Inspiring with passion and storytelling

 

I am a highly sought-after speaker and presenter, known for my inspiring talks on cyber security. I have addressed diverse audiences, ranging from children to experts, and have presented at TEDx events worldwide. My passion for sharing knowledge and insights into cyber security has made me one of the most respected figures in the cyber security sector.

Cyber security conferences where I gave keynotes and/or lectures include Virus Bulletin, EICAR, AVAR, FIRST, InfoSec UK, InfoSec Russia, InfoSec BE, InfoSec NL, Cybersec Europe, NCFTA (SlamSpam), APWG eCrime, RISE, Underground Economy, Hacktivity, SINFO, ASLAN, SecurityForum, LSZ Austria, Urban Tech, AV Comparatives, ISOI, CeBIT, ISSE, Synaxon and much more …

Some of my clients include Telenet, Vattenfall, IBR-IBE, Barco, Tissueworld, Informa, Aramco, VOKA, Frixis, VVSG, Brunel, ARAS Security, Vives University Belgium, Hagenberg University Austria, AP University Antwerp, Utrecht University, IEEE, VIE, CMS, CVO, VLI, B-inside, Lions, Rotary, JCI, Neos, AZ Sint Jan Bruges, Davidsfonds, Aexis, ATEB, Regas, Van Breda, Cegeka Group and much more …

During the past three decades I have given presentations, lectures or keynotes in 40 countries in 5 continents around the world.

Keynotes and lectures can be given in English or Dutch.

Please contact one of the speakers agencies mentioned at my homepage if you are interested to hear and watch one of my keynotes. ( Read-My-Lips , Speakersbase , A-Speakers, All American Speakers, Speaking.com or London Speaker Bureau. )

Alternatively you can contact me via the email-address ‘info (at) wavci (dot) com’ if you want to book me for a keynote or a lecture or get a quote .

Don’t forget of course to replace ‘at’ with @ and ‘dot’ with . to create a normal email address: this is done for anti-spam purposes.

 

TOPICS/ABSTRACTS

 

Cyberdangers: Unmasking the Threats That Shape Our Digital World

Join renowned cybersecurity expert Eddy Willems for a gripping deep dive into the ever-evolving cyber threats that have plagued the world in recent years.

Why does a 36-year-old problem remain the most pressing security challenge of our time? Have we truly learned from past mistakes, or are we still making the same ones?

Eddy will expose the real dangers lurking in the digital shadows, with a sharp focus on why businesses continue to be prime targets for cybercriminals. Discover the preferred tactics of hackers, ransomware operators, and cyber warfare actors—and learn what your company or organization should really be worried about. Are you certain you’ve taken the right steps to protect yourself?

But cyber threats don’t just target businesses—they affect everyone. Whether you’re an individual, a professional, or simply someone who uses the internet, understanding these dangers is crucial. Cybercrime impacts our privacy, finances, and even global stability.

Through eye-opening analyses of malware, hacking, ransomware, and even nation-state cyber conflicts, this session will change the way you see cybersecurity.

With over three decades of frontline experience, Eddy refines the chaos of the digital battlefield into a pragmatic, passionate, and solution-driven approach to tackling today’s and tomorrow’s cyber threats.

No matter who you are, this is a wake-up call you don’t want to miss.

 

Keep Your Smartphone Safe!

Your smartphone is your lifeline—but it could also be your biggest security risk.

In this eye-opening session, Eddy Willems will take you inside the dark side of smartphone security, exposing the real cyber dangers lurking within the devices we trust the most. From hidden malware to sophisticated spyware, cybercriminals are constantly finding new ways to exploit your most personal data.

Are iOS (Apple) and Android (Google-Alphabet) smartphones equally secure, or is one truly safer than the other? Is iOS really as impenetrable as many believe?

Eddy will break down the critical differences between spyware and stalkerware, revealing just how these threats invade your privacy. Are these new dangers, or have they been evolving in the background for years? Most importantly, what can you do to protect yourself?

Through real-world examples, Eddy will demonstrate just how easily things can go wrong—how cybercriminals infiltrate devices, how sensitive information gets stolen, and how simple mistakes can lead to devastating consequences.

But it’s not all doom and gloom—Eddy will provide essential tips and strategies to safeguard yourself, your company, and your smartphone against modern cyber threats.

If you care about your privacy, this lecture is a must. If you want to understand the hidden risks of smartphone security, this session will open your eyes like never before.

Because in today’s digital world, your smartphone isn’t just a device—it’s a target.

 

AI Lives? The Truth Behind Artificial Intelligence

ChatGPT has been the buzzword of the year, dominating conversations and fueling excitement about the future of Artificial Intelligence. But AI is so much more than just chatbots and automation—its impact reaches far beyond what most people realize.

So, what are the real advantages of AI? And more importantly, what are the risks? While AI is revolutionizing cybersecurity by detecting suspicious behavior faster than ever, it’s also empowering hackers with new, highly sophisticated attack methods. Has AI launched a new era of cybersecurity, or are we losing control of the battle?

But cybersecurity is just one piece of the puzzle. AI raises even bigger questions, some of which we may not yet have answers to:

• Can AI fail in ways we don’t understand?
• Will AI set its own goals, beyond human control?
• Can AI create even more powerful AI models that no one fully governs?
• What’s the bigger threat—malicious AI, or criminals using AI for cyberattacks?
• What is the greatest danger AI poses to the world?
• And what about your job? Is it safe in an AI-driven future?

With four decades of experience in security, IT and AI, Eddy Willems offers a pragmatic, passionate, and eye-opening perspective on the true risks and rewards of artificial intelligence.

AI isn’t just changing technology—it’s changing everything. Are you ready for what’s next?

 

 

TESTIMONIALS

 

‘It was great to have Eddy Willems speaking at Tissue World Düsseldorf, his keynote was a huge success!’

INFORMA

 

‘A dynamic speaker with a nice, informative and interesting story as a keynote, what do you want more from a keynote speaker?’

BARCO

 

‘One of the better keynote speakers during our online events.’

VATTENFALL

 

‘This was a very interesting keynote. We received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees.’

VVSG

 

‘Enthusiatic speaker, pleasant to listen to. Expert in his field, delivered in a clear and engaging manner!’

IBR-IRE

 

 

 

 

 

You want something special?

On request, I also give some (duo) lectures/presentations/keynotes together with my good friend and cyber security expert Righard Zwienenberg. We are doing this since the nineties and received several best speaker awards together.

Who is Righard Zwienenberg? (see also my books ‘Cyberdanger’ and ‘The Virus’ )

Zwienenberg started dealing with computer viruses in 1988 after encountering the first virus problems at the Technical University of Delft. His interest thus kindled and studied virus behavior and presented solutions and detection schemes ever since. Initially starting as an independent consultant, in 1991 he co-founded CSE Ltd. In November 1995 Zwienenberg joined the Research and Development department of ThunderBYTE. In 1998 he joined the Norman Development team to work on the scanner engine. In 2005 Zwienenberg took the role of Chief Research Officer. After AMTSO – Anti Malware Testing Standards Organization – was formed, Zwienenberg was elected as president, later he served as CTO and CEO. He is serving on the board of AVAR and on the Advisory Board of Virus Bulletin. In 2012 Zwienenberg joined ESET as a Senior Research Fellow. He was also the Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of IEEE ICSG. In 2018, Zwienenberg joined the Europol European Cyber Crime Center (EC3) Advisory Group as an ESET representative. He also runs his own computer security consultancy company (RIZSC).

Zwienenberg has been a member of CARO since late 1991. He is a frequent speaker at conferences – among these Virus Bulletin, EICAR, AVAR, FIRST, APWG, RSA, InfoSec, SANS, CFET, ISOI, SANS Security Summits, IP Expo, Government Symposia, SCADA seminars, etc. – and general security seminars. His interests are not limited to malicious code but have broadened to include general cybersecurity issues and encryption technologies over the past years.

 

 

TOPICS/ABSTRACTS

 

Coming Fall 2025 (or book already a tryout with a discounted price)

SAETI: State-Actor Empowered Threat Intelligence… A Good or a Bad thing?

State-Actor Empowered Threat Intelligence (SAETI) represents a potent blend of government resources and cybersecurity expertise aimed at identifying, assessing, and mitigating threats in cyberspace. On the positive side, SAETI can significantly enhance national security by providing comprehensive insights into potential cyberthreats from hostile states, criminal organizations, and terrorist groups. Governments can leverage their vast resources, including advanced technologies and intelligence networks, to gather and analyze data more effectively than private entities can. This level of threat intelligence can lead to more robust defense mechanisms, better-prepared responses to cyber incidents, and a more secure digital infrastructure for both public and private sectors.

But the empowerment of state actors in threat intelligence also raises several concerns. One major issue is the potential for abuse of power and overreach. State actors with extensive surveillance capabilities might infringe on citizens’ privacy and civil liberties under the guise of national security. The “centralized” control over threat intelligence might lead to a lack of transparency and accountability, making it difficult to ensure that such powers are not misused. There is a risk that the focus on national security could lead to the suppression of dissent and the targeting of political opponents, thereby undermining democratic values. And it can also cause private organizations to lose visibility as they will lose telemetry possibilities, such as with the EU regulated “electronic IDentification, Authentication and trust Services”, or short: eIDAS.

A significant drawback is the international implications of SAETI. When state actors engage in cyber­operations, it can escalate tensions between nations and contribute to an ongoing cyber‑­arms race. Countries might feel compelled to enhance their own cyber‑capabilities in response, leading to an environment of mutual distrust and increased cyberconflict. This can also complicate diplomatic relations and international cooperation on cybersecurity issues; Instead of fostering a collaborative approach to securing cyberspace, the involvement of state actors may lead to a fragmented and adversarial global landscape. Information professionals in the public sector have the Code of Ethics, established by the International Federation for Information Processing (IFIP) in 2020. Almost all affiliated organizations for information professionals endorse this code as a basis and guideline for methods, best practices, standards, and frameworks. The question is whether state-affiliated actors can and will use a code similar to the one that provides confidence in the private sector.

Join us while we take a tour having a look at all the good and bad things of SAETI, where of course a flashback to ancient and historical intelligence services is not forgotten, as we always must learn from past mistakes, right?

 

Let’s Chat about Gross Public Text generation

ChatGPT is the buzzword of the year. Suddenly everyone mentions and everything uses ChatGPT (or so they say). But many people do not know what ChatGPT really stands for, or what it really is! Many people do not even know ChatGPT is just an example of a Large Language Model (LLM) bundled with some Machine Learning (ML) module and that there are many others in existence. To get a good overview of the progress in LLM technology, we will dig into the short history of LLMs.

There is no doubt about that LLMs can be a great asset for your company’s workflow. But at the same time, you should wonder: can an LLM expose your company secrets? The answer is plain and simple: YES! (And it already happened.)

Leaving aside the good things an LLM can be for your company, we will focus on the dangers lurking around the use of an LLM and/or AI and your company depending on it, and showing real-life examples where it went or can go wrong, e.g., with Identity Management, Marketing, PII, (False) Information gathering, creation of (unethical) content, etc.

Of course, LLM and ML failures can lead to some humorous moments too; several of these will be showcased during the presentation.

We will conclude with what you can do to safeguard your company and yourself against all the nasty elements that may occur when using LLMs.

 

♬ You ain’t seen nothing yet ♫

Since last year so many ludicrously avoidable cybersecurity incidents have been experienced that one really must wonder if users will ever learn. How much education and awareness does one need?! It becomes even more cynical if the incidents are caused by the politicians who made the cyber-regulations but don’t follow (read: break) the rules themselves “because they are inconvenient to work with”.

With their energetic and lively presentation style, this dynamic duo will present real-life examples of cyber-incidents, and explain what went wrong and how they could have been prevented. Eager to learn why we (the users) keep making these mistakes, they will also dive deeper into the reasons why history keeps repeating itself. And they will reveal the surprising common denominator that they have found.

To get you in the mood, turn on your Walkman, insert that 70’s cassette, and play Bachman Turner Overdrive’s “You ain’t seen nothing yet” as loud as you can. Then, after attending our presentation, we hope everyone will stop making these errors so that we can genuinely say “Here’s something that you’re never gonna forget!  B-b-b-baby”

 

“Fool Us!”, or is it “Us Fools”… Several “Fools” Years Later…

Years ago, in our presentation “Attacks from the inside…” at the Virus Bulletin 2010 Conference in Vancouver, we outlined and provided examples of a variety of possible scenarios for internal attacks. We concluded with a top nine problems of ‘in-the-cloud services’. Now, several years later, we were both surprised that our predictions and warnings seem to have been completely ignored, with all of them having materialized.

In this presentation, we will “relive” our 2010 presentation, while illustrating with recent examples that our message and warnings are as current and relevant as they were then. Nothing changed, except that internal attacks now also come from the outside!

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the corporate world changed, with “home office” meaning inside and outside becoming mixed. In a recent incident, eight of the top nine problems we identified years ago were present, and all were foolishly ignored by professionals working from home. We considered naming the presentation “Attacks from the inside, by the outside…”, but as lessons learned and advice given in 2010 by “Us Fools!” seem to be ignored, must we assume that no one cares and really thinks “Fool Us!”?

We genuinely hope that the message we bring, combined with recent real-life examples, this time is not in vain…