Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The first computer virus was created in 1971. Indirectly, it launched a crime wave. Here are the key moments in the story…

It’s impossible to say precisely when the era of cybersecurity began. One could argue it started during World War 2 when scientists used cryptography to break the German Enigma code. But in reality, there was negligible risk of cybercrime in this period. The rudimentary computers of the 1940s were unconnected and housed in controlled locations. Only a few individuals could use them.

By the 1960s, computer science was more advanced. The first rudimentary computer networks were built – and technologists began to think about the need to protect them from bad actors. Indeed, in 1967 the Advanced Research Projects Agency formed a task force to study the process of securing classified information systems.

Within four years, the world’s first cybersecurity event had taken place.

In 1971, Programmer Bob Thomas developed the “Creeper” computer virus to test the security of ARPANET, an early precursor to the internet. The self-replicating Creeper worm (write once read many) displayed a message on the screen. In response, Ray Tomlinson created the Reaper program to detect and eliminate copies of Creeper. It was the first antivirus software.
 

The 1980s: worms, ransomware, anti-virus software

The 1980s was a turning point for cybersecurity. Thanks to the growth of computing, and the launch of removable floppy disks, cybercrime burst into life.

Three incidents stand out. In 1986, programmers from Pakistan created the Brain virus. It was not malicious, but it set a precedent for viral distribution via floppy disks. The following year came the Vienna virus. It spread via Word documents on IBM PCs and would delete the hard drive. A year later, the Morris Worm became one of the first to infect the nascent internet. In 24 hours, it contaminated 6,000 of the 60,000 computers connected.

1989 saw the first example of Trojan horse ransomware, when hackers distributed the AIDS Trojan on floppy disks to guests at an AIDS conference. These threats underscored the need for improved security measures. In 1986, John McAfee formed a company to sell the first widely used antivirus software. The commercial development of antivirus products was a significant milestone.
 

1990s: cyber threats go mainstream

The 1990s saw the internet go mainstream. The result was a new era of communication – and many new vulnerabilities. Thanks to web browsers and email, hackers could wreak havoc faster and wider than ever before. One alarming new threat was the polymorphic virus, which could mutate as it spread. Examples included 1260 and the Dark Avenger Mutation Engine. 

In this decade, hackers started to target large firms and government departments. Punishments ramped up: notorious attacker Kevin Mitnick was jailed for five years for breaking into networks run by Sun, Nokia, Motorola and others.

Cases like this made hacking more public. Indeed, in 1993 the crime became the subject of a Hollywood movie, Sneakers.

By the late 1990s, consumers started to embrace the internet thanks to ISPs such as AOL. Soon, hackers targeted these users too. One early email attack was the Melissa virus, which spread via Word attachments.

As cybercrime evolved, so did the security measures designed to counter it. Breakthroughs included firewall tech and the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol, which encrypted online data to protect internet transactions. Another milestone was Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). It became a cornerstone of modern cybersecurity – using cryptographic functions to ensure confidentiality, authenticity and non-repudiation.

2000s: DDoS and botnets

The new century got off to a worrying start. The ILOVEYOU worm of 2000 was devastating, causing around $10 billion in damages. 
Another rising threat was the botnet, an infected network that uses automated scripts to perform repetitive tasks. Hackers started to use botnets to run DDoS (distributed denial-of-service) attacks to overwhelm a target server. In 2000, the 15-year-old hacker “mafia boy” launched DDoS attacks against eBay, Amazon and others. Other notable examples included the Storm Botnet (2007) and the Mariposa Botnet (2010).

Meanwhile, the continuing growth of the internet led to new threats. Simply visiting a website could lead to an infection (a ‘drive-by download’), while Instant messaging and social media platforms also opened fresh avenues for social engineering attacks.
 

2010s: state actors, crypto, IoT and phishing

The 2010s saw hackers using ‘dark’ networks to share information and tools. But governments hit back. In 2013, the Silk Road became the first major dark web marketplace to be closed for selling illegal products.

At the same time, governments themselves saw the potential to use cyber-attacks for national security. Stuxnet set the precedent. This worm, allegedly written by Israel and the US, was designed to take over industrial control systems. 

As the decade wore on, new factors came into play. The Internet of Things gave hackers millions of connected devices to target. In 2016, hackers unleashed the Mirai Linux IoT malware in one of the most notorious attacks in history.

Cryptocurrency was another key factor. It became the hacker’s preferred method of payment, and inspired high profile attacks such as the Mt. Gox hack. Here, hackers stole 850,000 bitcoins worth $6.3 billion.
Meanwhile, data breach attacks on companies intensified. Famous victims included Sony, Equifax and Experian.

But the most damaging attack hit Yahoo. It impacted all three billion user accounts. A study by Imperva said 78 percent of organisations suffered at least one cyberattack in 2019.

The 2010s also saw a huge increase in social engineering attacks by email and text. According to Microsoft, phishing attempts went up 250 percent in 2018 alone, reaching 470 billion emails a month.

Finally, the migration to cloud computing in the 2010s gave attackers another attack surface. Companies rushed to outsource their data centres to third parties like Microsoft and AWS. This made their businesses more efficient but also introduced new vulnerabilities. 

2020s: The rise of AI-driven threats and the evolution of cybersecurity

The 2020s have seen cyberattacks grow in both frequency and sophistication. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) gave attackers a new tool, which they have used to create deepfakes — synthetic media that impersonate real people – to carry out extortion, identity theft, ransomware and more. 

Stakeholders responded with updated security measures such as Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and advanced identity verification. MFA bolsters defences with multiple verification steps to mitigate risks from AI-enabled attacks.

Another emerging concern is quantum computing. Though still in its early stages, quantum tech has the potential to break current encryption standards, and thereby undermine systems based on cryptographic protocols, including blockchain. To prepare, organisations must begin transitioning to quantum-resistant cryptography.

Looking to the future, all stakeholders need to be vigilant. Consumers, businesses and governments must embrace proactive security strategies, invest in continuous monitoring of IT and OT systems, and foster public-private cooperation to stay ahead of evolving threats and secure digital identities.