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Ross J. AndersonScientist, safety engineering consultant
Date of Birth: 15.09.1956
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Ross Anderson
- Education and Career
- Contributions to Cryptography
- Foundation for Information Policy Research
- Author and Educator
- Research on Network Security
- Trusted Computing and DRM
- The Eternity Service
- Contributions to European Network and Information Security
Biography of Ross Anderson
Ross Anderson, born in 1956, is a renowned scientist, consultant in engineering security, and author of over two hundred articles. He is currently a professor of security engineering at the University of Cambridge.
Education and Career
Anderson graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1978 with a Bachelor's degree in mathematics and natural sciences. He then pursued qualifications in computer engineering. After working in the fields of avionics and banking, Anderson returned to Cambridge University in 1992 to work on his doctoral dissertation under the supervision of Roger Needham. He obtained his Ph.D. in 1995 and began his teaching career.
Contributions to Cryptography
Anderson's achievements in cryptography include the development of encryption algorithms, the discovery of weaknesses in various security systems and algorithms, and his involvement in the design of cryptographic primitives such as BEAR, LION, and TIGER. He also co-developed the Serpent block cipher, a finalist in the AES competition, with Eli Biham and Lars Knudsen. Moreover, he uncovered weaknesses in the FISH cipher and designed the stream cipher Pike.
Foundation for Information Policy Research
In 1998, Anderson founded the Foundation for Information Policy Research, a think tank and lobbying group focused on information technology policy. He is widely recognized among Cambridge academics as an advocate for academic freedom, intellectual property, and other university policy issues. Anderson initiated the Cambridge Freedoms Campaign and was elected to the Cambridge University Council in 2002. In 2004, he was named the "most powerful person" at Cambridge University by the student newspaper Varsity.
Author and Educator
Anderson authored the book "Security Engineering," published by Wiley in 2001. He also founded and edited the Computer and Communications Security Reviews. Several notable individuals, including Robert Watson, Joe Bonneau, Hyoungshick Kim, Shailendra Fuloria, and Wei-Ming Khoo, have been students of Professor Anderson.
Research on Network Security
Based on network analysis and evolutionary game theory, Anderson developed fundamental ideas for studying interactive attacks and network defense strategies. His work offers insights into various aspects of modern conflicts.
Trusted Computing and DRM
Anderson's research on "Trusted Computing" analyzed and undermined the Trusted Computing Group's initiative, which advocated for the implementation of DRM systems on every computer, PDA, and mobile phone. While this system aimed to hinder the piracy of music, video, and software, it raised concerns about privacy, censorship, and innovation.
The Eternity Service
During the early 2000s, Anderson's interest in peer-to-peer networks grew. He presented the influential article "The Eternity Service" at Pragocrypt'96. This work was motivated by the closure of a remailer in Finland by Scientologists and threats from banking lawyers who wanted to hide information about vulnerabilities in ATM systems. Anderson realized the ease with which electronic publications could be suppressed by influential individuals. "The Eternity Service" was conceived as a means to insert electronic documents far away from censorship.
Contributions to European Network and Information Security
Anderson conducted research on the security of the single market economy for the European Network and Information Security Agency. He studied the underlying market flaws responsible for issues like spam and phishing and proposed specific policy recommendations.
Ross Anderson currently resides in Sandy, Bedfordshire. His extensive contributions to the field of engineering security and his advocacy for academic freedom have solidified his reputation as a prominent figure in the world of cybersecurity.
