Kristopher Kortright’s Story: GTSaaS’s CISO and Team OneFist’s Volunteer Hacker
Kristopher “Kris” Kortright is not only GTSaaS’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), but in his spare time, he’s also a cyberwar veteran and volunteer hacker. Since February 2022, he has worked to defend Ukraine and fight Russia in cyberspace as the Team Lead for Team OneFist. He funded the team on his own until savings and retirement were gone and briefly took donations after that. Currently, he volunteers with the IT Army of Ukraine to help improve cyber defenses and tactics to help the government of Ukraine win the war against the illegal invasion, genocide, and ecocide that Russia has and continues to commit in Ukraine.
What is Team OneFist?
Team OneFist was founded by our CISO, Kris, under a pseudonym known as “Voltage.” As a volunteer hacker, he formed the group in February 2022, and since then, the group has been instrumental in launching cyberattacks against Russia in support of Ukraine’s war efforts. The name “OneFist” was inspired by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a symbol of unity and resistance against the invading Russian army by the Ukrainian people. Team OneFist continues to collaborate with Ukraine’s IT army, targeting Russian logistics and war-related infrastructure while aiming to void critical civilian systems.
Kris, AKA “Voltage”
While Kris originally intended to remain anonymous, Russian intelligence soon became aware that he was the person behind the online pseudonym “Voltage.” Kris knows that his work comes with significant personal risk, but that doesn’t stop him from his important work. Through Team OneFist’s cyber activities, they continue to focus on disrupting the Russian military supply chain to deprive it of essential resources. They view these efforts as vital to Ukraine’s war strategy and Ukraine morale as a reminder they’re not only surviving but actually winning on the cyber front.
Cybersecurity in Modern Conflict
Outside of Team OneFist and with his work as CISO at GTSaaS, Kris knows that the ongoing cyberwar against Russia is a battlefield that’s expanded from physical spaces to digital ones. He’s seen hackers disrupt critical systems, halt supply chains, and influence the outcome of wars. The same holds true in today’s world of business, and with our economy’s highly connected environment, companies rely more than ever on digital infrastructure for every aspect of their operations.
Businesses, just like warring nations, rely on supply chains, data, and financial transactions. Just like Team OneFist has targeted the vulnerabilities of Russian infrastructure, cybercriminals and state actors target businesses for espionage, financial gain, and political purposes. A well-coordinated cyber attack can cripple operations, causing massive financial loss and damaging a company’s reputation.
How GTSaaS Can Help
A CISO and 35-year IT veteran like Kris, who spends his time defending Ukraine’s infrastructure from cyber threats, knows the pressure that comes with high stakes cyber threats. When people’s lives and livelihoods are threatened, whether that’s in the context of national security or business, cybersecurity is about more than just protecting data. It’s about ensuring continuity, safeguarding operations, and maintaining trust.
Businesses and governments cannot afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. Every organization must treat its own cybersecurity as a critical life of defense. Contact GTSaaS today to learn how to take proper cyber security measures. The cost of failing to do so is too high of a price.
