Dec 9, 2021 - Axios Events

Chris Krebs: Cyber attacks could be used to "disrupt" decision-making

Noah Garfinkel

Axios reporter Bryan Walsh and Christopher Krebs.

Former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs told Axios at an event Thursday that America's adversaries could use cyberattacks in the future to "disrupt" U.S. decision-making.

The big picture: Krebs, using China as an example, said that future cyberattacks could be part of "a larger, more complex approach by an adversary."

What he's saying: "If things get hot in Taiwan, there's a possibility that the Chinese government could use some sort of cyber capability to make us focus here rather than over there."

"Same thing depending on what happens with Russia and Ukraine," Krebs added.

"So we need to keep in mind that there are not — It's not just about intelligence operations, but using technology to disrupt the decision calculus of us, of our of our allies, is absolutely within the strategy of our adversaries."

— Former CISA Director Christopher Krebs

Of note: Krebs also referenced a report by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that found Chinese sponsored attackers were targeting natural gas pipelines in 2013.

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Chris Krebs: Cyber attacks could be used to "disrupt" decision-making

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