| Eddy Willems | |
| Birth Date: | 1962 |
| Fields: | Author Information security Malware |
| Alma Mater: | IHRB Anderlecht Vrije Universiteit Brussel |
Eddy Willems (born 1962), is a Belgian computer security expert and author of security blogs and books, active in international computer security organizations and as a speaker at information security-related events.
Eddy Willems has been a security evangelist at German security software specialist G Data Software since the beginning of 2010.[1] He is involved in anti-malware and security research, consultancy, training and communication programs with press, resellers and end-users, as a security evangelist.
He started his career as a systems analyst in 1984, and while working at an insurance company he was challenged in 1989 by a Trojan incident, in fact a very early version of ‘ransomware’ malware, the AIDS Trojan Horse. His system got infected by inserting a (5.25’’) floppy with ‘aids/HIV’-related information (a questionnaire), resulting in a lock down of his system and a request to pay $189.[2] Figuring out how to get around this malware kindled Eddy Willems’ interest in computer viruses and resulted in a well received solution for this Trojan malware. Furthermore, it kick started his anti-virus and anti-malware career. Ever since, Eddy Willems compiles and maintains a reference library on the subject of viruses and malware.
Eddy Willems developed his career as security specialist initially at an insurance company (De Vaderlandsche – today part of P&V), followed by an added value distributor of security products (anti-virus expert at NOXS - a Westcon Group company) and at security software specialist Kaspersky Lab (Benelux, security evangelist).[3]
As his expertise grew, Eddy Willems joined international computer security organizations. In 1991, he became a founding father of EICAR (the European Institute for Computer Anti-Virus Research).[4] In 1995, he joined Joe Wells’ Virus Wildlist, reporting for Belgium, Luxembourg & for EICAR Europe. In May 2005, he became a board member of EICAR, as director of Press and Information. In 2009, he took up the position of director for Security AV Industry Relationships.[5] In 2010, Eddy Willems became a member and PR officer of AMTSO, the Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization, joining its board in May 2012.[6]
In Belgium, Eddy Willems was a member of the first government initiated e-security team, on the website of the telecom regulator BIPT-IBPT.[7] In 2015, he joined the board of LSEC – Leaders in Security, an association grouping security companies active in Belgium and EU.[8]
Eddy Willems is active on the speakers circuit, with presentations for companies and consumers, as well as at conferences (see Publications section).[9] [10] .[11] [12]
He has been asked for comments and opinions by radio and TV-stations, both international (CNN,[13] Al Jazeera[14]) and national (Belgium: VRT,[15] VTM[16]), and national newspapers (De Standaard,[17] De Morgen[18]). Eddy Willems regularly publishes opinions in ict-magazines, as Data News (Belgium)[19] and ZDnet.be.[20]
Eddy Willems is married and has a son.