Ross Anderson, a professor of security engineering at the University of Cambridge who is widely recognized for his contributions to computing, passed away at home on Thursday according to friends and colleagues who have been in touch with his family and the University.

Anderson, who also taught at Edinburgh University, was one of the most respected academic engineers and computer scientists of his generation. His research included machine learning, cryptographic protocols, hardware reverse engineering and breaking ciphers, among other topics.

His public achievements include, but are by no means limited to, being awarded the British Computer Society’s Lovelace Medal in 2015, and publishing several editions of the Security Engineering textbook. Anderson noted that his “academic genealogy” — referring to thesis advisors rather than parents — included Lord Rayleigh and Isaac Newton.

As it is currently a public holiday for Good Friday in the United Kingdom, to be followed by another public holiday for Easter Monday, an official announcement is not expected until Tuesday.

Throughout his career, Anderson was an outspoken defender of individual privacy and individual security and a committed educator. 

A full obituary will be published in due course.