With the rise of computers came the rise of threats to computers. From computer viruses people create for amusement to people to stealing personal information to make money. The rise of computer treats gained speed when personal computers gained popularity. More computers mean more profit or enjoyment for your work.
The term most used to describe the people behind the threats to our computers are called "hackers" but the term didn't receive a bad rep until the eighties. Before hacks were shortcuts to improve computer performance. The term gained disdain when people began using computers and the internet for their own gains.
1978 is where the first breed of hackers really appear. While they weren't hacking computers, the hackers were still disrupting a service. Teenage boys of the time found fun in misdirecting and disconnecting telephone calls. But this isn't the type of hackers that we have come to fear these days.
In 1983 hacking gained popularity and glamor from the media. There was a number of popular books and films at the time, including the 1983 movie, War Games. The central characters in movies like War Games would be glamorized hackers. The characters would be shown achieving things through hacking or making it seem easy and profitable. After the media glamorized hacking, there was a rise in threats to computers.
Hackers of the early 80s weren't the hackers that we know today though. These hackers mainly explored systems to see how they work. This exploration, while unsettling, didn't particularly pose a threat to users.
A new breed of hackers aimed toward criminal pursuits. These new pursuits included pirating software, games, and creating viruses and worms that could basically shut down systems. As these hackers changed their game, Congress passes the first hacking-related legislation. The Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act in 1986, this act made computer tampering a felony. This was punishable by jail time and monetary fines.
The first person convicted under this new act was Robert T. Morris Jr. In 1986 he was convicted from his self-replicating worm. The first juvenile, Herbert Zinn wasn't convicted under the act until 1989.
Newer forms of hacking came with the rise of the internet. Hacking unsecured wireless access points has grown with the increased use of wireless networks. Most owners do not take the time to secure their access points, making them a quick and easy target for hackers.
With the rise of threats to computers comes the rise of computer protection. Many companies even employ hackers to test their system to see how secure it is. The rise of the internet has also made it possible to hack from essentially anywhere in the world. Computers connect us and in doing so connect the feed for threats.
Information sourced from here and here.
No comments:
Post a Comment