Tribute to Professor Fred Piper (1940–2024)

It is with profound sadness the ISSG joins with family, friends, academia and colleagues in mourning Professor Fred Piper (1940 - 2024), an always generous, kind, global pioneer and thought leader who was an active committee member in the erstwhile BCS Computer Security Specialist Group (CSSG) and over many years closely involved in supporting the ISSG, as well as delivering talks to our British Computer Society audiences which were always oversubscribed and very well received.

During his illustrious career, Fred was instrumental in laying the foundations of the Royal Holloway Information Security Group in 1979, through which he established not only the world’s first academic faculty exclusively devoted to Information Security, but also the world’s first Masters degree and the world’s first distance learning programme on the subject.

Over his lifetime, Fred authored over 100 research papers and six influential books, four of which focused on cryptography and has supervised over 100 PhD and Masters students. His impact extended far beyond the classroom, as he advised over many decades various financial institutions, global companies, and government agencies through his company Codes & Ciphers Ltd. which he established in 1985.

His vision and unwavering commitment to excellence led to the ISG being awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education in 1998.

In 2002, Fred received the first honorary CISSP in Europe, recognizing his leadership in Information Security. His accolades continued to accumulate, including induction into the ISSA Hall of Fame, honorary Fellowship by Royal Holloway, University of London, honorary CISM, Fellow of the (ISC)2 and election to the InfoSecurity Europe Hall of Fame.

Fred’s energy and leadership led to many other impactful associations with organisations and people around the world. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees at Bletchley Park since 1999. He played a leading role in establishing the Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP now CIISec). He has held visiting academic positions at various global Universities and lectured on mathematics, cryptography and cyber security.

Professor Fred Piper leaves behind a legacy of a life well lived and he will be remembered and missed. His passion, intellect, and kindness will forever leave an indelible mark on the world - a legacy that will inspire generations to come, resonating across academia, industry, and beyond.

Rest in peace, Fred.