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Victor Gevers is a world-renowned Dutch cybersecurity expert, ethical hacker, and advocate for a safer internet. With over three decades of experience, he has consistently exposed significant data breaches and vulnerabilities, notably in China. His groundbreaking discoveries include the "SenseNets" facial recognition database used to track the Muslim population in Xinjiang, and the controversial "BreedReady" database categorizing 1.8 million Chinese women based on their childbearing potential.
In 2019, Gevers unearthed a massive data breach compromising the private messages and personal information of 364 million Chinese users on platforms like WeChat and QQ, highlighting the invasive surveillance practices of the Chinese government. This discovery contributed to the subsequent ban of WeChat in the United States due to national security concerns.
Featured in episodes 87 and 88 of the Darknet Diaries podcast about the 2016 LinkedIn data breach and high-profile incidents around President Trump's Twitter account in 2016 and 2020.
From 2019 to 2022, Victor served as Chair of the Dutch Institute for Vulnerability Disclosure (DIVD). In this role, he led strategic governance and advocacy efforts, building the institute’s reputation and mission around collaborative and ethical vulnerability disclosure. He engaged with governments, corporations, and civil society to shape responsible security practices. He continued as Head of R&D at DIVD from 2022 to 2025, leading advanced research initiatives in vulnerability research.
In 2025, Victor became the Chief Executive Officer of CSIRT.global —a global, independent, not-for-profit cybersecurity response and research organization. Under his leadership, CSIRT.global tackles overlooked and emerging vulnerabilities through a volunteer-powered model. The organization identifies, triages, and coordinates disclosure of security issues across industries, while also mentoring a new generation of ethical hackers and growing global resilience through public benefit initiatives like the Project Global Universities (PGU).
Alongside his leadership roles, Victor continues to mentor young talent through the DIVD Academy's internship program, where he helps shape the next generation of ethical hackers and digital defenders, tirelessly working towards a more secure digital world.