ASI Guardian

Today marks a significant milestone in the history of technology: On this day in 1969, the first Interface Message Processor (IMP) was delivered to UCLA.

You won’t have heard of it, but this device was the very first building block of the Internet as we know it today. The IMP was a revolutionary piece of technology that allowed different research networks to connect, and it became the first generation of what we now call network routers.

Just a month later, the second IMP was installed at the Stanford Research Institute. These two devices made history on October 19, 1969, when the first message was sent between them. UCLA student Charley Kline attempted to send the word "login," but the system crashed after just the first two letters, making "lo" the first message ever transmitted over what would become the Internet.

While simple, this first communication was the spark that ignited our digital revolution.

For business owners, this anniversary is a reminder of the incredible impact that technology has had on the way we work and communicate. The Internet has grown from those first two letters - lo - into a tool that powers everything.

Where would we be without it today? It’s a hard thought to comprehend isn’t it?

First Building Block of the Internet - This Day in Tech History August 30, 1969 The first Interface Message Processor (IMP) is delivered to Leonard Kleinrock’s research group at UCLA. The IMP was the device that would interconnect networks between research facilities on the developing ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet. As a packet-switching device, the IM...

Here’s some nightmare fodder for you: A global company recently fell victim to a sophisticated scam that cost them a massive $60 million.

This wasn’t due to a high-tech hack or a complex breach, but something much simpler - social engineering. An employee was tricked into transferring funds to scammers, thinking they were making legitimate payments.

This kind of scam is known as a Business Email Compromise (BEC) attack. Cyber criminals either impersonate a company executive or gain access to their email and then convince an unsuspecting employee to make a payment. They might claim it’s for a business deal that needs to be done quickly and quietly, adding pressure to act fast.

For businesses, this is a sobering reminder that the biggest risks aren't always technical, they’re often human. Employees are prime targets for these kinds of attacks - especially if they have access to company funds.

The best defense? Education.

Training your team to recognize the signs of a scam could save your business millions. Encourage a culture where employees verify requests, especially when money is involved, and always double-check unusual demands, no matter how urgent they seem.

Investing in security training isn’t just a smart move, it’s essential. If you need help getting your employees up to speed on cyber security, my team can help.

What is Business Email Compromise (BEC)? | Microsoft Security Learn about business email compromise (BEC), what happens during a BEC scam, and how to protect your organization from this email-based fraud.