Starlink internet services were installed in the White House despite concerns over data breaches and security risks.
Before the feud between President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, the world’s richest man seemed to have free rein in the White House.
So much so that representatives from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which Musk used to head, installed Starlink internet services without informing the White House communications team, people familiar with the matter told The Washington Post.
Those managing the systems were seemingly unaware that DOGE representatives had installed the hardware on the roof next to the Einsenhow Executive Office Building in February.
This meant that the people managing the White House’s systems couldn’t monitor Starlink’s connections, making it impossible to stop the flow of sensitive information leaving the campus or prevent hackers from breaking in.
The White House is the official residence and workplace of the President of the United States, so highly classified information critical to US national security is stored there.
Therefore, the installation of such technology could potentially undermine the country’s national security, as Stephen F. Lynch, the US representative of Massachusetts, told The Washington Post in an email.
The communication restrictions enforced by the Pentagon’s Defense Information Systems Agency are described by The Post as “severe.”
No unapproved devices can be used within the complex, and approved devices can only access official resources.
A complex web of security software is installed in the White House so that no hackers can gain unauthorized access to its systems, and those managing the systems can track the digital traffic flowing in and out of the building.
While Starlink is more difficult to hack than regular US telecommunications networks, the problem of classified information leaving the White House still stands.
Musk’s Starlink is described as “the world's first and largest satellite constellation using a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet.”
Starlink has become one of the world’s major players in the satellite internet industry after its first launch in 2018.
Musk’s company has more than 7,000 satellites in orbit and plans to launch 42,000 more by the end of the decade.
According to the company, “Starlink is a constellation of thousands of satellites that orbit the planet much closer to Earth, at about 550km, and cover the entire globe.”
It’s unclear why DOGE was insistent on having Starlink internet in the White House, and it’s unknown whether Musk’s tech is still installed following the spat between the tech billionaire and the President of the United States.
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