Mikko Hypponen

Organizations are experiencing the most transformative AI boom in history, with breakthroughs arriving faster than anyone can follow. Artificial intelligence holds extraordinary potential to revolutionize industries, economies, and everyday operations—but its rise also creates unprecedented risks in cyberspace. As defenders automate threat detection and incident response, attackers are preparing their own AI-driven campaigns. The coming era will be defined by algorithms fighting algorithms, where the only effective counter to malicious AI is defensive AI. In this keynote, Mikko Hypponen examines both the boundless opportunities of artificial intelligence and the emerging cyber threats it brings, offering executive audiences a clear perspective on what lies ahead and how organizations can prepare for this fundamental shift in the security landscape.

Drawing on his acclaimed book If It's Smart, It's Vulnerable, Mikko Hypponen unpacks the principle that bears his name: every connected device—no matter how mundane—will eventually be hacked. With three decades on the frontlines of global cybersecurity, he explains why the proliferation of smart devices has created an unprecedented attack surface, from homes and hospitals to cities and critical infrastructure. In this insightful keynote, Hypponen blends real-world incident investigations, geopolitical analysis, and clear actionable guidance. He demonstrates how organizations can build resilience, why "secure by design" is no longer optional, and what leaders must understand to protect customers, employees, and data in a world where connectivity is both a strategic advantage and an inherent vulnerability. Audiences gain both a sharper understanding of emerging risks and a practical framework to address them.

For more than thirty years, Mikko Hypponen has investigated some of the most notorious cyber incidents in history. Since the early 1990s, he has tracked the evolution of digital threats from the first generation of computer viruses like Stoned to large-scale global outbreaks including Code Red, Slammer, Conficker, Stuxnet, WannaCry, and LockBit. His team discovered and responded to the ILOVEYOU worm, the largest malware attack to date. In this keynote, Mikko reflects on the turning points that have shaped how cyberattacks work and how defenses are built against them. He examines how threats evolved from teenage pranks to sophisticated, profit-driven operations backed by nation-states and organized crime. He also explores what lies ahead, arguing that the story of cybersecurity is still in its opening chapters—and that AI, quantum computing, and emerging technologies will force defenders to fundamentally rethink their strategies.

Technology shapes our conflicts and crises. Cyberspace has become the fifth domain in which nations fight wars—alongside land, sea, air, and space. Today, all nations build cyber defenses but also offensive cyber capabilities designed to disrupt adversaries' critical infrastructure, financial systems, and command networks. We are witnessing the beginning of the next arms race. In this keynote, Mikko Hypponen examines the evolution of cyberwarfare, from early disruption campaigns to today's sophisticated nation-state operations targeting energy grids, healthcare systems, and democratic institutions. He analyzes recent conflicts including the cyber dimensions of the war in Ukraine, showing how digital attacks now precede and accompany military operations. For executives, the implications are profound: corporate networks are increasingly caught in the crossfire between nation-states, making cyber resilience a strategic imperative. Hypponen provides frameworks for understanding these threats and building organizational defenses that account for geopolitical risk.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping the very foundations of the internet. What began as a platform for connection and information exchange is evolving into a world where machines generate content, make autonomous decisions, and even launch attacks without human intervention. Trust becomes harder to establish, safety more fragile, and security more essential than ever. In this new era, the challenge is not simply building powerful AI systems, but building AI we can rely on. The future of the internet—and of society itself—will depend on how successfully we balance intelligence with trust, innovation with safety, and technological progress with security. In this keynote, Mikko Hypponen explores what organizations must do to navigate this transformation, examining both the opportunities and the risks that emerge when AI becomes the dominant force shaping online interaction and digital commerce.

Technology shapes the world, and the more successful a new technology becomes, the more reliant society grows on it. In many ways, the internet is both the best and worst innovation of our lifetime. We were given a free and open internet with extraordinary potential for connection, commerce, and progress—but what kind of internet are we leaving behind? Our global networks are increasingly threatened by surveillance, cybercrime, and geopolitical fragmentation. How did we arrive at this point? And where do we go next? In this thought-provoking keynote, Mikko Hypponen examines the evolution of the internet from its idealistic origins to its current state, exploring the tensions between openness and security, privacy and convenience, innovation and control. He challenges audiences to consider what must change if we want to preserve the internet's transformative potential while addressing its most fundamental vulnerabilities.