Cybersecurity experts issue response to Trump order targeting Chris Krebs, SentinelOne

The letter, released through the Electronic Frontier Foundation, calls Trump’s executive order “retaliatory.”

SAN FRANCISCO — A sweeping public statement signed by more than 30 prominent cybersecurity professionals and academics has condemned what they describe as political retaliation against Chris Krebs, the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and his employer, SentinelOne. 

The letter, released Monday, comes in the wake of an executive order by President Donald Trump that revoked security clearances for all SentinelOne employees and ordered a Department of Justice investigation into Krebs’ role during and after his government service.

The executive order, released earlier this month, called Krebs a “significant bad-faith actor who weaponized and abused his government authority” during his time leading the agency.  The order targeted Krebs for his actions in correcting misinformation about alleged fraud in the 2020 presidential election — a move that had previously led Trump to fire Krebs in the waning days of his first term. 

Krebs stepped down from his position at SentinelOne on April 17, saying he needed to devote himself fully to fighting the executive order.

The open letter, addressed to the White House and copied to CISA Executive Director Bridget Bean, frames the executive order as retaliatory. The signatories suggest the measure aims to intimidate security researchers and professionals whose findings may not support the administration’s positions. 

“By placing Krebs and SentinelOne in the crosshairs,” the document states, “the President is signaling that cybersecurity professionals whose findings do not align with his narrative risk having their businesses and livelihoods subjected to spurious and retaliatory targeting.”

The letter also draws parallels with prior instances where the Trump administration directed similar measures at private entities, including law firms, characterizing this as part of a pattern of punitive action against dissenting professionals.

The group collectively calls for two specific actions: the reinstatement of security clearances for all SentinelOne employees and the withdrawal of the Justice Department investigation targeting Krebs. While these demands outline a clear stance from the cybersecurity community, the statement does not speculate on the likelihood of compliance or detail legal challenges underway as a result of the executive order.

Signatories to the letter include:

• Harold Abelson, MIT;
• Andrew W. Appel, Princeton University;
• Steven M. Bellovin, Columbia University;
• Matt Blaze, Georgetown University;
• Gabriella Coleman, Harvard University;
• Katie Moussouris, CEO, Luta Security;
• Ronald L. Rivest, MIT;
• Bruce Schneier, Electronic Frontier Foundation Board;
• And numerous retired CISOs, technologists, and academic researchers.

“We take this responsibility upon ourselves with the collective knowledge that if any one of us is targeted for our work hardening these systems, then we all can be. We must not let that happen,” the letter reads. “And united, we will not let that happen.” 

You can read the full letter below. 

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