Eddy Willems

Eddy Willems has been a security evangelist at German security software specialist G DATA 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]

• IHRB 1982-1984, computer sciences
• Vrije Universiteit Brussel 1980-1982, computer sciences

• Willems, Eddy (2013). Cybergevaar [Cyberdanger] (in Dutch). Netherlands: Lannoo. ISBN 978-9-401-412537. This is a book detailing the dangers and solutions regarding computer security,[21] targeting a readership of consumers and small business. It sketched the history of computer viruses and malware, specific cases, as well as tips and solutions to protect against viruses and malware.[22]
• Willems, Eddy (2015). Cybergefahr [Cyberdanger] (in German). Germany: Springer. ISBN 978-3-658-04761-0. This is an updated edition translated into German.[23]
• Willems, Eddy (2019). Cyberdanger. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-04531-9. An English edition of Cybergevaar (as 'Cyberdanger'), translated and updated, was published in June 2019.
• Major security white papers and articles include:
  • The original article on computer viruses in the Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia (US Edition, 1997-2009, no longer available online).
  • Willems, Eddy (June 2003). "The Winds Of Change - Updates To The EICAR Test File (Article)" (PDF). Virus Bulletin. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  • "Teach your children well (Paper)". Virus Bulletin Conference 2005. (Co-authored by David Harley, Eddy Willems and Judith Harley.)
  • "Attacks from the Inside (Paper)". Virus bulletin Conference 2010.(co-authored by Eddy Willems and Righard Zwienenberg.)
  • "Test Files and Product Evaluation: the Case for and against Malware Simulation (Paper)". AVAR Conference 2010. (Co-authored by David Harley, Eddy Willems,and Lysa Myers.)

Eddy Willems is married and has a son.

• EICAR (formerly the European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research)
• AMTSO (Anti-Malware Testing Standards Organization)
• "LSEC (Leaders In Security)".
• "The WildList Organization International".

• www.anti-malware.info
• www.eddywillems.be