Elon Musk's Government Effectiveness team reportedly installed a Starlink satellite internet system on the White House roof over the objections of government security experts. White House communications experts have raised national security concerns about the installation of the satellite internet system, The Washington Post reported.
The installation also reportedly sparked a standoff between Department of Government Efficiency employees and the Secret Service.
Employees on Musk’s Government Effectiveness team installed Starlink terminals on the roof of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in February without informing the White House communications team in advance.
Three sources told The Washington Post that the device supports Internet access through Starlink but lacks standard tracking or authentication security measures, which could put the White House at risk of a data breach or hacker attack.
Unlike other government Wi-Fi systems, Starlink Guest Wi-Fi only requires a password to connect, without the usual username or two-factor authentication. According to reports, the network connection provided by Starlink may allow devices to bypass security measures, evade surveillance, and transmit untraceable data.
It's unclear whether the White House still has Starlink terminals installed in the wake of Musk's departure from office and his public break with Donald Trump, but the satellite internet system is reportedly in use at other government agencies as well.
A White House representative did not immediately respond to Fortune's request for comment.
However, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told the Washington Post: "We understand that the starting point of the Department of Government Effectiveness is to improve network connectivity on campus and do not believe that this incident will constitute a security incident or security breach."
safety hazard
Starlink's satellite connections are generally considered more difficult to hack than traditional U.S. telecommunications networks, which have been breached by foreign adversaries in the past.
However, this extra layer of security does not solve the core problem: the inability to monitor or control the data flowing out of the White House.
Sources told the Washington Post that any additional security brought by satellite connections would not solve the problem of monitoring the restricted data transmission to the outside world.
A lack of logging and authentication means malware can sneak inside unnoticed, posing a greater risk than a data breach.
The controversy has attracted the attention of some lawmakers.
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have warned the Trump administration about the use of Starlink in the White House and government agencies.
"Courageous whistleblowers have shared concerning and critical information with the committee, and we have multiple ongoing investigations," said Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, the committee's acting top Democrat. "Installing Starlink could compromise national security by exposing sensitive data and information to hackers, hostile nations, or others seeking to harm Americans."
Democratic senators have previously criticized Musk for potential conflicts of interest between his position at SpaceX and his role in the government.
In a letter to Trump last month, 13 Democratic senators accused the technology tycoon of potentially using his government position to secure lucrative private contracts in overseas markets for his satellite internet company Starlink.
Senators urged Trump to launch an investigation into the transactions and make the results public. (Fortune Chinese)