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Doug was cut off by the American Agency for International Development with mobile computers full of sensitive data

President Donald Trump and Eileon Musk in the United States government threw federal agencies in a state of chaos, as thousands of civil service employees were rejected by their jobs without a rhyme or reason. But in the chaos of the discounts he made and the Musk kidneys, and the Ministry of Governmental efficiency, some federal workers say that the Trump administration fails even in carrying out the basic renewal to protect sensitive information on their work devices.

The result is the situation that experts warn is to leave civil service employees, the people who worked with them, and the American government security at risk. In direct contradiction with federal guidelines, former employees were forced to take responsibility for preventing data leakage that local partners or employees themselves put themselves on the path of harm, and leave with devices that have been abandoned by their highest levels.

One of the agencies is the USAID Agency (USAID), which has witnessed 83 percent of its programs reduced By the Trump administration. The United States Agency for International Development has suddenly rejected by the Trump administration while working outside the United States stuck with computers and the government’s phones without any way to return them safely so far, freedom I have learned, and these devices can allow them to access work accounts including e -mail.

“I am ready to return these things.”

The American Agency for International Development has led humanitarian tasks all over the world since it was created in 1961, providing HIV treatment and response to natural disasters, for example. About two -thirds of the American Agency for International Development is published 10,000 employees abroad, and the workers who have recently finished have been informed that they will get charging stickers to return equipment. External review menu, seen by freedomThe employees are required to “return all government -controlled elements”, including computers and phones, and are asked to provide a material address to receive a postal voucher. But some have been waiting for more than a week since their last day at work to receive slip. Others have been waiting since January, when the cuts began.

This delay makes everyone responsible for keeping the devices safe to protect sensitive information. Moreover, some employees still have their diplomatic passports, which are for sure Concessions and It is supposed to be collected, canceled or destroyed When the employee’s mission is over.

“If you lose my phone, this is a problem. If you lose the diplomatic travel permissibility, this is a problem. freedom She was granted not to be identified due to the risk of revenge.

This person still has a laptop computer, phone, diplomatic passport, and Personal ID Card (PIV) This allows employees to log in to the US International Development Agency computers. They say that many of their former colleagues are in the same position. The concern is that the devices can allow people access to employee records and information about the contacts with which they work in the country where they were published. They may also offer bank details used to facilitate payments for partner organizations.

Although this information is not classified, it still creates problems if it occurs in the wrong hands. Local population can target their governments for its work with the United States Agency for International Development, for example. They also have to worry about taking advantage of the fraudsters from the chaos roaming in US federal agencies. In confusion about what the programs have ended or have survived the DOGE discounts, partner organizations are said to warn against alleviating emails that falsely claim that a canceled program will resume and request details of the bank account to start payments.

“Unfortunately, these people (in) have been placed in an unprecedented position where they may or cannot reach the security support of the government, but they are still responsible for maintaining the security of these devices wherever they are. So they are really like Catch-22 really,” says Megan Staffel, chief strategy official at the Institute of Security and Technology and Executive Director of the Ransomwani forces.

Randy Chester, Vice President of the International Agency for International Development at the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), a union representing American diplomats, says access to employees on administrative leave, access to government systems is inconsistent, which makes compliance with any instructions contained in the agency difficult. Some people are still able to access the email and parts of the Internet while others are closed.

“It is really like Catch-22.”

“The agency does not even know how to stop access to the systems for everyone on an administrative vacation,” he tells Chester freedom. ((Deputy in charge of the US Agency for International Development) Beit Maruko and the supposed teachers from Doug-have no idea about those who have access to regulations or how everyone is closed from systems. “

Chester says he checks his government e -mail twice a day so that he can transfer information to AFSA members who leave in the dark by the United States Agency for International Development under Dog. DOGE and Trump administration employees sometimes fail to send notifications to employee personal emails, which means that they are not getting updates because they cannot reach their business accounts. Some employees in the administrative leave, who are closed from internal systems, are concerned that they will not be able to recover their digital employees files, especially after a senior official The remaining employees are ordered to tear the USA’s International Physical Development documentsIncluding employee files.

On the contrary, employees who have access to email creates a more severe problem for the Trump administration because it keeps the door open to leaks, says a former government official who is taking place freedom She also granted her identity. As for any government employer, failure to cut off access to people can allow people to send misleading email messages that falsely represent the government.

The PIV cards that are issued to the Federal Agency employees do not only allow a person to log in to his personal devices, but also to be used to enter government buildings and log in to Wi-Fi or wire networks and institutions accounts.

On Tuesday, federal judge I command DOGE to re -access the email notifications, payment and safety for current workers at the United States Agency for International Development. The judge found that Duji was likely to violate the constitution in his attempts to close the agency. the to rule Dog is also prevented from proceeding with any unilateral actions against the United States Agency for International Development, including the demobilization of workers.

Security experts freedom The interview said that the Trump administration should have the ability to cancel a distance access. I did this already in February when she temporarily closed the US Agency for International Development from their email accounts and information technology systems. The former government official freedom She also talked with thinking that they should have the ability to wipe the devices clean remotely. Doing this reduces the risks associated with any employee who loses or stole his devices. It seems only that the Trump administration has not taken these steps yet.

Meanwhile, experts advise former employees against using their work devices even for personal use. The devices issued by work in general can allow your employer to know when to log in to work or personal accounts, what files you have accessed, and what emails you have examined.

“I will not hold sensitive conversations about any of this equipment … I would like to put it in the microwave, the oven, and get a Faradai bag,” Stifel says, only if the former employer has the ability to listen by reaching a distance on the microphones on these devices.

On the other hand, Martin says that this is in theory, but it is practically unlikely, because the agency will need to plan advanced storming operations.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs I absorbed the remains of the United States Agency for International Development and now manages its remaining contractsShe did not answer the questions from freedom About the reason for a delay now in collecting workers equipment and canceling the network. but, freedom I learned that some former workers have lost access to accounts yet freedom I arrived at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for comment.

Doug says that her mandate is to reveal “waste, fraud and abuse” in federal agencies, but the workers of the American Agency for International Development say chaos is already lost resources. Usually, the equipment that has been returned to future employees and partner institutions is re -sent to a safe behavior facility, after the requirements shown in Federal Regulations Blog. When an agency determines that it no longer needs certain equipment, it may work with it Public Services Department (GSA) To wipe computers and transfer them to other federal agencies. If you do not take any federal equipment agencies, they can be donated to government and local entities. The equipment is also sometimes I was sent to the auction. Electronic waste should be managed carefully because they often contain dangerous substances such as lead or mercury that may get rid of waste burials. It is illegal In many states and In Washington, DCTo throw some electronic devices in the trash.

Chester says that all 10,000 workers at the United States Agency for International Development have a Dell laptop, 60 to 70 percent have an iPad, and about 50 percent have the iPhone issued by the government, and it represents millions of dollars of technology that is “flowing) below the toilet” while it is not distributed – the equipment in partner organizations does not include.

“They are unable to sell this to other organizations or individuals, who must return it to the United States government under the action plan,” says Chester. “Without the behavior plan, what is the Shamounak or the rescue of children who are supposed to do with 150 computers in Malawi?”

“What is Chemonys or Save children who are supposed to do with 150 pcs in Malawi?”

Usaid Inspector Office may wake up to the problem. He says a A note issued on March 11. She will start auditing in the external offices “to determine the state of material asset funded by the United States Agency for International Development” including equipment, vehicles and warehouse stocks.

Soon after, the US International Development Agency sent an e -mail obtained by freedomThis tells employees to direct partner organizations to provide stock plans and get rid of the program’s assets within 10 evaluation days. It lists “IT and Communications Technology Equipment that contains sensitive data” as decisive security risks alongside armored vehicles. She says that contracting and agreement employees should cooperate with regional security personnel and diplomatic technology offices to accelerate and agree to get rid of high -risk elements. However, even after e -mail, some former employees have not received their shipping stickers.

People who work for the United States for International Development in the United States were able to return their equipment personally – but one of the former employees told them freedom This process raised concerns. The worker whose program recently cuts a random process describes a laptop and collects their personal property in late February. When they returned to the office to deposit the laptop, phone and relevant equipment, they were surprised by seeing a person who did not get to know him at a foldable table, collecting laptops and putting them in giant garbage boxes. They say some of them were stacked and others scattered. Another previous worker at the United States Agency for International Development tells him to transfer his equipment and a worker in the Ronald Reagan building tells him that everything was “destroyed.”

“It is usually good to track equipment,” says one of the former workers. But this time, I felt. “I felt that things could easily escape through cracks.”

Are you a current or a former employee of the United States Agency for International Development? Contact safely with advice to Justine Calma with a signal at BQE210.91.

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