A history of Internet security reveals the battles against viruses and hackers that formally began over 20 years ago and continues unabated today. While the Internet has enabled the unprecedented sharing of information, the hacker community has kept up. This being so, Internet security is paramount. Knowing the history of Internet security can help online surfers figure out how to protect themselves.

The Morris Worm
The first widely recognized infection was identified in 1988, when vulnerabilities in the network system developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency were being exploited. Labeled the Morris Worm, the virus was duplicating secured information for malicious purposes. The virus was born in California, and it ultimately crashed and disabled over 10% of all computers connected to the Internet. The need for Internet security was quickly made evident.

Types Of Security Breaches
While ARPANET attempted to curb Internet security breaches quickly after the Morris Worm, they were outmatched by worldwide digital terrorists. Several distinct types of breaches occurred, including probes, packet sniffing and malicious codes. Probes involved secretive investigations into a program’s code or administrative material. The information gleaned would be used as fuel for later hacking. Packet sniffing involved interception of data as it moved from one packet to another, in the manner utilized from the first versions of the Internet. Malicious codes were developed and implemented by hackers, and these codes are responsible for modern viruses that can entirely derail a computer’s software and hard drive.

Anti-Spyware, Anti-Malware And Firewalls
The most common and effective Internet security systems are anti-spyware programs, anti-malware programs and firewalls. Anti-spyware locates and removes applications that track your surfing records and use of online programs. Anti-malware scans a computer for maliciously applied infections, including Trojan viruses and a host of other nasty bugs. Finally, firewalls are systems that can block unwanted and unauthorized content and can keep a hacker or program from pulling private information out of your computer.

The Importance Of Internet Security
With common use of wireless internet services that allow for perpetual connection and the amount of personal data stored on hard drives, the need for Internet security is greater than ever. The best way to protect yourself is to prevent attacks in the first place, so utilizing effective Internet security programs is imperative.