Let’s go back to the 2nd of November 1988 - 35 years ago today - an infamous day in the history of the early internet. Young Robert Morris, a Cornell University student, embarked on a research project. His goal? To find out just how big the early internet really was. So, he launched a self-replicating worm (a harmless one, he thought) to help him count the number of computers connected to it. Simple, right? Sadly no. Due to a tiny hiccup (read: programming error), this "Morris Worm" took on a life of its own. Instead of politely knocking on each computer's door and asking, "Are you connected to the internet?", it kept relentlessly barging in, again and again, causing the digital equivalent of a traffic jam. The result? Around 6,000 machines (10% of the internet at that time) ended up infected. Government and university systems faced significant downtime for two days. It was a huge wake-up call that the internet would need security. Morris, unfortunately, didn't get a pat on the back for his ambitious project. Instead, he was dismissed from Cornell, given three years probation, and handed a $10,000 (just over £8,000) fine. A steep price to pay for an experiment gone wrong, wouldn't you say? So, as we commemorate the anniversary of the Morris Worm, let's remember: With great power (or programming skills) comes great responsibility. And if you ever plan to launch your own digital worm, make sure it knows when to stop knocking! #TechHistory #MorrisWorm #InternetTrivia https://lnkd.in/e7bJ8tV3
