who-is-madhu-gottumukkala-and-how-he-landed-at-the-centre-of-chatgpt-security-controversy-10500729\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Publish Date: 2026-01-29 00:07:00<\/a><\/p>\n

Source Domain: indianexpress.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Author: <\/a><\/p>\n

Using an unordered list, summarize the following article with between 4 and 8 key points.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 min readUpdated: Jan 29, 2026 10:37 AM IST\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMadhu Gottumukkala, the interim chief of the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), triggered multiple security alerts after he uploaded sensitive government contracting files to a public version of ChatGPT last summer, reported Politico, citing four Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials familiar with the matter.
\nWho is Madhu Gottumukkala?
\nGottumukkala is currently serving as the Acting Director and the Deputy Director for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under US President Donald Trump\u2019s administration.
\nAdditionally, he serves on the Advisory Committee of the College of Business and Information Systems at Dakota State University.
\nBefore being appointed as the CISA Deputy Director, he served as Commissioner and Chief Information Officer for South Dakota\u2019s Bureau of Information and Technology, overseeing statewide technology and cybersecurity initiatives.
\nHe also previously served as the second-only South Dakota Chief Technology Officer.
\nGottumukkala holds a PhD in Information Systems from Dakota State University, an MBA in Engineering and Technology Management from the University of Dallas, an M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Arlington, and a B.E. in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Andhra University.
\nHow Gottumukkala landed at the centre of ChatGPT security controversy
\nGottumukkala obtained special permission from the agency\u2019s Office of the Chief Information Officer to use ChatGPT, despite it being blocked for other DHS employees, after he joined CISA in May last year.Story continues below this ad
\nLater, cybersecurity monitoring systems detected the uploads made to the AI chatbot in August, triggering multiple security warnings during the first week alone.
\nThe files, marked \u201cfor official use only\u201d, were not classified but contained sensitive information not meant for public release, according to the officials.
\nAfter the detection, senior DHS leadership initiated an internal review to assess potential risks to government security, but the outcome of the review remains unclear.
\nFollowing the incident, Gottumukkala met senior DHS leaders, then-acting DHS general counsel Joseph Mazzara and DHS chief information officer Antoine McCord, to assess potential risk to the department.Story continues below this ad
\nHe also held meetings with CISA CIO Robert Costello and chief counsel Spencer Fisher in August regarding the appropriate handling of sensitive material.
\nIn a response to the incident, CISA Director of Public Affairs Marci McCarthy said in a statement emailed to Politico that Gottumukkala \u201cwas granted permission to use ChatGPT with DHS controls in place\u201d. She said that \u201cthis use was short-term and limited\u201d.
\n\u201cActing Director Dr Madhu Gottumukkala last used ChatGPT in mid-July 2025 under an authorised temporary exception granted to some employees. CISA\u2019s security posture remains to block access to ChatGPT by default unless granted an exception,\u201d McCarthy stated, according to Politico.
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