Paul Vixie played a pivotal role in how the world interfaces with the internet. Now the iconic computer scientist will join M3AAWG as our newest Expert Advisor.
He is a lifelong advocate for protecting online users and is known as a visionary in fighting spam. The decorated internet pioneer (and literal Internet Hall of Famer) is also a self-described “CEO who codes” who has served as the catalyst behind five different startups.
As mentioned in our 2024 Mary Litynski Award blog, you don’t have to dig deep to find what drives Paul. His personal mission statement adorns the masthead of his LinkedIn page:
“Restoring Human Security to Pre-Internet Levels.”
Never one to shy away from accountability, Paul has dedicated his career to addressing the security challenges that have emerged alongside the evolution of the internet.
“I was one of the early movers in internet technology, and humans are far less secure because of the success of those early innovations,” Paul said. “I am part of the problem, and I am spending the remainder of my professional life trying to make that problem smaller.”
Paul Vixie and M3AAWG Over the Years
M3AAWG’s Expert Advisor program brings together diverse, high-impact leaders who can help guide the work of our priority committees, special interest groups, and initiatives. For Paul, joining M3AAWG as an Expert Advisor is a natural path in his personal mission.
“I know in my heart of hearts I’ll need to continue to learn and change to keep having an impact, and I’m not going to get there through ivory tower contemplation. I’ve got to be in the field talking to people who are living these challenges,” he said.
He calls M3AAWG “his people, his community” and a group that “reflects his values and helps push the frontier.” He’s been regularly attending and speaking at M3AAWG since the early 2010s.
In 2014, Paul testified at the United States Senate regarding global botnet proliferation. Following that experience, he delivered a sobering presentation on the state of botnet takedowns at M3AAWG’s 62nd General Meeting in Boston, MA, to further bring awareness to the extent of the botnet abuse being identified, and the subsequent need for action.
Changing What’s Possible
A Bay Area native and lifelong resident, he came into the field while cutting class in high school to program computers in the early 1980s. By the end of the decade, he had rescued Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) from extinction while employed at Digital Equipment Corporation. In 1996, he created the nonprofit Internet System Consortium to protect and maintain BIND’s infrastructure in perpetuity.
A historically significant figure in the battle against nonconsensual communication, Paul cofounded Mail Abuse Prevention System (MAPS) in 1998 as a first-of-its-kind nonprofit aimed at ending spam. Most recently, he served as the CEO of Farsight Security and as a Distinguished Engineer with Amazon Web Services (AWS).
“Any blog written about Paul could easily turn into a nearly overwhelming list of his pioneering contributions to the internet, anti-abuse, and frankly society as a whole—he could be doing anything with his time, and we’re grateful he chose us to continue to share his knowledge and provide guidance in our fight against online abuse,” said Amy Cadagin, M3AAWG Executive Director.
Join The Discussions in Paris
M3AAWG serves as an important gathering place for the internet's stakeholders and advances ideas for addressing issues with respect and anonymity. M3AAWG Members can join the next in-person gathering at our 68th General Meeting in Paris, France, October 26-29, 2026.
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