<p><img src="https://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5fb4912e26608500184fea5c-2400/Chistopher%20krebs.JPG" border="0" alt="Chistopher Krebs" data-mce-source="REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque" data-mce-caption="Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Christopher Krebs"></p><p></p><bi-shortcode id="summary-shortcode" data-type="summary-shortcode" class="mceNonEditable" contenteditable="false">Summary List Placement</bi-shortcode><p>Employees of the former top US cybersecurity official Chris Krebs, who was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-fires-cybersecurity-official-chris-krebs-after-election-2020-11">fired Tuesday on Twitter by President Donald Trump</a>, say he protected them from pressure from the president for months.</p><p>"We knew for a few months before the election that doing nonpartisan work to protect the election would be seen as a threat by the president, especially when it comes to disinformation," said an employee of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, which Krebs directed before his firing. "That was always a concern. We were able to fly under the radar and do the work because of Director Krebs' leadership."</p><p>Asked whether the perceived threat from the White House created a chilling effect in carrying out the agency's task of protecting the 2020 US election, the CISA employee, who asked to remain anonymous for fear of losing their job, said, "We were able to do our jobs because Director Krebs was a tremendous leader."</p><p>The CISA employee said that the team expected "the president would respond with retaliation" and that the expectation grew after <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/christopher-krebs-expects-fired-trump-white-house-election-voter-fraud-2020-11">Krebs' memo last week</a> saying there was no substantial evidence of election fraud. The agency's debunking of disinformation about the election on its website also increased the perceived threat within the agency, the employee said.</p><p>Another CISA employee said the political pressure since the election had been the strangest thing they'd seen from a cybersecurity standpoint. "We spent ... years worrying about the Russians and others, and Election Day was quiet," the person said. "Then all of this stuff came afterward."</p><p>The employee, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, said they felt empowered to do their job because "Director Krebs made it clear that 'I'll handle the politics, you handle securing the election.'"</p><p>The employee said there would be "no letup in our commitment" despite what they called "a big loss" in Krebs' departure.</p><p>A friend of Krebs' who works in cybersecurity with another federal agency said Krebs felt the pressure and "knew clearly what was going to happen to him." Krebs did not respond to requests for comment.</p><p>In a tweet after the firing, <a href="https://twitter.com/C_C_Krebs/status/1328859222071783424">Krebs said</a>: "Honored to serve. We did it right. Defend Today, Secure Tomrorow. #Protect2020."</p><p>Despite the looming threat, the friend of Krebs, who asked to remain anonymous, said no one in the federal cybersecurity agencies knew exactly when Krebs was about to be fired until <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-fires-cybersecurity-official-chris-krebs-after-election-2020-11">Trump announced it Tuesday evening on Twitter</a>. The tweet created confusion in cybersecurity at a vulnerable time for the nation's cyberdefense, he said: "A bunch of us in the agencies are texting around asking, 'Who the hell is in charge now''"</p><p>In the days leading up to his firing, Krebs said he expected it and felt harassed by the White House, the friend said, citing an administration <a href="https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/administration-officials-deny-trump-tried-to-oust-us-election-security-chief-for-contradicting-white-house">official quoted in the Washington Examiner</a> telling a reporter in a text, "If Krebs cared as much about securing free and fair elections as he does about maintaining salon-quality hair, his job wouldn't be in jeopardy."</p><p>Other cybersecurity leaders and CISA employees reacted publicly with support for Krebs.</p><p>"Director Krebs should be commended for his nonpartisan approach to protecting democracy and ensuring a secure 2020 election," tweeted Jack Cable, a 20-year-old member of Krebs' team previously <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/election-hacking-jack-cable-hackerone-dhs-cisa-vote-2020-10">profiled by Business Insider</a>.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation=""><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It's been an honor to work under <a href="https://twitter.com/CISAKrebs'ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CISAKrebs</a> to advance the state of election security. Election security is not political. Director Krebs should be commended for his nonpartisan approach to protecting democracy and ensuring a secure 2020 election.</p> Jack Cable (@jackhcable) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1328857851545088001'ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2020</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>"He built this agency out of nothing to defend the United States against adversaries in cyberspace," said Jonathan Reiber, a Defense Department cybersecurity official in the Obama White House. "He did an incredible job."</p><p>"The dismissal of Christopher Krebs as Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is political, surreal, and disheartening," said Chlo Messdaghi, the vice president of strategy at Point3 Security. "Many in the cybersecurity community are deeply disappointed and more than a bit nervous."</p><p>CISA and the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cisa-krebs-team-election-trump-retaliation-vote-disinformnation-2020-11#comments">Join the conversation about this story »</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-do-your-own-taxes-for-the-very-first-time-2018-2">July 15 is Tax Dayhere's what it's like to do your own taxes for the very first time</a></p>
Click here to read full news..
