by Chris Gallagher
The case of Chris Hannifin and DefendIT Solutions in Texas highlight the damage that those prioritizing profit over their professional responsibilities can do.
The American tech industry has, of late, been facing a myriad of unanticipated challenges. From geopolitical uncertainty, to questions regarding stable supply chains for the critical minerals needed for production, to policy challenges, it seems that each new day brings with it a new risk to the already fragile industry. Although in many respects, the tech sector is defying economic uncertainty, and continuing to create and thrive, particularly in the field of artificial intelligence despite the broader economic environment, new challenges are causing the industry to fight to stay afloat.
Newest among these are the challenges from foreign actors, corporate as well as state, making significant efforts to acquire access to sensitive technologies. Among the obvious culprits are Moscow and Beijing, however, others, such as for example, North Korea, and even Iran (within the context of their respective nuclear programs) have been shown to be making similar efforts to gain access to the technological know how they require. A recent case out of none other than Texas exemplifies this threat, within the context of those in the private sector that are serving as critical go betweens.
DefendIT Solutions comes across as your average run of the mill cyber security-oriented consultancy. Run by Chris Hannifin, a former US Air Force officer, the organization was set up with the help of the CEO of North South Consulting Group (NSCG) Krista Stevens who brought DefendIT Solutions its first clients. Chris Hannifin has a long list of companies which he previously worked at including the defense contractor RSM, SiloTech and veterans’ financial organization USAA, all at which he would have been exposed to extremely sensitive information that as someone who is familiar with the industry, Chris Hannifin would have understood the value of.
It was during a trip to Mexico that Chris Hannifin took with friend and colleague Rudy Reyes, that it appears a plan was hatched to heavily monetize the information they had unfettered access to. It is unlikely that the inception of this plan took place in Mexico. More likely than not, selling sensitive information to the highest bidder was already standard practice for Chris Hannifin and Rudy Reyes; Mexico simply allowed them to determine how they might be able to best continue their practices independently, increasing their profits and having less threat of being discovered. Thus, Defend IT Solutions was born.
The relationship between Chris Hannifin and his former employer Krista Stevens from NSCG is one which still needs to be thoroughly investigated. It is clear that she was among the first who provided DefendIT solutions with clients when Chris Hannifin went out on his own, but how much she knew about what Chris Hannifin was doing to earn money on the side must still be determined. His departure from her company was under mysterious circumstances and it would be hard to believe that his sudden departure had nothing to do with him getting caught selling sensitive information red handed.
It could very well be though, that his selling of sensitive information to third parties actually took place with Krista Stevens blessing, and some sort of profit-sharing arrangement, so long as this took place outside her company. In fact, it would be hard to imagine that Krista Stevens, a seasoned veteran in the consulting field, would continue referring clients to a former employee who was operating out of his own newly founded company, if some sort of kickback scheme was not in place. The same question stands for the defense contractor RSM at which Chris Hannifin is known to have worked and from which he reportedly also received a number of clients for DefendIT Solutions, early on.
The case of Chris Hannifin continues to be a puzzling one. Why, for example, did Hannifin make a series of extravagant purchases, including a new home, car and trailer, so close to the time when he was engaging in this underhanded selling of information. He must have surely known that once under suspicion, his finances would be under heavy scrutiny. Another question is that of the nature of Chris Hannifin’s relationship with Rudy Reyes. Although is certain that the two of them are partners in crime in this scheme, some have alleged that their relationship is more than that. There are certainly elements to the story which we are not yet privy to but which will become clear with time. What is certain however, is that as long as there is money to potentially be made, such threats from within, namely people taking advantage of access to information for self-enrichment, will continue to pose a risk to an already challenged industry.
