History of Cyber Attack
Read the information provided in this handout to get a better understanding of the concept.
Reaper and Creeper:
In the early 1970s, BBN Technologies engineer Bob Thomas wrote the code for a program that could move between computers connected by ARPANET (the technical foundation of the internet).
The Morris Worm:
In 1989, the Morris Worm was the first widespread instance of a denial-of-service (DoS) attack. Reports suggested it affected 6,000 computers. The virus slowed the early internet down significantly.
AIDS_Trojan:
Joseph Popp created a Malware called the AIDS Trojan, which was distributed through his postal mailing lists using a floppy disk. Popp hoped to extort people out of money through this program, similar to modern ransomware attacks. AIDS Trojan suffered from poor design and was easily removable. This was due to the virus only scrambling the names of the files, instead of the file’s contents.
The Computer Misuse Act:
One of the first pieces of legislation in history that dealt with cybersecurity was The Computer Misuse Act. This act was passed in 1990 in the United Kingdom. It effectively made any unauthorized attempts to access computer systems illegal.
Security Goes Mainstream:
In 1999, Microsoft Windows 98 came out and ushered in a whole new level of accessibility for the layman. The spike in computer usage paved the way for software security systems to be common. Windows released many patches and commercial products. Additionally, many security vendors released anti-hacking software for home computer usage.
ILOVEYOU Worm:
A new millennium ushers in new problems. The ILOVEYOU worm infected millions of computer worldwide within a mere few hours of its release. The worm is one of the most damaging worms in history.
Homeland Security:
In 2002. George W. Bush filed a bill to create the Department of Homeland Security. This department took on responsibilities for IT infrastructure and eventually created a division specifically for cybersecurity.
Hacktivism History:
In 2003, the hacktivist group Anonymous was started. Anonymous is an international hacktivist group known for a variety of cyber-attacks against several governments, organizations, etc.
