The Morris worm, created by Robert Tappan Morris, was released from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Intended as an experiment to measure the size of the burgeoning Internet, the worm unexpectedly caused massive disruption across numerous networks. By exploiting vulnerabilities in Unix systems, the worm was able to propagate itself and infect computers without user intervention. This led to significant slowdowns and, in some cases, required complete system reboots, affecting thousands of computers across the United States and beyond.

The worm utilized a variety of techniques to spread, including exploiting known vulnerabilities and utilizing common passwords. Its design was notably different from malware of its time, as it was not solely intended to steal information or cause damage. Nonetheless, the consequences were severe; systems slowed to a crawl as they attempted to fight off the incessant attacks, leading to extensive efforts to mitigate the issues. In total, the worm impacted an estimated 6,000 computers, roughly 10% of the Internet at the time.

In the aftermath, discussions about network security intensified, leading to greater awareness and the implementation of new security standards. The consequences of the Morris worm instigated the development of more robust cybersecurity measures and laid the groundwork for future research and development in information security. It highlighted the need for better protections against the unintended consequences of self-replicating software.