Krebs Steps Down from SentinelOne, Vows to Fight Trump Attack – Source: securityboulevard.com

Former CISA director Chris Krebs, who has come under attack from President Trump for saying that the 2020 presidential election was secure, is stepping down from his position at SentinelOne, telling employees at the cybersecurity company that “this fight is mine.”

“For those who know me, you know I don’t shy away from tough fights,” Krebs wrote in a memo to employees that he also posted on LinkedIn. “But I also know that this is one I need to take on fully, outside of SentinelOne. This will require my complete focus and energy. It’s a fight for democracy, for freedom of speech, and for the rule of law. I’m prepared to give it everything I’ve got.”

The decision comes a week after Trump issued a memorandum stripping Krebs of his security clearance and asking the Justice Department (DOJ) to investigate him during his tenure with CISA, accusing him of being “a significant bad-faith actor.”

The president upped the pressure on Krebs by also targeting SentinelOne, where he was the CIO and chief public policy officer. He ordered the security clearances of SentinelOne employees removed and told the DOJ to also investigate its actions over the past several years.

SentinelOne said in a statement that fewer than 10 employees hold security clearances and that it would cooperate with any investigation launched by the government.

Holding Grudges

In laying out his reasons for targeting Krebs, Trump pointed to his refusal to agree with the president’s claims that the 2020 election – which he lost to Joe Biden – was rigged against him. Trump fired Krebs in 2020 after the CISA director said the election was the most secure in U.S. history.

He also accused Krebs of censoring election information, trying to discredit conservative viewpoints about the COVID-19 pandemic, and disputing allegations made during an investigation into a laptop owned by Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.

Trump noted in the memorandum – in which he also called on the DOJ to investigate CISA activities over the past six years – that “loyalty to the United States must come before personal or partisan agendas” and that he was “taking decisive action against those who misuse their undeserved influence to deceive the American public.”

Breaking the Silence

Overall, the response from the cybersecurity industry to Trump’s attacks has been somewhat muted, though some have come out in support of Krebs.

Katie Moussouris, founder and CEO of Luta Security, said in a blog post that she understood that any organization or person publicly coming out against the president’s actions and for Krebs could open themselves up to retaliation from the administration or Trump supports, adding that her company is particularly vulnerable given that it doesn’t have the monetary resources that many other cybersecurity vendors do.

However, she wrote that he hoped that her speaking out “will help encourage others with bigger boats to raise their flags in support.”

“What happened to Chris and SentinelOne won’t make our country safer or greater; it risks the opposite,” Moussouris wrote. “National security shouldn’t be a partisan issue. It should bring us together as a country instead of dividing us.”

Ex-CISA director Jen Easterly and cybersecurity expert Brian Krebs – who is no relation to Chris Krebs – also have been vocal in his support for the ex-SentinelOne executive, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation wrote in blog post that “it is critically important for us to speak up to ensure that essential work continues and that those engaged in these good faith efforts are not maligned by an administration that has tried to make examples of its enemies in many other fields.”

CEO Thanks Krebs

SentinelOne CEO Tomer Weingarten, in his own note to employees, thanked Krebs for his work at SentinelOne and to the cybersecurity community, noting that his efforts “helped shape important conversations and strengthened public-private collaboration.”

“The work he led – especially in service of democratic institutions and critical infrastructure – is foundational and will continue to shape our impact moving forward,” Weingarten wrote. “I know he’ll take on this next chapter with the same clarity, conviction, and humility that defined his time here, and he carries our full respect for him as his journey continues.”

The CEO added that SentinelOne “remains unwavering in our commitment to be a force for good – in this industry and the world.”

‘Cybersecurity is National Security’

In his letter to SentinelOne employees, Krebs not only talked about Trump’s actions and his own resignation from the company, but also thanked the company and urged them to continue their efforts on the cybersecurity front.

“Never forget why you’re here, and how important your work is,” he wrote. “Cybersecurity is national security. SentinelOne is at the forefront of that mission – every day. You are on the frontlines, protecting millions who rely on us. The world is becoming more connected, and the stakes are only rising. Embrace it. Internalize it.”

He encouraged them to “think ahead. Where will the world be in two years? Five years? No one can know for sure, but I am sure of one thing. SentinelOne will be there – facing forward, adapting fast, and relentlessly fighting the adversaries that threaten our way of life.”