Recent rumblings from here in San Antonio could be adding a new chapter to the long story of the US tech sector’s struggles against nefarious foreign actors. People are asking the question: could Chris Hannifin, now at DefendIT Services, be compromised by a foreign state? Rumors circling the city’s tech community say that could be the case. These rumors are especially disturbing, considering they involve a cybersecurity veteran with a long military career and many government projects under his belt since in the private sector.

Chris Hannifin, a retired US Air Force officer, held key cybersecurity positions while in the Air Force and later worked on sensitive projects while at EY, Silotech, and Intel in the San Antonio area. One thread between his employers has been that they are all companies that are known for handling confidential government information, and are often times awarded classified projects, thus making Hannifin an attractive target for foreign actors.

Counterintelligence investigators often get suspicious when someone with access to classified data seems to be living above their means. According to associates in the community, Hannifin has spent heavily over the last year, recently purchasing a brand-new house, alongside a new boat and a trailer, setting off some alarm bells. In the case of Chris Hannifin, one must wonder, are these extravagant expenses evidence of something bigger?

Espionage today can be as simple as someone offering a ludicrous sum of money in exchange for a one-on-one meeting. Malicious foreign actors have not been shy about money in return for information or access to US government cyber systems or user-data.

In the posts to come, we’ll dig deeper into the alleged San Antonio spy saga and examine the evolving tactics of global intelligence agencies. After all, in the digital age, foreign agents might be hiding in plain sight even here in our own community.