About

I’m Koen and I do a lot of things. I’m passionate about software security. With the little free time I’ve got, I read, write, travel, develop stuff for web and mobile, and talk to random strangers. I grew up in Leuven, Belgium, but I am currently living in the United States.

I sign up for challenges, preferably where I can use my security knowledge, technological insights, common sense, creativity and quick thinking to add value to customers’ applications. I have a strong interest in bringing the security-level of many applications to the next level. The identification and prevention of logical and architectural security flaws intrigues me.

As of June 2014, I’m a security consultant for Cigital (acquired by Synopsys).

Prior, I successfully increased the security-level of many (web) applications within Sony. My main focus was design and logical errors.

Before this, I spent the better part of the last decade dipping into various security-related topics at the research group DistriNet. Moving from academia to industry allowed me to apply my theoretical knowledge on real world products. I am also a member of the GIAC advisory board and participate regularly in OWASP chapter meetings.

I love getting lost in cities I have never visited before. My wife sparked my interest in foreign languages: I regularly speak my mother tongue (Dutch), English, French, and Portuguese. I also have dabbed into German and Spanish. I try to read at least one book a week.

• koen@buyens.org
• VA, USA