• Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Social Security Administration (SSA): DOGE is assembling a team to migrate SSA's computer systems off its oldest programming language (COBOL) in months. This potentially risks the system's integrity and millions of Americans' benefits.
• Project details: Organized by Elon Musk's lieutenant Steve Davis, it aims to complete the migration within a few months. Such a large-scale migration is a massive undertaking, and the expedited deadline risks obstructing payments to 65 million beneficiaries.
• SSA under scrutiny: SSA has been under increasing scrutiny from the Trump administration. Musk falsely claimed the agency was rife with fraud, and after DOGE's cuts, SSA has suffered website crashes and long wait times.
• Previous attempts: SSA has tried to move away from COBOL before. In 2017, it announced a plan to receive funding for system replacement, but the coronavirus pandemic led to a shift in focus.
• SSA's systems: SSA systems contain a large amount of COBOL code and other legacy languages. Its core programmatic systems and architecture haven't been updated since the 1980s.
• Migration challenges: Completing the migration in a short timeframe is risky. There are concerns about underpayments, overpayments, and system failures. Generative AI might be needed to translate the code, and tests to ensure new system outputs match the old are also necessary.
• Current situation: The code migration start date is unclear. DOGE operatives are working within SSA, focusing on identifying beneficiaries and combating fraud. SSA is battling for access to its systems in court.
• Former SSA technologist's view: The SSA's systems are held together with makeshift materials. Removing parts could lead to system breaks.