A very great tribute. I particularly liked this line:
> "He was the first person to understand that security problems are often actually economic problems."
I had a wise, old professor in college who taught us, almost as a side comment, that every technology and business problem was actually a people problem under the covers. If you could deal with the underlying human problem, you'd often take care of most, if not all, of the superficial tech/business problem. I think this and Ross's viewpoints are a very important principle.
I remember opening the final exam paper, finding his question and my jaw dropping at what had been asked (though he did warn us at the start of the course that he wrote his questions such that he didn't have to mark many answers!)
he also had a unique knack of really getting to those in power and putting them in their place (be that the banks, government, tech companies, university vice-chancellors, you name it)
Professor Ross Was one of my teachers at the Computer Lab. I had frequent emails with him even years after I left the lab. His strong desire for security really put it even more into me.
Once in class we were discussing vulnerabilities in vehicles, this was about 4 years ago. He asked "whats the worst attack one could do", he got super annoyed that we didnt have a good answer, banged his hand on the table, full-red faced shouted "No, the worst attack is to remote compromise the cars, lock all the doors, increase the heat, put them drive and kill everyone". Well, he was right, that was the worst attack. You could see from his face he was dissappointed his students did not realise, maybe he felt bad of his teaching, but his teaching was phenomenal.
It is really a sad day, the world has lost one of the worlds best security professors ever. He will be dearly missed.
He taught me the tricks he used to get people in power to listen, advice id never forget.
It's when we met. I was doing my PhD at the time. At the computer lab we had tea breaks when people in different research groups would meet and chat. He was a very interesting person to talk to as you can imagine even by the standards of that tea room.
> "He was the first person to understand that security problems are often actually economic problems."
I had a wise, old professor in college who taught us, almost as a side comment, that every technology and business problem was actually a people problem under the covers. If you could deal with the underlying human problem, you'd often take care of most, if not all, of the superficial tech/business problem. I think this and Ross's viewpoints are a very important principle.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qNlv435L5g&list=PL88-McA5nK...
He posed such an uncomfortable questions in his (and his students) reseach.
You saved me. ;)
Ross Anderson has died -https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=39864210 - March 2024 (34 comments)
his lectures and seminars were fantastic
I remember opening the final exam paper, finding his question and my jaw dropping at what had been asked (though he did warn us at the start of the course that he wrote his questions such that he didn't have to mark many answers!)
he also had a unique knack of really getting to those in power and putting them in their place (be that the banks, government, tech companies, university vice-chancellors, you name it)
Once in class we were discussing vulnerabilities in vehicles, this was about 4 years ago. He asked "whats the worst attack one could do", he got super annoyed that we didnt have a good answer, banged his hand on the table, full-red faced shouted "No, the worst attack is to remote compromise the cars, lock all the doors, increase the heat, put them drive and kill everyone". Well, he was right, that was the worst attack. You could see from his face he was dissappointed his students did not realise, maybe he felt bad of his teaching, but his teaching was phenomenal.
It is really a sad day, the world has lost one of the worlds best security professors ever. He will be dearly missed.
He taught me the tricks he used to get people in power to listen, advice id never forget.
Interestingly, he only started his PhD aged 35/36 after some time in industry.