Ex-Cyber Official Responds After Trump Targets Them and Digital Defense Faces Budget Cuts

Chris Krebs, the former head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), expressed his outrage on Monday regarding the Trump administration’s significant reductions in cybersecurity personnel. This marked Krebs’ first public statement since former President Donald Trump directed the Justice Department to investigate him for asserting the integrity of the 2020 election.

Speaking at the RSA Conference in San Francisco, a prominent cybersecurity event, Krebs received enthusiastic applause from a typically reserved audience of industry professionals. He openly criticized the administration for its continued cuts to cybersecurity staff, contractors, and essential programs.

“Cybersecurity is national security. We all know that, right?

That’s why we’re here,” he proclaimed. Krebs emphasized the need for the cybersecurity community to be alarmed by the current state of affairs within the federal government.

Since January, the Trump administration has implemented a series of cuts at CISA, including reducing probationary employees and advisory committees. Additionally, two rounds of emails encouraging employees to retire were distributed.

The Department of Homeland Security, responsible for overseeing CISA, confirmed these reductions but did not comment on Krebs’ remarks. Krebs pointed out the urgency of bolstering cybersecurity measures, especially in light of recent hacking campaigns attributed to China.

Citing threats like Salt Typhoon and Volt Typhoon, he argued that the U.S. should be investing more in cybersecurity staff. “We need more Cyber Command, more folks at the NSA collecting intel,” he stated, calling for an increase in frontline defenders and basic system administration.

Krebs has garnered respect within both CISA and the cybersecurity industry. Notably, the Electronic Frontier Foundation released an open letter supporting him, although initial signatories represented fewer major companies.

Katie Moussouris, a signer and CEO of Luta Security, mentioned that many in the industry share Krebs’ sentiments but hesitate to voice them due to fears of political repercussions.