These are not exactly comforting words from a man who is responsible for the security of so many of our PCs, tablets, and smartphones. But the bad guys-they can abuse this freedom to manipulate public opinion.' 'It's too much freedom there,' Kaspersky says, referring to sites like Facebook. It includes requiring strictly monitored digital passports for some online activities and enabling government regulation of social networks to thwart protest movements. What is mentioned is Kaspersky's vision for the future of Internet security-which by Western standards can seem extreme. When it comes to keeping computers free from infection, Kaspersky Lab is on its way to becoming an industry leader. Microsoft, Cisco, and Juniper Networks all embed Kaspersky code in their products-effectively giving the company 300 million users.

Worldwide, 50 million people are now members of the Kaspersky Security Network, sending data to the company's Moscow headquarters every time they download an application to their desktop. Between 20, according to Forbes, retail sales of Kaspersky antivirus software increased 177 percent, reaching almost 4.5 million a year-nearly as much as its rivals Symantec and McAfee combined. Kaspersky and his company, Kaspersky Lab, very well might.

The Italian defense minister isn't going to determine whether criminals or governments get their hands on your data. He's bragging to be sure, but Kaspersky may be selling himself short. Left of me, minister of defense of Italy. 'Kissinger, McCain, presidents, government ministers' were all there, he says. Over the past 72 hours, Kaspersky explains, he flew from Mexico to Germany and back to take part in another conference. ' Buenos dias,' he says in a throaty Russian accent, as he apologizes for missing the previous night's boozy activities. His name is Eugene Kaspersky, and he paid for almost everyone in the audience to come here. In fact, he's one of Russia's richest men-the CEO of what is arguably the most important Internet security company in the world.

Wearing a wrinkled white polo shirt with a pair of red sunglasses perched on his head, he looks more like a beach bum who's lost his way than a business executive. A ruddy-faced, unshaven man bounds onstage.

Yevgeny kaspersky