This is not something I was expecting or ever imagining I would write; I’ve just heard.
This is a tremendous loss for us all.
⊞Professor Ross Anderson, FRS, FREng
Duncan Campbell
Our dear friend and treasured long term campaigner for privacy and security, Professor of Security Engineering at Cambridge University and Edinburgh University, Lovelace Medal winner, died suddenly at the family home in Cambridge overnight.
I am still trying to take it in.
A big loss – when Ross spoke, I always took time to listen.
@alecm My condolences to you and his family. It’s a sad day.
a terrible, terrible loss
Direct from Duncan:
https://twitter.com/duncan_2qq/status/1773752269395099774?s=20
Fucking COVID… what a terrible loss.
@alecm Gosh, that’s a shock! He was my age near enough. I have known Ross Anderson (though not well) since he was a contemporary of mine as a Cambridge undergraduate. This is a huge loss to the cyber-security community.
Sad news indeed. The world is poorer today.
Devastating to hear this. Ross corresponded regularly and was
tremendously encouraging. He made me feel like there was somebody else
out there who understood the gravity of the work we do.
Ross has been one of the precious few who understood my thoughts about
civic cybersecurity and how true national security is an ordinary
daily attitude. That every grandmother and schoolchild deserves basic
digital security, privacy and autonomy in their online life. That it
is all our responsibilities to step up to the task that Apple,
Google, Microsoft and our governments cannot handle alone unless we
lead the way.
My cybersecurity courses and indeed my own security thinking have been
profoundly shaped by his work. The idea of “Security Engineering” as a
serious, measurable, reproducible discipline lay in his hands.
Ross was never anything but generous with his time and honest with his
opinions.
His open publishing stance (to have complete copies of his older texts
online, which he skilfully negotiated with Wiley. is an example to
all academics.
His work leading the Cambridge team in doing interesting, socially
relevant security work in a world of so many dry, inaccessible papers
on cryptography and protocols was a refreshing beacon of light.
We planned to meet in Edinburgh one day and share some good single
malts. I feel lost at this news. Sincere wishes to all Ross’s family.
Dr. Andy Farnell
@alecm So sorry to hear this
We have lost one of the best.
I met Ross in 1995 at an OMG meeting in Cambridge.
I was immediately impressed by the clarity of this thinking
and the elegance of this writing.
Ross telling me that he thought I was a good writer, is one of the best compliments I have ever received
awful, awful news. A true pioneer in security.
It’s a shock and a huge loss. Ross opened so many eyes through his research and writing, and was a tireless and kind mentor. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. May his memory be a blessing.
Ross was the best kind of squeaky wheel. There was logic and principle behind every squeak. Also, kind, modest, and very civilized. (I really wanted to hear his bagpipe playing but never did.)
I’ll miss him greatly.
Oh very sad devastating news… his books are a treasure. Surely a big loss . Heartfelt condolences to his family and our fraternity.
Sad news. We corresponded decades ago on a potential project and he was kind to a naive boy with an idea and potential funding.
Total shock! Ross was a wonderful Churchill colleague and the best kind of lunch and coffee companion. Fullest commiserations to Shireen and family at this terrible shock.
Ross as a great researcher/enginner and a great guy. My respects to the family.