Fact check: Https://www.npr.org/2025/04/15/nx-s1-5355895/doge-musk-nlrb-takeaways-security

1. Summary of the results

A significant cybersecurity breach at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been reported, allegedly perpetrated by Elon Musk's DOGE team. The breach involved unauthorized access to sensitive case files and the exfiltration of approximately 10 gigabytes of data ^[1]. The incident was exposed through a whistleblower complaint by Daniel Berulis, who provided specific technical details about the breach ^[2].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several crucial contextual elements need to be considered:

• The breach occurred against the backdrop of ongoing legal tensions between Tesla and the NLRB, specifically regarding a recent Fifth Circuit Court ruling (9-8 decision) that protected Musk's controversial unionization tweet as free speech ^[3].
• The timing is significant as it followed the October 25th ruling where the 5th Circuit Court determined the NLRB had wrongfully ordered Musk to delete his 2018 tweet about unionization consequences ^[4].
• The technical sophistication of the breach included:
• Disabling of logging protocols
• Use of DNS tunneling to conceal data removal
• Suspicious login attempts from Russian IPs ^{[2] [5]}
• The whistleblower reportedly received threatening letters after filing the complaint, suggesting potential intimidation tactics ^[5].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The situation involves several parties with competing interests:

• NLRB's perspective: As a federal agency responsible for enforcing labor laws, they have a vested interest in maintaining the integrity of their systems and protecting sensitive case information ^[1].
• Musk/Tesla's interests: Given the ongoing legal battles with the NLRB over union-related issues, they would benefit from access to sensitive NLRB information and cases ^[3].
• Labor unions' stake: The breach potentially compromises sensitive information about union organizing efforts and labor disputes, putting workers' rights at risk ^[2].
• Whistleblower's position: Daniel Berulis faces personal risk, as evidenced by the threatening letters, suggesting powerful interests attempting to suppress the information ^[5].

The complexity of this situation is heightened by the recent legal victories for Musk regarding free speech and labor relations, which provide important context for understanding potential motivations behind the alleged breach ^{[3] [4]}.