canucker2016Nov 4

This Day in 1988, the Morris worm infected 10% of the Internet within 24 hours

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/on-this-day-in-1988-the-morris-worm-slithered-out-and-sparked-a-new-era-in-cybersecurity-10-percent-of-the-internet-was-infected-within-24-hours

On this day in 1988, the Morris worm infected 10% of the Internet within 24 hours — worm slithered out and sparked a new era in cybersecurity

The Internet contracted worms a year before the World Wide Web was even a thing.

Tom's Hardware
Show threadtptacek

I'm pretty sure Paul Graham was directly involved in this story (not in any bad, culpable way, but enough that, were a film to be made about it, a well-known actor would be cast for his part).

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38020635

Nov 4 at 5:27pmWeb
Show threadneomNov 4
Out of curiosity, why do you think this?
Show threadtptacekNov 4

There's contemporaneous reporting. It's in Katie Hafner and John Markoff's book! A friend of Morris', named Paul, has a role in the aftermath of the worm.

I'm not dunking on Paul Graham here. If you know anything about me, if anything, this is a point in his favor. :)

Show threadmindcrimeNov 4

It's in Katie Hafner and John Markoff's book!

Not sure if that was supposed to be sarcasm[1] or was intended seriously, but for what it's worth Hafner & Markoff have frequently received a lot of criticism for playing fast and loose with the truth in that book. Now most of that is specifically in regards to their treatment of Mitnick, and I'm not making any particular accusation here. Just sharing a thought that "it's in Katie Hafner and John Markoff's book" might not be terribly strong evidence of $WHATEVER.

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poe%27s_law

Poe's law - Wikipedia

Show threadtptacekNov 4
I mean, sure, it's not my favorite book either, but what's your theory here, that they just made up a Paul?
Show threadmindcrimeNov 4
Nope, no theory at all. Just providing some context for people who might not be as familiar with that book and the authors, and some of the questions that have been raised about it.
Show threadtptacekNov 4
I know that the book makes a much bigger deal out of Mitnick than is reasonable (Mitnick was basically the consummate script kid). But I also know that scenesters of the time hated Markoff and thought he was, like, an enemy of the scene.