Aryeh Goretsky

Aryeh Goretsky

Distinguished Researcher


Highlights of your career? First employee at McAfee; Director at Tribal Voice, one of the first instant messaging companies; moderator at several popular online communities, including Lenovo, Lockergnome Help Forum, Scots Newsletter Forum and Wilders Security Forum; received Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and Neowin Most Valuable Contributor awards.

Position and history at ESET? Joined ESET in 2005 as Manager, Support; moved to Manager, Research in 2006; promoted to Distinguished Researcher in 2009.

What malware do you hate the most? Malware that alters, corrupts, destroys, modifies or steals a user’s data is on my "most-hated" list. To me, that’s the ultimate violation of a user’s computer.

Favorite activities? Keeping telephone scammers on the phone for as long as possible. Also, reading and sleeping.

What is your golden rule for cyberspace? Avoid the impulse to click on things.

When did you get your first computer and what kind was it? The first computer I used would probably have been a Commodore PET. I also used the Apple ][ and Commodore 64. This would have been the late 1970s or early 1980s.

Favorite computer game/activity? I spend most of my free computing time on forums helping answer other users’ technology questions. For computer games, I have been playing ARK: Survival Evolved and Borderlands 2 most recently. For RPG and board games, CaH, Pathfinder, Settlers of Catan, Starfinder and The Walking Dead.


79 articles by Aryeh Goretsky

Digital Security

Fuel for thought: Can a driverless car get arrested?

Fuel for thought: Can a driverless car get arrested?

Digital Security

Fuel for thought: Can a driverless car get arrested?

What happens when problems caused by autonomous vehicles are not the result of errors, but the result of purposeful attacks?

Aryeh Goretsky and Cameron Camp21 Nov 20237 min. read


Secure Coding

Can open-source software be secure?

Can open-source software be secure?

Secure Coding

Can open-source software be secure?

Or, is mass public meddling just opening the door for problems? And how does open-source software compare to proprietary software in terms of security?

Aryeh Goretsky and Cameron Camp26 Sep 20235 min. read


Digital Security

You may not care where you download software from, but malware does

You may not care where you download software from, but malware does

Digital Security

You may not care where you download software from, but malware does

Why do people still download files from sketchy places and get compromised as a result?

Aryeh Goretsky16 May 202313 min. read


Digital Security

Into the void: Your tech and security in digital darkness

Into the void: Your tech and security in digital darkness

Digital Security

Into the void: Your tech and security in digital darkness

No internet, perfect security? Two ESET researchers perform a thought experiment where they consider the implications of being plunged into digital darkness.

Aryeh Goretsky and Cameron Camp07 Feb 20232 min. read


ESET Research

RDP on the radar: An up-close view of evolving remote access threats

RDP on the radar: An up-close view of evolving remote access threats

ESET Research

RDP on the radar: An up-close view of evolving remote access threats

Misconfigured remote access services continue to give bad actors an easy access path to company networks – here’s how you can minimize your exposure to attacks misusing Remote Desktop Protocol

Aryeh Goretsky07 Sep 20226 min. read


Less Technical

The downside of ‘debugging’ ransomware

The downside of ‘debugging’ ransomware

Less Technical

The downside of ‘debugging’ ransomware

The decision to release a ransomware decryptor involves a delicate balancing act between helping victims recover their data and alerting criminals to errors in their code

Cameron Camp and Aryeh Goretsky16 May 20225 min. read


Digital Security

In Memoriam: John McAfee

In Memoriam: John McAfee

Digital Security

In Memoriam: John McAfee

What was it like to work for, and be friends with, the technology entrepreneur back when he helped shape the computer security industry?

Aryeh Goretsky28 Jun 202110 min. read


ESET research

Thunderspy attacks: What they are, who’s at greatest risk and how to stay safe

Thunderspy attacks: What they are, who’s at greatest risk and how to stay safe

ESET research

Thunderspy attacks: What they are, who’s at greatest risk and how to stay safe

All you need to know about preventing adversaries from exploiting the recently disclosed vulnerabilities in the Thunderbolt interface

Aryeh Goretsky30 Jul 202016 min. read


COVID-19

Work from home: Securing RDP and remote access

Work from home: Securing RDP and remote access

COVID-19

Work from home: Securing RDP and remote access

As work from home is the new norm in the coronavirus era, you’re probably thinking of enabling remote desktop connections for your off-site staff. Here’s how to do it securely.

Aryeh Goretsky02 Apr 20202 min. read