Steve Gibson (computer programmer): Difference between revisions

Revision as of 21:36, 14 December 2022

Revision as of 00:08, 2 February 2023

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In 1985, Gibson founded Gibson Research Corporation (GRC), a computer [[software development]] firm,<ref name=GibsonResume/> and from 1986 to 1993, he wrote the "Tech Talk" column for ''[[InfoWorld]]'' magazine.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9ToEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA102 |title=SpinRite upgrade |date=October 11, 1993 |work=InfoWorld |quote=...Steve Gibson, whose Tech Talk column has run in InfoWorld for close to eight years...}}</ref>

In 1999, Gibson created one of the first [[adware]] removal programs, which he called OptOut.<ref>{{cite web |author=Lavasoft |url=http://www.lavasoft.com/mylavasoft/securitycenter/articles/spyware-history |title=The History of Spyware |work=Lavasoft.com |access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref> In 2001, he predicted that Microsoft's implementation of the [[raw socket|SOCK_RAW]] protocol in the initial release of [[Windows&nbsp;XP]] would lead to widespread chaos by making it easier for Windows&nbsp;XP users to create [[denial of service]] (DoS) attacks.<ref>{{cite news |first=Deborah |last=Radcliff |work=Computerworld |date=October 22, 2001 |url=http://www.computerworld.com/article/2585406/operating-systems/windows-xp--is-it-safe-.html |title=Windows XP: Is it safe?}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |type=video |url=http://www.vpwsys.net/download/grc_low.wma | title=Raw Sockets Debate: Steve Gibson with Tom C. Greene |year=2001 |work=Online Tonight with David Lawrence |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/detailsweb/stevegibsoninterviewrawsocketsgrc20160304040855/http://www.vpwsys.net/download/grc_low.wma |archive-date=MayMarch 74, 2014 2016 |url-status=livebot: unknown |access-date=February 7, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Seth |last=Fogie |work=InformIT |date=June 21, 2002 |url=http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=27289 |title=Raw Sockets Revisited: What Happened to the End of the Internet?}}</ref> That year, his company's website was brought down by DoS attacks<ref name=MillarGuardian /> which continued for two weeks. Gibson blogged about the attacks and his (ultimately successful) efforts to track down the hacker.<ref name=MillarGuardian>{{cite news |first=Stuart |last=Millar |work=The Guardian |date=June 5, 2001 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2001/jun/05/hacking.security |title=Teenage hackers}}</ref> Three years after the Windows&nbsp;XP release, Microsoft limited raw socket support in [[Windows XP#Service Pack 2|Service Pack&nbsp;2]].<ref>{{cite news |first=Ian |last=Griffiths |work=IanG on Tap |date=August 12, 2004 |url=http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/2004/08/12/norawsockets |title=Raw Sockets Gone in XP SP2}}</ref>

In 2005, he launched a weekly [[podcast]] called ''[[Security Now]]'' with [[Leo Laporte]] on [[TWiT.tv]], with its archives hosted on GRC's website.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grc.com/sn/past/2005.htm |title=Security Now! Episode Archive |work=GRC.com |publisher=Gibson Research Corporation |access-date=February 8, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Bowers |work=Slate |date=December 9, 2005 |url=http://www.slate.com/articles/podcasts/podcasts/2005/12/slates_podcast_roundup.html |title=Slate's Podcast Roundup}}</ref>