The British-born US technology entrepreneur John McAfee led an eventful life that contrasted sharply with the normally staid image of computer buffs. The inventor of the world-famous cyber security system bearing his name died last year, at the age of 75.
In an industry filled with grey-suited, mild-mannered and sometimes even geeky types, McAfee became a legend in his own lifetime. With an estimated nett worth of £7.5 billion, the company he created has continued to boom, 15 months after his death.
Who was John McAfee?
McAfee was born in the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, on the US Army base of the 596th Ordnance Ammunition Company, in September 1945. His American father and British mother, Don and Joan McAfee, were stationed there. He grew up in the United States and said he felt as much American as British.
In 1967, after successfully studying for his bachelor’s degree in mathematics at Roanoke College in Virginia, McAfee took his first job as a programmer at NASA’s Institute for Space Studies in New York in 1968. He went on to work as a software designer at Univac and at Computer Sciences Corporation as a software consultant.
While working at Lockheed in 1986, he learned about the PC computer virus, known as Brain. He said it was “terrifying” and immediately started work on creating antivirus software. He came up with software called VirusScan that could detect and remove the computer virus automatically. It was the first anti-virus software on the market and one of the first to be distributed online.
He launched McAfee Associates Inc in 1987 to sell his software. Initially, his aim was to raise awareness of the threat of computer viruses, but when people became aware of malware, millions of customers signed up for his product.
He was making five million dollars a year from sales by 1990. In 1992, his company was incorporated in Delaware, with McAfee becoming the first chief executive and then chief technical officer. He sold his stake in the company in 1994.
Company’s continuing success
McAfee’s anti-virus software was further developed to keep pace with the modern threats from hackers and viruses under CEO Bill Larson. The company bought (and later sold) Trusted Information Systems and developed the ground-breaking Firewall Toolkit.
In 2000, McAfee Network Associates was named as the leading authority in protecting and educating people against the ILOVEYOU or Love Bug virus – one of the most destructive computer viruses ever created.
Intel acquired McAfee in August 2010 for £41.9 million, after various mergers and ownership changes. Intel established a joint venture with TPG, turning McAfee into an independent cyber-security company in April 2017.
In 2019, McAfee partnered with Google Cloud to integrate McAfee’s endpoint security technology and Mvision Cloud with Google’s cloud infrastructure. Valued at £7.5 billion, the company has remained at the forefront of software anti-virus protection for 35 years.
Founder’s eventful lifestyle
While the company McAfee founded has continued to thrive, his own eventful lifestyle has made the headlines many times. He moved to Belize in the early 2000s, where he founded a new company to explore the feasibility of using natural rainforest compounds as antibiotics. His aim was to attack the global problem of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. However, in 2012, he became a “person of interest” in the murder of his ex-pat neighbour.
He denied he was involved, but feared he wouldn’t get a fair hearing, so he fled across the border into Guatemala, requesting political asylum from the Guatemalan government. He was taken into custody, while his lawyer worked on legal means of clearing his name.
Subsequently, McAfee was deported to the United States late in 2012, where he remained active in the cyber security industry. He founded a network security company in 2013, Future Tense Central. He also became CEO of MGT Capital Investments, which he steered into cyber security investing.
He ran for US President in 2016 for the Libertarian party, with campaigns that included decriminalising cannabis, preparing for an increased cyber-warfare threat and moving to a non-interventional foreign policy. However, he lost out during the primary stages of the election procedure.
He continued to live in the US, where he reportedly amassed an estimated net worth of around £87 million. However, controversy continued to follow him around. In October 2020, he was arrested while in Spain on US tax evasion charges. Federal prosecutors claimed he had not filed income taxes over a period of four years.
Entrepreneur’s death
While awaiting extradition to the US, he was found dead in his cell on 23rd June 2021, at the age of 75, without any charges against him having been proven.
Despite his high-flying and often controversial lifestyle, this hasn’t affected public confidence in the McAfee anti-virus products he created. It remains one of the top anti-virus brands in the world.
According to industry experts and customer reviews, it has excellent malware detection rates and plenty of extra features, such as a VPN and password manager. It’s also easy to set up and use. McAfee’s legacy lives on, even after his death. Out of 21 major anti-virus software products on the market today, McAfee is rated number four in the world.
