Grand Challenges in Trustworthy Computing at 20: A Retrospective Look at the Second CRA Grand Challenges Conference

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the 2003 Computing Research Association (CRA) Gordon-style Conference on Grand Challenges in Trustworthy Computing, the original attendees were invited to a virtual retrospective. This landmark conference, held November 16–19, 2003, at Airlie House in Northern Virginia, brought together 50 technology and policy experts in security, privacy, and networking to identify transformative research challenges. The resulting report became a cornerstone for researchers and funding agencies at a pivotal moment in the evolution of cybersecurity. In 2023, participants met online for a six-week period to review the progress made on these challenges, assessing successes, failures, and lessons learned. This article distills those discussions, offering insight for a new generation of cybersecurity professionals who face many of the same threats today in an ever-evolving landscape. As many of the original participants remain active in the field, this retrospective not only provides a historical perspective but also serves as an inspiration to tackle new challenges and secure the future of computing infrastructure.