With the dawn of networked computing, users were granted on-demand access to their data and computing infrastructure. The gained connectivity, of course, led to an increased exposure to attacks. Attackers no longer required any physical access to the machines or to the portable media. Establishing a connection to the network (PSTN, Tymnet, DATAPAC or the Internet) and knowing the target’s network address accomplished the same task remotely—thus beginning the information arms race between the attackers and the administrators. While one side was gathering information for gaining access and circumventing restrictions, the other was trying to patch vulnerabilities and protect their assets.
During this time, factions began to form as those with similar interests...
