Insert 'birthday collision' joke here

February 11, 2009 8:16 AM

I'm putting together a "Today in Computer Security History" calendar. What events should be included?

I plan to use this for security awareness purposes, but mostly it's just for fun. For example: Did you know Jon Postel and Kevin Mitnick share the same birthday? I don't mind stretching the "computer security" category to include big events in computing in general (FTP spec published), or major cryptology events that predate the integrated circuit.

What's most important is that the event can be pinned down to a single day: events that span a week aren't good for the calendar. I'm happy to do the legwork to track down the actual date of an occurence.

posted by These Premises Are Alarmed to computers & internet (8 comments total)

May 4th: ILOVEYOU

You can probably find a lot at securitydigest.org if you are not already familiar with them.
posted by TedW at 8:56 AM on February 11

Hacker Conferences (summercon, hope, hohocon, defcon, pumpcon), first instances of virus sights, Bruce Schneier's birthday.
posted by bensherman at 8:56 AM on February 11

You should ask the guys in comp.risks.

Off the top of my head: RTM worm, iloveyou virus, Elk Cloner, Vienna, Y2K (Jan 1st!), Operation Sundevil, Phiber Optik's trial.
posted by Leon at 9:01 AM on February 11

How about the Morris worm, the Sony rootkit or any other notable virus.
Randal Schwartz had a run-in with the law over computer security.
This list of data breaches is rather hair raising.
posted by hoppytoad at 9:29 AM on February 11

I should add, I've already combed through many of the "hacker timelines" out there. All these suggestions are great.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 10:13 AM on February 11

You have to put some sort of day devoted to Charles Babbage.
posted by hexxed at 11:01 AM on February 11

3 June 1983 - Release of Wargames
1985 - Release of Activision's Hacker.
26 June 2002 - OpenBSD slogan changes to "One remote hole in the default install, in nearly 6 years!"
posted by toxic at 12:39 PM on February 11

September 15, 1995 - US Release of the film Hackers
November 17, 1985 - First issue of Phrack is published
posted by wcfields at 4:48 PM on February 11