SSA’s Core Logic: A Legacy of COBOL
A Legacy of COBOL
The Social Security Administration’s (SSA) core "logic" is written largely in COBOL, a programming language that was first introduced in the 1950s. This code is responsible for issuing social security numbers, managing payments, and calculating the total amount beneficiaries should receive for different services, according to a former senior SSA technologist who worked in the office of the chief information officer.
A Challenging Migration
Migrating this legacy code to a more modern language is a daunting task. As Dan Hon, principal of Very Little Gravitas, a technology strategy consultancy that helps government modernize services, notes, "If you weren’t worried about a whole bunch of people not getting benefits or getting the wrong benefits, or getting the wrong entitlements, or having to wait ages, then sure go ahead."
Unclear Timeline for Migration
It’s unclear when exactly the code migration would start. A recent document circulated amongst SSA staff laying out the agency’s priorities through May does not mention it, instead naming other priorities like terminating "non-essential contracts" and adopting artificial intelligence to "augment" administrative and technical writing.
DOGE Operatives’ Involvement
Earlier this month, WIRED reported that at least 10 DOGE operatives were currently working within SSA, including a number of young and inexperienced engineers like Luke Farritor and Ethan Shaotran. At the time, sources told WIRED that the DOGE operatives would focus on how people identify themselves to access their benefits online.
The "Are You Alive Project"
Sources within SSA expect the project to begin in earnest once DOGE identifies and marks remaining beneficiaries as deceased and connecting disparate agency databases. In a Thursday morning court filing, an affidavit from SSA acting administrator Leland Dudek said that at least two DOGE operatives are currently working on a project formally called the "Are You Alive Project," targeting what these operatives believe to be improper payments and fraud within the agency’s system by calling individual beneficiaries.
The Challenge of Migration
To migrate all COBOL code into a more modern language within a few months, DOGE would likely need to employ some form of generative artificial intelligence to help translate the millions of lines of code. "DOGE thinks if they can say they got rid of all the COBOL in months, then their way is the right way, and we all just suck for not breaking shit," says the SSA technologist.
The Risks of Migration
The SSA technologist also notes that DOGE would need to develop tests to ensure the new system’s outputs match the previous one. It would be difficult to resolve all of the possible edge cases over the course of several years, let alone months.
The Current State of the System
"This is an environment that is held together with bail wire and duct tape," the former senior SSA technologist working in the office of the chief information officer tells WIRED. "The leaders need to understand that they’re dealing with a house of cards or Jenga. If they start pulling pieces out, which they’ve already stated they’re doing, things can break."
Conclusion
The SSA’s legacy code is a complex and daunting challenge. With the involvement of DOGE operatives, the agency is poised to undertake a massive migration of its COBOL code to a more modern language. However, the risks involved are significant, and the agency must be careful to ensure that the new system is stable and accurate.
FAQs
Q: What is COBOL?
A: COBOL is a programming language that was first introduced in the 1950s.
Q: What is the purpose of the "Are You Alive Project"?
A: The "Are You Alive Project" is a project aimed at identifying and marking remaining beneficiaries as deceased and connecting disparate agency databases.
Q: What is the timeline for the code migration?
A: The timeline for the code migration is unclear, as it is not mentioned in a recent document circulated amongst SSA staff laying out the agency’s priorities through May.
Q: What are the risks involved in the code migration?
A: The risks involved in the code migration include the possibility of cascading failures across programs, the need to develop tests to ensure the new system’s outputs match the previous one, and the difficulty of resolving all possible edge cases over a short period of time.
