DOGE staffer with access to Americans' personal data leaked private xAI API key
A DOGE staffer with access to the private information on millions of Americans held by the U.S. government reportedly exposed a private API key used for interacting with Elon Musk's xAI chatbot.
Independent security journalist Brian Krebs reports that Marko Elez, a special government employee who in recent months has worked on sensitive systems at the U.S. Treasury, the Social Security Administration, and Homeland Security, recently published code to his GitHub containing the private key. The key allowed access to dozens of models developed by xAI, including Grok.
Philippe Caturegli, founder of consultancy firm Seralys, alerted Elez to the leak earlier this week. Elez removed the key from his GitHub but the key itself was not revoked, allowing continued access to the AI models.
'If a developer can't keep an API key private, it raises questions about how they're handling far more sensitive government information behind closed doors,' Caturegli told KrebsOnSecurity.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox News
9 minutes ago
- Fox News
Why AI is causing summer electricity bills to soar
If your electricity bill seems shockingly high, you're not imagining it. A big part of the spike is being driven by rising artificial intelligence electricity demand. PJM Interconnection, the largest power grid operator in the United States, says electricity usage is climbing sharply this summer. Some areas may see bills increase by as much as 20%. One of the main drivers behind this trend is the growing power consumption from data centers that support AI systems like ChatGPT and other generative tools. Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my PJM supplies electricity to 67 million customers across 13 states: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. It manages a vast and complex network of power distribution. This summer, the grid is showing signs of strain. In just the past year, data centers running AI have started using much more electricity. These centers can consume up to 30 times more power than traditional data centers. Most of them are connected to the same grid that serves homes and businesses, which means the cost of that power growth is shared by everyone. AI took off in 2023 when tools like ChatGPT became widely adopted. Since then, companies have been racing to build more infrastructure to keep up. PJM's territory now has the largest number of data centers in the world. Between 2024 and 2025, electricity demand from AI and data centers in the PJM region contributed to a $9 billion increase in power costs. PJM expects peak usage this summer to reach over 154,000 megawatts, with the potential to exceed all-time records during heat waves or emergencies. While demand is rising quickly, the power supply is not keeping up with the pace. Many fossil fuel plants are shutting down due to state regulations, aging infrastructure or market conditions. More than 9,000 megawatts of coal capacity will retire or convert to gas in 2025 alone. Clean energy options like wind and solar are often the cheapest ways to add new power, but developers are struggling with permitting delays, rising costs and a loss of federal incentives. For example, the 30% federal solar tax credit for homeowners will end after 2025. That change is already slowing down new installations. Even if you never use AI tools yourself, you are still likely paying for their growth. The cost of expanding the data center's power supply is spread across all grid users, including regular households. PJM customers have been warned to expect electric bills to increase by $25 or more per month. Commercial users may see prices climb nearly 30%. To help prevent rolling blackouts, PJM is rolling out demand response programs that pay large businesses to temporarily reduce their electricity use during periods of extreme demand. Still, if electricity usage exceeds 166,000 megawatts, some regions may not have enough reserve power to maintain reliability. Looking for ways to lower your electricity bill as prices surge? Here are some effective tips you can start using today: For more tips and expert advice, check out the 7 best ways to save money on your electricity bill AI electricity demand is growing faster than the grid can handle. As more data centers come online to power tools like ChatGPT, the strain is showing up on your utility bill. Without major upgrades to infrastructure or smarter energy policy, prices could keep climbing. The tech may be smart, but the cost of keeping it running is getting harder for everyone else to ignore. Have your electricity bills gone up recently? Let us know by writing us at Sign up for my FREE CyberGuy ReportGet my best tech tips, urgent security alerts and exclusive deals delivered straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide — free when you join my Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
Fox News
9 minutes ago
- Fox News
Expert touts Trump's AI push: 'Best step this country could have taken'
Rhombus Power Inc. founder and CEO Anshuman Roy joins 'Fox News Live' to weigh in the U.S. push to accelerate AI development.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Elon Musk 'ordered Starlink coverage blackout' during crucial Ukraine counterattack
ELON Musk allegedly ordered a shutdown of Starlink coverage in parts of Ukraine during a crucial counteroffensive at the beginning of the Russian invasion, it has been reported. The billionaire's command allegedly led to a communications blackout while Ukrainian forces attempted to retake the port city of Kherson in the south of the country in September 2022. The communication blackout, where staff at the American tech firm deactivated at least 100 Starlink terminals after being instructed to, reportedly caused the attack to fail, according to Reuters, which spoke with three people who were familiar with the demand. According to reports, the blackout caused Ukrainian soldiers to panic as drones surveilling Russian forces went dark, and long-range artillery units, reliant on Starlink to aim at their targets, struggled to hit them. READ MORE: 'He belongs in The Hague': Keir Starmer fiercely criticised over Gaza speech Although Ukrainian forces were able to reclaim Kherson, the incident was reported to have damaged the country's trust in the technology, along with shocking Starlink employees. One of the three people who were familiar with the instruction claimed it enabled Musk to take 'the outcome of a war into his own hands'. The Tesla-owner reportedly grew concerned that Ukrainian forces' advancements could provoke nuclear retaliation from Vladimir Putin. A spokesperson for SpaceX, the aerospace company that owns Starlink, told Reuters the reporting of the incident is 'inaccurate'. In March, Musk posted on his social media platform, X/Twitter: 'To be extremely clear, no matter how much I disagree with the Ukraine policy, Starlink will never turn off its terminals.' Starlink, which went live in 2019, is a satellite company that beams data across its network and is the world's largest satellite operator. It provides customers with internet access in remote and unreliable locations and has a network of around 8000 satellites in orbit. It has been a key tool in Ukraine's defence, as Musk has provided the country with more than 50,000 Starlink terminals during the war. The network has allowed Ukrainians to speak to relatives across the world, and President Zelensky uses the network to transmit broadcasts to the nation. It is also used by Ukrainian forces on the battlefield to communicate and is used to guide drones and long-range artillery units.
