Name: Tatu Ylonen
Title: Founder, SSH Communications Security, Corp.
Age: 38
Education: Helsinki University of Technology " MSc in Computer Science, 1992, and Licentiate of Technology, 1994 [Lic.Tech. is a Finnish graduate degree, and could be considered a combination of a Masters degree and a PhD in the U.S.]
1. Favorite online tech resource:
www.abebooks.com and www.amazon.com are two.
I rarely read tech news sites. When I do, it's only through a search engine.
In addition to the ones already mentioned, ACM Digital Library (http://portal.acm.org/dl.cfm) is one of my favorites. It contains real information, as opposed to the babble and hype of most sites. I always try to find the hard facts and the real information, and try to see through the hype.
2. Tenure in IT industry:
I've always been an entrepreneur, with the exception of two years as a university researcher. My first company (1988-1993) was New Generation Software (NGS), which specialized in full text databases, newspaper archives and information retrieval. Then I spent a few years as a database researcher at University of Helsinki. During that time, I founded Applied Computing Research (ACR) in 1994, which focused mostly on embedded systems and embedded databases.
In December of 1995, I founded SSH Communications Security Corp. SSH went public on the Helsinki Exchange in 2000. Since last year, I have created some distance from day-to-day operations to develop a few new ideas.
3. First ever tech job:
I started freelancing just before high school. My first paid project was in 1985 working with a graphical keyboard reconfiguration tool for a Swedish computer called Compis, which was similar to a PC, but not compatible. I built a terminal emulator, disk-format conversion tool, text editor, graphics editor, and a product to create integrated database-thematic maps for the same machine.
Some of theses programs were sold to the manufacturer and ended up as part of the operating system. Other programs were published by a Finnish book company that was also distributing these machines for schools. At that time, I started developing information retrieval tools as a hobby, which led to my first company in 1988.
4. Did you plan to be in IT security? If not, what was your initial career dream?
When I went to university, it was a tough choice between electrical engineering and computer science. Since I started early as a self-employed entrepreneur, the concept of career planning feels very alien to me. I believe in boldly trying new things, failing, learning, trying again, building expertise, and eventually succeeding. One has to take responsibility, controlled risks and sometimes face the unknown. Markets, technology and careers change. I believe in keeping an open mind, always being ready to change, and reserving some time for learning new things throughout one's career.
My entry into IT security was almost accidental. I was a database researcher at the university when there was a hacking incident where thousands of usernames and passwords were stolen, including several from my company. I started studying cryptography because I wanted to build a tool for myself so I could use my computers remotely without having to fear that someone would read my password from the network and break into my computers. I soon understood that the need was universal, and five months later in July 1995, I published the SSH Secure Shell as free software. By December, I was getting 150 support e-mails per day, several requests for commercial support, and several companies had contacted me wanting to be distributors.
It wasn't until then that I turned SSH into a company. The product had basically outgrown what an individual could do. Large companies needed a vendor with dependable support and controlled change processes before they could really use the product. I also didn't want to spend the rest of my life being a full-time support technician.
5. What's been your best job? Why?
More or less, I've always done what interests me. Sure, most of the time work is dull " just basic stuff that you need to get done. But it is the golden moments between the dull times that make the day. For me, creating new things and having them widely used makes me tick. SSH has by far been the best, but when you're an entrepreneur for 10 or more years, you will face both good times and bad times.
6. What is the best career advice you've ever received?
I have only written two resumes in my life. The first resume was for a summer job at an IT company when I was 15. I didn't get the job. The second resume was for a very cool U.S. IT startup when I was about 20. I was still living with my parents and my father left me a note in the morning saying, "Tatu, please do not move into the United States." I was touched; this was not his style. I took his advice, never sent the second resume, started my own company instead, and finished school. It was good advice at the time and had a major impact on my life (not that I would necessarily have gotten the job anyway, but it matched my interests exactly and what I had been previously doing).
7. What's the top advice you'd give to a new IT security professional?
Try to understand the technology, and beware of vendor hype and rigid standards. Plan for life-long learning or you will be out in five to ten years. Be flexible and creative. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Remember that your first objective is to keep your organization working efficiently, and your second objective is to prevent security breaches.
8. What is the one career decision you would change if you could?
I don't think I would change any of them (except perhaps leaving a bit more time for "life"). That is not to say that I have not made mistakes. I have made at least two $10 million mistakes, and one that might have been significantly bigger, but my companies and I have outlived all of them. I believe it is better to try, fail and learn than to not try at all - just keep the risks such that you can afford to fail.
9. If you had the choice to jump into any other job, tech or non-tech, what would it be?
I am not planning to retire or jump out of IT any time soon, but I may see IT more broadly than some. I think there are still breakthroughs and fortunes to be made in the IT industry. Even if I may fail to achieve one of them, I expect to have fun trying.
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