2025-04-10T20:37:50.000Z

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WASHINGTON: The cybersecurity sector has largely remained silent following an unprecedented move by former President Donald Trump that targeted a prominent player within the industry. On Wednesday, Trump issued an order to revoke the security clearances of executives and employees at SentinelOne, marking a notable shift in the dynamics between the government and the private sector, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

This extraordinary decision is part of a broader political strategy employed by Trump to utilize the power of the U.S. government against his perceived adversaries. The crux of the controversy stems from SentinelOne's decision to hire Chris Krebs, a former Trump appointee who previously served as the first director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which is responsible for protecting the nations critical cyber infrastructure.

Krebs became a controversial figure in the eyes of Trump after he publicly refused to support the unfounded claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Trump and awarded to Democrat Joe Biden. This public defiance culminated in Trump's decision to dismiss Krebs via Twitter in November 2020, an event that remains emblematic of the tumultuous relationship between Trump and various officials who contradicted his narratives.

In a memo from the White House explaining the rationale behind the decision, Trump accused the Republican Krebs of having suppressed conservative viewpoints. However, the memo lacked substantial evidence to substantiate these claims and failed to clarify how SentinelOne was implicated in the situation. When inquiries were directed towards CISA regarding these allegations, they were promptly referred to the White House, which has not responded to requests for comment.

Despite Krebs controversial standing, he has gained recognition as a hero within Washington's cybersecurity circles, especially for his unyielding stance against misinformation. Following a notable appearance at a cybersecurity conference in 2021, Krebs was presented with a flight jacket emblazoned with the phrase, FIRED BY TWEET, symbolizing the absurdity of his dismissal.

However, as SentinelOne and Krebs grapple with the repercussions of Trump's actions, a stark absence of support has been observed from the broader cybersecurity community. Katie Moussouris, the founder of Luta Security, expressed skepticism regarding the industry's willingness to publicly back SentinelOne, given the potential repercussions from the White House. I dont think its feasible for cybersecurity companies to have a broader response on this, Moussouris stated. The risk is just too high.

In an effort to gauge the sentiment across the industry, Reuters reached out to 33 of the largest cybersecurity firms in the United States, along with several prominent industry associations. Out of those contacted, only one company offered a response regarding Trump's actions against SentinelOne. The vast majority either declined to comment, failed to respond, or did not provide answers to the inquiries posed.

Microsoft, a significant player in the technology sector and where Krebs had previously worked as a director, was among the 11 companies that opted not to comment on Trumps move. Additionally, Rubrik, which had Krebs on their advisory board, acknowledged that the board had become inactive since 2023 but did not address inquiries related to Krebs or SentinelOne. Twenty-four other businesses and trade groups also did not respond, including CrowdStrike, a company that has been the subject of conspiracy theories due to its role in defending the Democratic National Committee from Russian hackers in 2016.

The National Cybersecurity Alliance, where Krebs served as vice chair, did not respond to multiple requests for comments, while the Cloud Security Alliance, of which SentinelOne is a member, also declined to comment. The only organization that took a stance was the Cyber Threat Alliance, based in Washington, whose president criticized the White House memo as riddled with inaccuracies. Michael Daniel, the president, remarked, Targeting a company because the president does not like someone in the company exemplifies the very weaponization of the federal government that the memo claims to combat.

In response to the situation, SentinelOne stated on Wednesday that they do not anticipate the imposed restrictions to have a significant impact on their business operations. Despite this assurance, the companys stock experienced a 7 percent drop the following day, a more pronounced decline compared to its competitors in the cybersecurity sector.

A cybersecurity executive shared insights with Reuters, expressing that Trump's actions against a high-profile figure like Krebs serve to intimidate the industry into silence. If they are willing to crush Krebs, what do you think they'll do to me or others like me? the executive questioned, choosing to remain anonymous due to fears of potential backlash.

As the dust settles from this recent political maneuver, Krebs did not immediately respond to requests for further comment. However, he did share a statement on social media that he had issued shortly after his dismissal in 2020: Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomorrow. This sentiment underscores the ongoing commitment to cybersecurity, even amidst political turbulence.