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When and how was computer security initially invented?

The invention of computer security may be linked to the development of the first computer program—and even before that, to the advent of the electronic computer.

By Abraham VerninacPublished 2 years ago 4 min read
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When and how was computer security initially invented?
Photo by Sigmund on Unsplash

Computer security, or cybersecurity as its also known, is a term referring to the practice of defending computers and networks from attack, damage or unauthorized access. The purpose of cybersecurity is to ensure that organizations or individuals follow best practices such as regular backups and software updates. What is not always clear are when computer security was invented as well as how it was first developed.

Computers were originally used by governments and their related agencies in the mid-twentieth century in military facilities where classified information needed protecting. This led to the initial development of security systems in those facilities.

The first definition of computer security referred to "preventing accidental errors".

Computer security is a branch of information security that pertains to protecting information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction. It involves policies, procedures and the technology components of information security for protection of data, systems and networks. The term "computer security" was first used in the early 1950s when computers were just starting to become available.

The problem of security was becoming more important as computer systems were being developed. The first definition of computer security referred to "preventing accidental errors". This began with multi-user operating systems and time-sharing systems in which multiple users could be logged on simultaneously. In the 1960s and early 1970s, computer security became associated with protecting against malicious use of computers.

In this context, some people called it "computer crime". The US Department of Defense (DoD) funded research into non-malicious but unauthorized uses of computers such as traffic analysis (finding out where people are going on the system). A few years later these topics were grouped under the term "computer fraud" by U.S.

Senator William Proxmire who used his Golden Fleece Award to focus attention on publicizing these problems.

The concept of computer security later expanded to include non-accidental threats, such as those from intentional misuse.

The term "computer security" was first used in the 1960s, when computers were first being connected to networks. The concept of computer security later expanded to include non-accidental threats, such as those from intentional misuse. In the 1960s and 1970s, computers were often used for military purposes. The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union led to a fear that these powerful machines could be misused or stolen by enemy forces.

To protect against this threat, cryptography was developed as a way of protecting information from unauthorized users and preventing them from accessing sensitive data stored in electronic form. Cryptography is one of the most important aspects of cybersecurity today.

Information and data security is a rapidly expanding field, due to the increased reliance on computer systems, the internet and wireless networks.

The first computers were used for military purposes during the Second World War, and it was during this time that the first computer security measures were developed. In 1950, the UNIVAC I was released by Sperry Rand Corporation and was used to predict weather patterns. While this computer was not secure at all, it did lead to many important advancements in computer science.

The first secure system was created in 1954 at MIT. This system was called CTSS (Compatible Time-Sharing System) and allowed users to access files from their terminals without fear of having them destroyed or corrupted by other users. In 1962, Bell Labs created a new operating system called Multics (Multiplexed Information and Computing System).

Multics was developed specifically as an open source operating system that could be used by anyone who needed it. It was considered one of the most important developments in computer science up until its release in 1969 when AT&T announced that they would discontinue development on Multics due to high costs associated with it's maintenance and development.

Information and data are vulnerable to so many threats; it is essential to integrate the appropriate security controls.

The first computer security was introduced in the early 1960s. The first computers were very large, expensive and only used by large organizations and governments. In the early 1960s, the Cold War was at its height and there were fears that these large computers could be hacked and used by foreign powers to launch attacks on the United States.

The first computer security standards were developed in 1962 by the American Standards Association (ASA). These standards called for physical security measures such as guards and locked doors as well as technical controls including passwords, encryption and firewalls. For many years there was no consensus on what exactly constituted “computer security” or how best to protect data from hackers or malware.

It wasn’t until the 1990s that a more formalized approach to computer security emerged with the development of ISO 27001:2005 Information Technology – Security Techniques – Code of Practice for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This standard defined ISMS as follows: “An ISMS is a documented set of policies, procedures, processes and practices designed to help an organization manage its information assets securely across its business operations while meeting specific business objectives.

All in All...

Luckily, there was already a framework of security in place. It had been defined by the National Security Agency (NSA) in the 1950s to enforce rules and controls on the creation, use and storage of sensitive information that passed between two different organizations. This framework was originally designed to safeguard classified information between military agencies, so it contained rules designed to ensure nobody could get at data without proper clearance.

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About the Creator

Abraham Verninac

🤓 I am an entrepreneur who builds brands/influencer. And I want to chat with anyone that is interested in starting their own business/brand or who wants to take it to the next level! You can message me anytime!

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