About Esther

Expert in information security and reverse engineering, Esther aka U039b is a French hacktivist, lecturer and co-founder of Defensive Lab Agency, Exodus Privacy, PTS project, Pithus, Echap, La Résille. She fights against surveillance capitalism and has contributed to several investigations highlighting the illegal data collection by major digital actors. She helps journalists, academics and NGOs to better understand the issues of cybersecurity and surveillance on mobile devices.

Being social

Positions

  • Nos Oignons - Ethics board (2023-present)
  • Shira - Advisory board (2022-present)
  • PTS project - Founder and main maintainer (2022-present)
  • VHS - Main maintainer (2021-present)
  • La Résille - Co-founder and animator (2021-present)
  • Echap - Co-founder and board member (2020-present)
  • Pithus - Founder and technical lead (2020-present)
  • Defensive Lab Agency - Founder and CEO (2019-present)
  • Exodus Privacy - Co-founder, vice president and technical lead (2017-present)

Publications & Research

  • ”Year 2022 in Review” - Esther Onfroy, PiRogue Tool Suite, Dec. 31 2022 - article
  • ”How Dare They Peep into My Private Life?” - Hye Jung Han, Human Rights Watch, May 25 2022 - article
  • ”Project launch” - Esther Onfroy, PiRogue Tool Suite, Jan. 26 2022 - project
  • ”FinSpy spyware analysis” - Esther Onfroy, Defensive Lab Agency, Sep. 25 2020 - article
  • “German-made FinSpy spyware found in Egypt, and Mac and Linux versions revealed” - Amnesty International, Sep. 25 2020 - article
  • ”FinSpy spyware analysis” - Esther Onfroy, Defensive Lab Agency, Sep. 25 2020 - article
  • “You Give Apps Sensitive Personal Information. Then They Tell Facebook.” - Sam Schechner, Mark Secada, Wall Street Journal, Feb. 22 2019 - article
  • “Study on the impact of the GDPR” - Esther Onfroy, Exodus Privacy, Nov. 24 2018 - article
  • “εxodus static analysis” - Esther Onfroy, Exodus Privacy, Aug. 17 2018 - article
  • “Project launch - later rebooted as PTS” - Esther Onfroy, PiRanhaLysis, Mar. 10 2018 - project
  • “Meeting with the CNIL” - Esther Onfroy, Exodus Privacy, Feb. 28 2018 - article
  • “Project launch” - Esther Onfroy, Exodus Privacy, Nov. 17 2017 - project

Talks

  • Workshop on data access for research - PEReN and Arcom on Oct. 12 2023 - Paris - Details
  • Digital Defenders Partnership on Sep. 22/Oct. 6 2023 - Online courses - Details
  • Yale Privacy Lab on May 11 2023 - Online - Details
  • Jdll on Apr. 1-2 2023 - Lyon (France) - Details
  • Bercy - PEReN on Sep. 19 2022 - Paris (France)
  • Centre Hubertine-Auclert on Jun. 28 2022 - Online - Details
  • Tech.Rocks Summit on Dec. 9 - 10 2021 - Nantes (France) - Details
  • Les Utopiales 2021 on Oct. 22 - Nov. 1 2021 - Nantes (France) - Details
  • PassTheSalt on Jul. 5 - Jul. 7 2021 - Online - Details
  • APVP on Jun. 15 - Jun. 17 2021 - Online - Details
  • MiXiT on May 18 - May 20 2021 - Online - Details
  • FDLN - Forum ouvert on Feb. 1 - Feb 2 2020 - Rennes (France) - Details
  • Les Utopiales 2019 on Oct. 31 - Nov 4 2019 - Nantes (France) - Details
  • 13è Université des DPO - AFCDP on Jan. 16 2019 - Paris (France) - Details
  • Internet et ses travers on Oct. 12 2018 - Médiathèque de Rezé (France)
  • GDG Nantes Android on Oct. 9 2018 - Nantes (France) - Details
  • Paris Web 2018 on Oct. 6 2018 - Paris (France) - Details
  • Journée du conseil scientifique de l’Afnic on Jul. 9 2018 - Paris (France)
  • PSES 2018 on Jun. 29-30 2018 - Paris (France)
  • Web2Day 2018 on Jun. 15 2018 - Nantes (France)
  • LINC - CNIL on Feb. 14 2018 - Paris (France)
  • Internet et ses travers on Nov. 7 2017 - Dojo Nantes (France)

Press