How a Spanish virus brought Google to Málaga

After more than three decades, Bernardo Quintero embarked on a quest to find the individual who unknowingly altered the course of his life—the elusive programmer behind a computer virus that once infected his university. This virus, named Virus Málaga, was relatively benign, yet it ignited Quintero's passion for cybersecurity, ultimately leading him to create VirusTotal, a startup acquired by Google in 2012. This acquisition established Google’s prominent European cybersecurity center in Málaga, transforming the city into a technology hotspot. Driven by nostalgia and appreciation, Quintero initiated his search earlier this year, reaching out to Spanish media for assistance. He revisited the virus's code, determined to uncover details his younger self might have overlooked. His investigative journey culminated in a bittersweet revelation shared in a LinkedIn post that gained significant attention. Quintero’s story began in 1992 when a university instructor challenged him to develop an antivirus for the 2610-byte program that had spread through Málaga’s Polytechnic School. Quintero reflected, "That challenge in my first year at university sparked a deep interest in computer viruses and security, and without it my path might have been very different." Quintero's instincts as a programmer guided him in this search. Earlier this year, he stepped down from his managerial position to immerse himself in the technical side of Google once again. It was during this time that he revisited Virus Málaga, searching for clues he might have missed in his youth. Initially, he uncovered fragments that hinted at a signature, but with help from another cybersecurity expert, he stumbled upon a later version of the virus that contained a clearer clue: "KIKESOYYO." This phrase translates to "I am Kike," a familiar nickname for those named Enrique. As Quintero delved deeper, he received a message from a man who claimed to have witnessed one of his Polytechnic School classmates creating the virus. This source provided valuable insights, particularly about the virus's hidden message, which denounced the Basque terrorist group ETA—something Quintero had never revealed. The informant eventually shared a name—Antonio Astorga—but with the sad news that Astorga had passed away. This revelation hit Quintero hard, as it meant he could never thank Antonio in person. However, the plot thickened when Antonio’s sister disclosed that his full name was Antonio Enrique, and he was affectionately known as Kike by his family. Although cancer took Antonio Enrique Astorga before Quintero could express his gratitude, the story continued. Quintero's post on LinkedIn honored Astorga as a pioneer of cybersecurity in Málaga, emphasizing that the virus was created not only to showcase his programming skills but also to convey an anti-terrorist message. Astorga's passion for technology lived on, as he became a computing instructor at a secondary school, where the IT classroom was named in his honor. His legacy is further carried on by his son, Sergio, a recent software engineering graduate with a keen interest in cybersecurity and quantum computing—an inspiring connection for Quintero. "Being able to close that circle now, and to see new generations building on it, is deeply meaningful to me," Quintero expressed. He believes that Sergio embodies the talent emerging from Málaga today, a city that has evolved into a cybersecurity hub thanks to the foundation laid by VirusTotal and its role in establishing the Google Safety Engineering Center (GSEC).