Computer Forensics Time Line

Photography used to demonstrate evidence in a California case [Ref. 33, p. 26].

Cathode ray tube (CRT) a.k.a. computer monitor first invented [Ref. 46, p. 12].

First operational Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer (ENIAC) was switched on [Ref. 43, p. 42].

Invention of the solid-state transistor [Ref. 43, p. 42].

First recorded computer abuse [Ref. 45, p. 5].

First federally prosecuted computer crime in the United States, was an alteration of bank records by computer in Minneapolis in 1966 [Ref. 45, p. 5].

ARPANET, derived from ARPA (Advanced Research Projects Agency) and developed by the research arm of the United States Defense Department was the foundation network for the Internet [Ref. 43, P. 77].

The personal computer made available to the consumer market when Intel introduced the 8080 microprocessor chip which contained the necessary circuits to program a computer [Ref. 43, p. 42].

In the salami swindle, a programmer rounds off fractional shares to employees and credits his with about $380,000 at time of arrest [Ref. 45, p. 165].

U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) issued "Computer-Related Crimes in Federal Programs." A report on computer crimes involving federal computers [Ref. 46 p. 22].

Introduction of the Federal Systems Protection Act Bill leading to the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1987 [Ref. 45, p. 5].

Florida's Computer Crime Act was the first law specifically created to deal with computer crime [Ref. 43, p. 16].

Creation of the User's Network or Usenet which hosted public newsgroups [Ref. 43, p. 90].

Electronic Letter Bomb Attack, a form of Trojan Horse, design to affect terminal-to-terminal communications [Ref. 45, p. 15].

The term worm program created by Shoch and Hupp [Ref. 44, p. 101].

IBM enters the personal computer market [Ref. 47, Preface].

Prof. Fred Cohen, computer scientist at the University of Cincinnati, first reports the computer virus [Ref. 45, p. 16].

The Credit Card Fraud Act of 1984 [Ref. 45, p. 99].

The Electronics Communications and Privacy Act (ECPA) was enacted to protect all forms of electronic communications [Ref. 43, p. 213].

"Hacker's Manifesto" written by Lloyd Blankenship (a.k.a. The Mentor) [Ref. 44, p. 33].

First email virus spread on mainframes [Ref. 44, p. 92].

"German Chaos Computer Club attacks NASA systems using several classes of computer abuses [Ref. 45, p. 4].

"The US Federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act passed [Ref. 45, p. 5].

"Iran-Contra Affair, Lt. Col. Oliver North uses ERASE command to remove email, unaware that only the name and storage address are deleted, the contents were unaffected, and were later used at trial [Ref. 45, p. 14].

Robert Morris releases a self-replicating computer program that entered computers through the internet and was referred to as a worm [Ref. 43 p. 209].

"First virus hoax message [Ref. 44, p. 92].

Kevin Mitnick, became the first person ever convicted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for stealing software from Digital Equipment Corporation [Ref. 43, p. 12].

"The Australian Crimes Act was amended to include Offenses Relating to Computers [Ref. 43, p. 208].

Computer Abuse Act passed in Britain [Ref. 43, p. 209].

World Wide Web (WWW) released [Ref. 43, p. 77].

FBI's National Computer Crime Squad (NCCS) instituted to investigate high tech-crime [Ref. 46, p. 35].

Child Pornography and Prevention Act was amended to prohibit the use of computers and networks for the creation and distribution of child pornography [Ref. 43, p. 207].

"Contents of email on murder victim Sharon Lopatka's computer leads to murderer [Ref. 43, p. 1].

Melissa virus travels across the Internet by attaching to e-mail messages resulting in the overloading of many computer and the subsequent shutting down of e-mail servers [Ref. 43, p. 61.].

"Internet Fraud Council is created based on a collaboration of FBI, White Collar Crime Center and National Fraud Center for the purposes of tracking all forms of computer related fraud [Ref. 46 p. 36].