History of Ethical Hacking

By Bill Gardner
  • 1950s

    1950s

    MIT students coin the term "hacking' to refer to a creative style of computer use.

  • 1960s

    The US military begins "penetration testing" its computer systems.

  • 1970s

    The US military explores the possibility of developing totally secure computer systems

  • 1980

    The US media begins calling computer intruders "hackers"
  • 1985

    1985

    First issue of hacker e-zine Phrack appears online
  • 1986

    1986

    The US government enacts the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, criminalizing unauthorized computer access.

  • 1988

    A widely disseminated Internet worm prompts the establishment of the first Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) at Carnegie Mellon.

  • 1990

    Academics, Eugene Spafford and Dorothy Denning, debate the merits of employing hackers.
  • 1991

    1991

    Legion of Doom (LOD) members found Comsec, the first hacker-led computer security firm. It folds two years later.

  • 1991

    Computer security expert, Winn Schwartau, warns US Congress of a possible "Electronic Pearl Harbor"

  • 1993

    A hacker launches Bugtraq mailing list fo "full disclosure"of security vulnerabilities
  • 1995

    1995

    A IMB vice president coins the term "Ethical Hacking"

  • Mid 1990s

    Specialized firms begin marketing computer security auditing to corporate clients.

  • 1998

    L0pht testifies to US Senate about the grave state of computer security.

  • Early 2000s

    Microsoft commits to improving security and begins to hire "hackers"
  • 2003

    2003

    Specialized firms begin offering Legion of Doom