Why Everyone is Listening to Kaspersky eLaw & Management
go to original July 25, 2012

Russian tech entrepreneur and Kaspersky Lab CEO Eugene Kaspersky speaks with Reuters during the Kaspersky Security Analyst Summit in Cancun February 2, 2012. (Reuters/Victor Ruiz Garcia)

A ruddy-faced, unshaven man bounds onstage in Cancun, Mexico, to address a group of 60 or so financial analysts, reporters, diplomats, and cybersecurity specialists.

He is one of Russia's richest men - the CEO of what is arguably the most important Internet security company in the world. His name is Eugene Kaspersky, and he paid for almost everyone in the audience to attend. A column on the brookings.edu site notes that Kaspersky has 300m customers and his 'geek squad' uncovers US cyberweapons.

Kaspersky's elite anti-hackers in May exposed a second weaponised computer program, which they dubbed Flame. It was subsequently revealed to be another US-Israeli operation aimed at Iran. In other words, Kaspersky Lab isn't just an antivirus company; it's also a leader in uncovering cyber-espionage. Serving at the pinnacle of such an organisation would be a remarkably powerful position for any man.

But Kaspersky's rise is particularly notable - and to some, downright troubling - given his KGB-sponsored training, his tenure as a Soviet intelligence officer, his alliance with Vladimir Putin's regime, and his deep and ongoing relationship with Russia's Federal Security Service, or FSB. The column notes that none of this history is ever mentioned in Cancun.

Rather, Kaspersky's vision for the future of Internet security - which by Western standards can seem extreme - is played out. It includes requiring strictly monitored digital passports for some online activities and enabling government regulation of social networks to thwart protest movements. 'It's too much freedom there,' Kaspersky says, referring to sites like Facebook. 'Freedom is good. But the bad guys - they can abuse this freedom to manipulate public opinion.'

These are not exactly comforting words from a man who is responsible for the security of so many of our PCs, tablets, and smartphones. But that is the paradox of Eugene Kaspersky: a close associate of the autocratic Putin regime who is charged with safeguarding the data of millions of Americans; a supposedly-retired intelligence officer who is busy today revealing the covert activities of other nations; a vital presence in the open and free Internet who doesn't want us to be too free. It's an enigmatic profile that's on the rise as Kaspersky's influence grows.

Follow to read full article on brookings.edu column

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!