This week we have been asked to discuss the evolution of the concept and necessity of cybersecurity of the last three decades

All posts must be (2) substantive responses with a minimum of 150 words each for Responses 1 and 2. Ensure you list and break down each response in a word document, along with its reference. Response provided should further discuss the subject or provide more insight. To further understand the response, below is the discussion post that's discusses the responses. 100% original work and not plagiarized. Must meet deadline.

RESPONSE 1:

This week we have been asked to discuss the evolution of the concept and necessity of cybersecurity of the last three decades as well as speculate as to what impact the next decade may have on cybersecurity. While analyzing this topic, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that in the 1980 the idea of the Internet was limited to only a few machines connected to one another located at various universities and government sites. (Crocker, 2019) Relatively speaking, the need for cybersecurity was next to nothing as most of the people who had regular access to the network probably belonged to a small group of people most of which could vouch for one another or having some type of real-world acquaintance or connection. It wasn’t until the integration of many networks on a global scale where simply sending information in the clear started to become a problem and malicious actors could inflict harm to a machine and remain safeguarded through the anonymity afforded by the ever evolving landscape that was cyberspace. Soon, encryption, firewalls, anti-malware, and more cybersecurity products became ubiquitous with cyber technology as a whole as more emphasis was placed on protecting sensitive information and digital resources. 

Obviously, it is difficult if not impossible to accurately predict how technology will evolve in the future. However, if I had to hazard a guess I would speculate that as the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to permeate society greater emphasis will be placed on traffic management. Many American households have moved from having one personal computer and wired telephone, to having several dozens of wireless interconnected devices to include a phone, tablet, laptop, security doorbells, thermostats, smart locks, smart garage doors, Bluetooth coffeemakers, smart refrigerators, etc in less than two decades. Securing all of the traffic while simultaneously allotting the proper amount of bandwidth for each device to function as advertised will only continue to grow more difficult as households continue to acquire more wireless technology.

V/r,
Jared

Reference:
Crocker, S. (2019, October). CSDL: IEEE Computer Society. CSDL | IEEE Computer Society. Retrieved December 15, 2021, from https://www.computer.org/csdl/magazine/co/2019/10/08848151/1dAq2h9SRwI

RESPONSE 2:

In the early days of the internet in the 1980’s-1990 viruses and worms were not as large of a threat. The internet was still new and not widely used publicly, therefore not many threats were known of even if they were in existence. However, there were hackers that attacked government and corporate systems stealing data and money. This was simpler due to the lack of security. The 1990’s brought about more public and commercial use of the internet with the availability of the world wide web and publicly available dial-up. This also caused more hackers to spread malware, but anti-virus, and firewalls were assisting in the protection of data. This did not stop all malware exploits from happening as the Melissa virus and Michelangelo virus cost were two that affected thousands of users and thousands of dollars in loss and repairs. The next decade in the 2000’s was when computers were a more normal occurrence, most homes had one and the crimes being committed over the web were treated like crimes. Criminals when caught were charged and served jail time along with fines, at least in the U.S. Malware and hackers began to evolve however, and because the internet was more widely used a payloads ability to spread grew rapidly. Going forward the lessen learned from the past few decades is that along with growth and use of the internet comes evolution to the threats from using it. Today to secure a network defense in depth is used along with pen testing and auditing. The entirety of how a device or program is developed has security in mind and all users are trained in security measures. Cyber security must begin to think like hackers to protect data and systems. Cyberattacks in today’s world can cripple infrastructure, therefore it is imperative to keep the system as secure as possible, always rechecking controls, training staff, and updating programs, and soon offensive and defensive measures in cyber will become the norm to protect data.

-AMANDA

Lynett, M. (n.d.). A history of information security from past to present. Document Management Blog. Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://blog.mesltd.ca/a-history-of-information-security-from-past-to-present#:~:text=1990s%3A%20Organized%20crime%20gets%20involved%20in%20hacking%20After,data%20from%20people%20and%20governments%20via%20the%20web.

Malware of the 90s: Remembering the Michelangelo and Melissa viruses. WeLiveSecurity. (2018, November 26). Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://www.welivesecurity.com/2018/11/12/malware-90s-michelangelo-melissa-viruses/

A history of malware: Part four, 2000-2005. Infosec Resources. (2020, October 14). Retrieved January 9, 2022, from https://resources.infosecinstitute.com/topic/history-malware-part-four-2000-2005/