Today in Technology History

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February 7

Exactly two years ago, on February 7, 2000, a series of sustained attacks on major commercial Web sites commenced.

Many of the biggest names on the Net -- Yahoo, Amazon, eBay, and several more -- fell prey to "Denial of Service" (DoS) attacks that left their Web sites inaccessible. A DoS attack does not actually involve hacking into the victim's computer system; instead, the perpetrator floods a Web site with fake traffic that blocks real users from getting through. In this case, the responsible individuals launched the attacks from third-party computers -- such as the powerful computer systems owned by several universities.

For millions of Web users (and a great many confused reporters) these DoS attacks were a first encounter with hacking. Most of the affected Web sites were operating normally within hours, and most of the attacks stopped after a few days -- although some estimates claim that the affected companies lost more than one billion dollars.

One lasting effect of the DoS attacks has been positive: like a mild and much-needed inoculation, the DoS attacks reminded the burgeoning e-commerce industry about the importance of computer security. However, even today, there is no sure defense against DoS attacks.

Although investigators have questioned several people, the only person officially accused of responsibility is a Canadian teenager known to the public by his online moniker, "mafiaboy." Canadian prosecutors charged him with over sixty crimes; he eventually pleaded guilty to most of the charges, and the rest were dropped. Late last year, he was sentenced to eight months in a youth detention center.

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