59. The Journey of Mikko Hyppönen – From Brain to ILOVEYOU, Through Ransomware, and Beyond

When you think of legends in cybersecurity, one name always comes up: Mikko Hyppönen. With over three decades of experience, groundbreaking research featured in The New York Times and Wired, keynote talks at RSA, DEF CON, and Black Hat, plus a best-selling book that coined the famous phrase “If it’s smart, it’s vulnerable”, Mikko is nothing short of a global icon in the field.

In this special episode of Cyber Chats & Chill, recorded onboard a security cruise in Helsinki, we sit down with Mikko to explore his remarkable journey. We talk about the Brain virus, the world’s first PC malware and his unexpected door-knocking trip to Lahore, the ILOVEYOU outbreak that shook the early 2000s, and even his work with a malware art museum. Mikko unpacks why “if it’s smart, it’s vulnerable” applies to everything from washing machines to wristwatches, and what that means for our connected future.

We also dive into his perspective on ransomware, how it has evolved from the “script-kid” days into a billion-dollar industry, the rules of the game that have changed, and why it has become so widespread. Beyond the technical, Mikko reflects on his biggest role model, what truly makes a great hacker, and the one piece of advice he’d give to his younger self stepping into a lab for the first time.

If you’re curious about the past, present, and future of cybersecurity, and want to hear it straight from one of the most respected voices in the industry, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!

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