But even before he received the award, he was discreetly collaborating with conservationists to stop illegal logging and studying up on carbon compensation models.

FORBES: Thought Leaders

The Commerce Department recently called for a privacy bill of rights for Internet users, while the Federal Trade Commission has proposed a do-not-track tool that would let users stop or restrict advertisers from studying their online behavior to target ads.

FORBES: Morning Tech Wrap: Apple, Samsung, Twitter

Participants also discussed new-wave techniques to stop new malware from taking root, including studying patterns of user and file activity to find suspicious behavior and broader use of encryption.

WSJ: Tech Companies Struggle to Keep Hackers at Bay