Remembering David Harley, cybersecurity pioneer and mentor

The cybersecurity community mourns David Harley (76), a pioneering researcher, author, editor, and mentor whose work bridged the human and technical sides of digital security.

Career at a glance:

• A self-described late entrant to IT who became a leading voice from the early era of computer viruses through the age of ransomware
• ESET Senior Research Fellow until his retirement in 2018
• Academic background in modern languages, social sciences, and computer science
• Early advocate for addressing human factors in security, including the psychology of cybercrime
• Contributor to malware trend analysis and standards for antimalware product testing

A prolific communicator:

• Treated writing and public speaking as extensions of research and a way to strengthen the security community
• Published extensively across articles, books, and conference papers; much of his work remains available on WeLiveSecurity
• Believed cybersecurity is a public good and encouraged others to “pay it forward”
• Accomplished singer, songwriter, and guitarist

Colleagues remember:

• Andrew Lee (ESET VP of Government Affairs) met David through the alt.comp.virus newsgroup in the late 1990s. David’s thoughtful guidance helped shape Lee’s early conference work on Linux malware, eventually leading to collaborations and a role at ESET. Beyond security, they bonded over traditional British folk music. Lee recalls David as gentle, witty, insightful, and profoundly kind.
• Bruce P. Burrell (ESET Research Fellow) first connected with David via VIRUS-L/comp.virus and later in person at Virus Bulletin conferences. Together with George Wenzel, they built the alt.comp.virus FAQ and worked on the AVIEN Malware Defense Guide. Burrell highlights David’s superb writing, sharp wit, and generosity as a collaborator, especially alongside Nick FitzGerald at ESET.
• Righard Zwienenberg (ESET Senior Research Fellow) shared decades of friendship, including musical sessions. He describes David as a “walking Wikipedia” whose meticulous editing came with pointers to rich references. Though a sometimes self-effacing presenter—punctuating talks with a memorable “Oh dear …”—David’s depth of knowledge drew crowds and admiration.

Explore his legacy:

• WeLiveSecurity author page
• Google Scholar
• Wikipedia
• Inspiration Point
• David Harley Words & Music & Pictures &…
• Wheal Alice Music
• (Un)Selective Symmetry

Our condolences go to David’s family, friends, and the many colleagues he inspired. His influence lives on in the practices, people, and music he enriched.

Source: WeLiveSecurity