The Creeper Virus | Hacking History Documentary

Summary

In this episode of 'Hacking History', we explore the origins of the first computer virus, discovered in 1971, predating widespread internet use. The virus, named 'Creeper', was created by Bob Thomas as a proof of concept for mobile applications. It could move between computers on the ARPANET, printing 'I'm the creeper, catch me if you can'. Ray Tomlinson, known for inventing email, later modified Creeper to self-replicate, inadvertently creating the first virus. The script delves into the early days of computing, the ARPANET, and the development of antivirus software to combat Creeper, highlighting the unintended consequences of early technological innovations.

Takeaways

• 😀 The first computer virus was discovered in 1971, predating many viewers of the video.
• 💻 Early computers were mainframes, large machines that occupied entire rooms and were very different from today's personal devices.
• 🌐 The ARPANET, established by the U.S. Department of Defense, was the precursor to the modern Internet and was initially accessible only to universities.
• 👨‍💻 Ray Tomlinson, a programmer at BBN, is credited with inventing email and the @ symbol for user addressing.
• 🔄 Ray also created two programs, 'copy net' and 'send message', which allowed file transfer and messaging between different computers on the ARPANET.
• 🐞 Bob Thomas developed 'The Creeper', an application that moved between systems, leaving a message, and is considered the first computer virus.
• 🔄 Ray Tomlinson modified 'The Creeper' to make it self-replicating, thus creating the first true computer virus.
• 🛠️ The virus, initially a prank, caused disruptions and led to the development of the first antivirus software, also by Ray Tomlinson, named 'Reaper'.
• 📈 The Creeper virus is estimated to have infected nearly every 10x system on the ARPANET, achieving a near 100% infection rate among about 15 computers.
• 🔮 The Creeper's techniques influenced later developments, including the Macross air traffic simulation system, showcasing how early cyber concepts evolved.

Q & A

In what year was the first computer virus discovered?

The first accepted computer virus was discovered in 1971.

What were the early computers like during the era of the first computer virus?

Early computers were massive, often occupying entire rooms, and were known as mainframes. They were highly specialized tools accessible only to a few and used primitive methods for interaction such as punch cards or panels of lights.

What was the precursor to the modern Internet?

ARPANET is widely regarded as the precursor to the modern Internet, founded by the Department of Defense, and initially accessible only to universities and certain organizations.

Who is credited with the creation of the first email?

Ray Tomlinson is credited with the creation of the first email. He worked as a computer programmer at BBN (now Raytheon) and developed programs that allowed for file copying and messaging between different computers via ARPANET.

What was the significance of Ray Tomlinson's '@' symbol in the context of email?

Ray Tomlinson used the '@' symbol to address a user at a terminal, which transformed the way we use this character in email addresses today.

Who created the program known as 'The Creeper'?

Bob Thomas, also known as Robert H. Thomas, who was a developer for the TENEX operating system at BBN, created 'The Creeper' as a proof of concept for a mobile application.

What were the functions of 'The Creeper' program?

The Creeper had two functions: it would print the message 'I'm the creeper, catch me if you can' and then move to another computer to do the same thing.

How did Ray Tomlinson contribute to the development of the first computer virus?

Ray Tomlinson recombined the code from 'The Creeper' with his own code for 'send message' and 'copy net', giving it the ability to self-replicate and move freely around the ARPANET, thus creating the first computer virus.

What was the impact of 'The Creeper' on the systems it infected?

The Creeper caused minor disruptions by printing messages at random times, including when other users were working, which affected productivity. Eventually, it started to crowd out other programs and prevent them from running properly.

Who developed the first antivirus software, and what was it named?

Ray Tomlinson developed the first antivirus software named 'Reaper', which was designed to find and delete instances of 'The Creeper' on infected systems.

How did the development of 'The Creeper' influence later technology?

The techniques learned from the development of 'The Creeper' were later used in the Macross system, an air traffic simulator that utilized the ability to move parts of the simulation across the network.