Extract

The importance of the notion of Publish or Perish for academic research is indisputable. This message, cynical as it may sound, guides students and researchers alike in planning their career path, and as a consequence shapes scientific progress as a whole. Opting for rational behavior, many researchers choose to work on topics that are uncontroversial, incremental and easily published, and stay away from riskier areas. Yet science, as the reader surely knows, advances most through adversity and failure.

CFail, The Conference for Failed Approaches and Insightful Losses in Cryptology, has since 2019 been a venue for the cryptography community to share scientific progress that has not come to fruition in the traditional sense. Encouraged by the high engagement and positive feedback, the CFail 2021 team sought to better align the conference’s vision with traditional academic incentives. Partnering with The Computer Journal, authors of eligible submissions to the conference were invited to submit a full version of their work to be considered for inclusion in a special issue.

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