Elon Musk’s team, known as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has gained new access to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Two of DOGE’s members, Edward Coristine, a 19-year-old engineer, and Kyle Schutt, a 38-year-old software engineer, have reportedly joined CISA’s staff.
Coristine, who once interned for Musk’s brain-computer interface company Neuralink, has worked in several federal agencies since January, according to WIRED. His roles have included positions at the General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Personnel Management, the State Department, and FEMA. At the State Department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Technology, Coristine may have had access to sensitive information related to diplomats and U.S. intelligence sources. Now, he is listed as a senior advisor at CISA, a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Schutt, who also worked at the GSA, is another DOGE member now joining Coristine at CISA. Before working with DOGE, Schutt helped launch WinRed, a Republican fundraising platform that raised $1.8 billion during the 2024 elections.
It’s unclear what kind of access Coristine has at CISA, but the agency is responsible for defending U.S. government networks and works with critical infrastructure around the country. CISA stores sensitive information, including details about cybersecurity vulnerabilities and threats to networks, especially those used in elections.
Coristine has a controversial past. He briefly worked in 2022 for Path Network, a company known for hiring former hackers. According to reports, he had an account linked to The Com, a group involved in cybercriminal activity, though he hasn’t been directly tied to their crimes. He was reportedly fired from Path Network for allegedly leaking documents to a competitor.
Concerns about his background are growing. A cybersecurity expert questioned why someone with possible ties to cybercriminal groups would be allowed to access sensitive government networks. “What’s the point of fighting cybercrime if we’re just going to give access to people with cybercriminal gang affiliations?” the expert asked.
