The internet is such a powerful tool in both good and bad ways. It can make life a lot more convenient but can also open up a whole new list of crimes. One example of bad behavior on the internet is the Morris Worm, which happened in 1998.
A Harvard graduate, named Robbert Morris, was experimenting with programming to create something that could slowly travel the internet, and released a worm. A worm is different from a typical virus because it does not need a software host, it can survive and spread on its own. The worm slowed everything down on the internet, preventing emails from being sent for days and even slowing down military operations. The cost of the damages caused by this went up to around $10 million, but it is hard to pinpoint exactly how much.
Morris contacted a friend, panicked that he had let the worm out and asked him to send out an email of warning, but because emails would not go through, the word did not spread very far. The friend then contacted The New York Times through an anonymous phone call, to warn of the worm and say it was an accident. The friend used his initials for the owner of the worm, and they pieced together who it was.
The FBI launched an investigation, finding Morris and questioning him, as well as decrypting his files which contained all the evidence. It was found that he had broken the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which forbade access to protected computers without authorization. He was found guilty by a jury, but was not sentenced to any jail time. He was, however, fined, put under probation, and ordered to complete 400 hours of community service.
It may seem hard to protect yourself from a worm, as it cannot really be controlled. After this incident though, our nation started developing cybersecurity and computer intrusion detection software. There are still important measures of safety that can be taken to protect yourself from something like this. First and foremost, get a strong antivirus and firewall system. Also be careful on the internet, do not just click on random messages or ads, even in emails. Finally, backup your important files and change passwords often. A lot of prevention is just in paying attention to how you behave online, and keep yourself from being susceptible to falling victim to this bad behavior.
Sources:
“Morris Worm”, fbi.gov, Accessed July 10, 2022, https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/morris-worm
“What Is a Computer Worm”, Vigderman Aliza, Turner Gabe, security.org, May 13, 2022, Accessed July 10, 2022, https://www.security.org/antivirus/computer-worm/