Arjen Kamphuis

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Arjen Kamphuis
Kamphuis in 2015
Born(1972-01-26)26 January 1972
Disappeared20 August 2018 (aged 46)
Bodø, Norway
StatusMissing for 5 years, 8 months and 11 days
NationalityDutch

Arjen Kamphuis (Groningen, 26 January 1972 – missing since 20 August 2018, last seen in Bodø, Norway) was a cybersecurity expert and hacktivist. He addressed topics like open standards and free software, safe elections and an IT-aware and IT-capable government, eventually to protect free speech and democracy. Ever since Edward Snowden leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013, he was especially dedicated to protecting investigative journalists.[1] He wrote the book ‘Information security for investigative journalists’[2] with co-author Silkie Carlo, director of Big Brother Watch.[3]

Career[edit]

Kamphuis was co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Gendo. Kamphuis studied Natural Sciences at Utrecht University and worked for IBM and Twynstra Gudde as IT architect, trainer and IT strategy advisor. He was a certified EDP auditor and information security specialist. Since 2006 he helped to secure the information systems of corporates, national government and NGO's. His work ranges from regular privacy-compliance and security-awareness up to countering espionage against companies, journalists and governments. To keep up technically he was involved with the global hacker-scene. He kept in touch with (former)employees of spy agencies and other professionals who work at the front of critical infrastructure protection. He worked on the strategic impact of new technological developments and the social, economic and geo-political impact of science and technology.[citation needed]

In 2016 Kamphuis started working for Brunel in Amsterdam as Lead Advisor Information Security and from then on he worked closely with William (Bill) Binney and Kirk Wiebe. On 11 August 2017, he was invited with Bill Binney to a press conference in Austria, together with Max Schrems and Thomas Lohninger to talk about mass surveillance in Austria.[4] In late 2017 he started the Brunel daughter company Pretty Good Knowledge as Technical Director. Bill Binney and Kirk Wiebe were co-founders and they contribute as Directors of Analytics.[5]

Kamphuis has been involved in formulating public IT policy in the areas of open standards and open source for the government and public sector.[6] He advised senior managers and administrators of companies and public institutions, members of parliament in several European countries and the Dutch Cabinet about the opportunities offered by open standards and open source software for the European knowledge economy and society as a whole. In the expert team of Plasterk he advised about (not) using e-voting for elections.[7]

Personal life[edit]

Kamphuis was in a relationship with Annie Machon, former MI5 intelligence officer and whistleblower, between 2007 and 2014,[8] living in Düsseldorf and Berlin.[9] In 2016 he settled in Amsterdam. He was a much sought-after international speaker on technology policy issues. He wrote about his insights and ideas for Huffington Post.[10]

Disappearance[edit]

The Norwegian police conclude that Kamphuis probably drowned due to a kayaking incident on the fjord near Rognan, Norway.[11] His body has not been found. After his disappearance, friends of Kamphuis compiled a book of a selection of his articles to which prof. dr. B.P.F. (Bart) Jacobs, Professor Interdisciplinary Hub for Security, Privacy and Data Governance at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands wrote the introduction Arjen Kamphuis and the public cause in the digital world.[12][13]

Bibliography[edit]

Kamphuis, A. (2020). Infosecurity (Gran knows why). Gendo; ISBN 9789090328218 -

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Information security for journalists: staying secure online". 19 September 2014. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Information Security for Journalists". FreeTechBooks. 1 May 2016. Archived from the original on 16 December 2016. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Speculation over fate of missing Dutchman linked to WikiLeaks". the Guardian. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  4. ^ "English transcript of Pressekonferenz Österreich am Weg zum Überwachungsstaat". Acamedia. 11 August 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2019. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
  5. ^ "Pretty Good Knowledge with Bill Binney and Kirk Wiebe" (PDF). Solari. 19 November 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Tedxdelft-speaker in the spotlight Arjen Kamphuis". Tedxdelft. 18 March 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  7. ^ Schoemaker, René (26 April 2013). "Commissie gaat herinvoering stemcomputer bekijken". Webwereld (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Arjen Kamphuis - hacktivist". London Real. 12 January 2014. Archived from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 9 August 2021.
  9. ^ "A la recherche d'Arjen Kamphuis, le hackeur évanoui dans la nature". Le Monde (in French). 25 October 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Author Arjen Kamphuis". Huffington Post. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Missing Dutch cyber expert died in kayaking accident, Norwegian police believe". NL Times. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Infosecurity (Gran knows why)" (PDF). Bescherm je gegevens. 2 September 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Arjen Kamphuis en de publieke zaak in de digitale wereld". VPRO/Argos (in Dutch). Retrieved 9 August 2021.
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