August 1 is World Wide Web Day

It's easy to see why there's a day of recognition for the World Wide Web (WWW). Email and online transactions are critical business functions, social media keeps long-distance friends and family nearby, and online streaming platforms have made news and entertainment more accessible. These applications are the outcome of decades of development and innovation jump-started by the WWW.

WWW Day is a recognition of several important events, each contributing to the development of the World Wide Web. Tim Berners-Lee developed and presented his ‘information management’ proposal to CERN in March of 1989, though origins of the internet can be traced back to the 1950s when the U.S. Department of Defense was researching solutions to protect U.S. military communications in the event of a nuclear strike. This project led to the development of ARPANET, which began operation in 1969 with four nodes.

By the time Berners-Lee submitted his proposal, ARPANET had evolved into a worldwide network of over 60,000 nodes. This network was used primarily for research, and email was becoming one of the primary uses of the network. In April of 1993, CERN released the WWW software to the public, essentially presenting the world with the information needed to build the web as we know it today.

Important reminders on WWW Day

The web is so ubiquitous that you forget that it's special. The problem with this is that the WWW's accessibility and importance has made it an attractive target for cybercriminals. Like World Backup Day reminds us to check our data protection, WWW Day is the annual reminder to review your browser privacy, anti-virus protection, and your internet habits.

Individual users should review these best practices:

• Use strong passwords and don't reuse them across different accounts.
• Don't click on links or attachments from unknown senders.
• Keep your software and operating system up to date.
• Install a reputable security suite on your devices.
• Review your online security and privacy settings in your browsers and social media accounts.
• Do not conduct personal business on a public computer or on your mobile device using public wireless.

If you’re responsible for securing a business, consider some company-wide protection. Barracuda Web Security Gateway and Barracuda Content Shield protect users and networks from malware and virus downloads, malicious websites, and unauthorized applications.

For more information about protecting your business from web-based cyberthreats, visit www.barracuda.com.