The History of Cybersecurity and Hacking

Did you know that the origins of hacking date back to the early 1960s with the first known “hack” occurring at MIT?

In the early days of computing, the term “hacker” was actually used to describe a group of students at MIT who explored and experimented with the capabilities of the university’s mainframe computer, the IBM 704.

Unlike today’s negative connotations, these hackers were primarily interested in finding innovative solutions and improving system efficiencies.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that hacking began to take on a more malicious tone, notably with the advent of the infamous “Morris Worm” in 1988.

This was one of the first worms distributed via the internet, causing significant disruptions and leading to the creation of the Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to address security threats.

This pivotal event marked a turning point in how we perceive cybersecurity, shifting it from a niche concern to a critical aspect of digital infrastructure.

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