Defenders of the web: The people behind 7 influential security companies

Browsing the web may be easy, but ensuring your digital safety is not.

That's why there are hundreds of companies around providing numerous products to safeguard consumers and companies from malicious actors. While many of these companies offer seemingly identical products, some of the best are not only protecting users but researching what hackers are doing and exposing them.

Here are a few of the most influential companies on the market today, the people behind these firms, and some of the important vulnerabilities they've brought to light.

Kaspersky Lab: Eugene Kaspersky

Kaspersky Lab was founded in 1997 by the storied Russian security specialist Eugene Kaspersky. From the beginning it has provided anti-virus software to large companies. But in the 2000s it expanded to offer more wide-reaching products including consumer and mobile security products.

Its researchers have been known to expose some of the most famous hacking groups and their malware. These include Flame — which was discovered in 2012 as a highly advanced cyber espionage program — as well as the Equation group, which was just announced this year as a clandestine computer spying ring. Kaspersky Labs’ headquarters are in Moscow, although it has over 30 offices globally. 

FireEye: Dave DeWalt

FireEye is a California-based network security firm. It offers services meant to manage networks for potential threats as well as offer its customers detailed threat intelligence. The company has joined forces with federal authorities, universities, and other security groups to discover and combat various malware. Most recently, FireEye discovered a group of hackers known as FIN4, which was targeting Wall Street to steal insider information.

Its CEO, Dave DeWalt, is a well-known heavyhitter in the cybersecurity scene. He worked as CEO of the security company McAfee, and then reportedly turned down 40 other positions until he settled on taking the helm at FireEye.

Palo Alto Networks: Nir Zuk

Founded in 2005, Palo Alto Networks is a network security company known for building advanced firewalls directed toward enterprise customers. Its founder, Nir Zuk, worked as an engineer at Check Point and NetScreen Technologies.

Most of Palo Alto Networks’ products revolve around network traffic. The company has also made some important malware discoveries, most recently a family of malware known as “WireLurker” that took direct aim at Apple products.