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The History of the Internet and Cybersecurity
Nicholas Shore
CYBER100: COMPSYS LIT
Dr. Michael R. Bartolacci
August 27, 2023
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Introduction to the Internet:
The internet is something that dates to the mid-1990s. The internet is defined as “a global
network of interconnected computers and other devices that we use to communicate and share
information.” (Šlekytė, 2023). The United States built the first computer networks, but they were
very limited in how they could exchange data, so the ARPANET (Advanced Research Projects
Agency Network) was developed by the United States government.
ARPANET:
The ARPANET was developed in 1969 to help enable the sharing of information between
research institutions. In 1971, the first email was successfully sent by Ray Tomlinson using
ARPANET, making a big step in accomplishing its initial goal. ARPANET used NCP (Network
Control Protocol) to communicate but it was switched to TCP/IP (Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol) because it could connect to different networks. (Šlekytė, 2023). In
1984, DNS (Domain Name System) was created to translate IP addresses into domain names.
World Wide Web:
In 1989, Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web and started HTTP and HTML
development. It “eliminated the need for centralized servers and allowed for the growth and
scalability of the web.” (Šlekytė, 2023). Tim Berners-Lee then created the first webpage in 1991
using the HTML and HTTP which he developed and are still in use today. (Gilchrist, 2021).
Modern Developments:
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The first search engine was created in 1990 by Alan Emtage. It used an index of files on FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) sites and would create databases where users could then search
keywords to find files.
SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) was a security protocol developed by Netscape which encrypted
credit card information and was then used in the first ecommerce transaction in 1994.
In 1997, the first wireless local area network standard was developed by NCR Corporation which
became the basis for Wi-Fi.
Google was first launched in 1998 by Sergey Brin and Larry Page and is now the most popular
search engine and has been for many years.
Many things since then have been developed since then and the internet only keeps growing and
growing, but the more it grows, the more it needs to be protected. Cybersecurity, the protection
of online data, is becoming more and more prevalent and dates back to before the internet.
Cybersecurity:
The first computers invented in the 1940s didn’t connect to any internet, so they were only able
to be compromised physically. In the 1950s, a phenomenon called “phone phreaking” became
popular. Someone would tamper with telephone line protocols to get long-distance calls for free.
(Bhadwal, 2023). There was no way to really combat against this. The early days of hacking in
the 1960s were mostly individuals just trying to gain access to systems with no real goal but to
mess around. In the late 1960s is when computers were becoming more widely used in
businesses and is when passwords were used to secure computers.
ARPANET:
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With the introduction of ARPANET that I mentioned in the brief history I gave of the internet,
came the first widespread malware on computers. While it is not known what the first viruses
were, a sort-of harmless virus called the “Creeper”. It was created by a man named Bob Thomas
and would self-produce itself through ARPANET and leave a message. Then to combat this
seemingly harmless malware was a program called “Reaper” which would attempt to eliminate
“Creeper” from the ARPANET. (History of Cyber Security Explained, n.d.). This was one of the
first attempts at an anti-virus.
Antiviruses:
During the 1980s, the first accessible antiviruses programs were released to help secure
computers and data. This is where cybersecurity started to take shape more and more. As the
internet was developing, so was cybersecurity. As the World Wide Web was introduced and the
internet became mainstream, mutating code viruses called “polymorphic” viruses would avoid
detection and antivirus software. This led to the first computer firewalls to be developed. They
would make it easier to seek out these polymorphic viruses.
Email:
With the introduction of electronic mail came the introduction of new malicious activities to take
place. Phishing scams, social engineering, and even viruses were able to be embedded into this
new communication technology. Phishing scams are the most common hacking method to date
and is one someone pretends to be someone else to gain confidential information from you.
Current Date:
As the years go on, more sophisticated viruses and hacking methods are used to try to do bad
things (or good things like what ethical hackers do). With this comes new ways and methods
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developed in the realm of cybersecurity to try and combat them. Commonly used methods that
have been developed are passwords which can limit access to a computer, firewalls which
monitor network traffic, encryption which can help hide or conceal data, and data back-ups to
help preserve data that may be stolen. Currently evolving cybersecurity measures are “multifactor authentication, network behavior analysis, and real-time protection.” (History of Cyber
Security Explained, n.d.). For every new technology incorporated into the internet, is a new thing
that needs to be protected by cybersecurity.
Conclusion:
Since its creation in the 1990s, the Internet has become a vast global network and is essential to
modern life. Originating with ARPANET in the late 1960s, the internet had huge improvements
through the creation of the World Wide Web in 1989. These two systems helped unlock
unprecedented access to information and revolutionized online interaction.
Alongside the internet's expansion, cybersecurity was a growing concern. With the early
instances of hacking and unauthorized access, the need for digital protection increased. As the
internet grew, so did the possibility of threats, leading to the development of antivirus software,
firewalls, and encryption methods. Cybersecurity's trajectory mirrored the internet's evolution,
with more sophisticated strategies emerging to protect data, privacy, and digital interactions. As
technology advances, the relationship between the internet's growth and the ongoing
development in cybersecurity needs to remain steady to shape a secure digital future.
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References
Bhadwal, A. (2023, August 2). The History of Cyber Security: A Detailed Guide [Infographic]. Retrieved
from Knowledge Hut: https://www.knowledgehut.com/blog/security/history-of-cyber-security
Gilchrist, T. (2021, November 20). 20 of the Most Important Moments in Internet History. Retrieved from
Mental Floss: https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/652246/most-important-moments-internethistory
History of Cyber Security Explained. (n.d.). Retrieved from SecPoint: https://www.secpoint.com/acomplete-history-cyber-security.html
Šlekytė, I. (2023, July 3). History of the internet. Retrieved from NordVPN:
https://nordvpn.com/blog/history-of-the-internet/