[Cryptography] When did zero day attacks become commonplace?

[=JeffH]

 > Back in the mid 1990s, the idea an attacker would hit you with a
 > 'zero-day' was considered a mythical possibility. Anyone who suggested it
 > might happen was scaremongering. Then within the space of a few weeks
 > they went from being unheard of to routine.
 >
 > I am trying to track down when the transition occurred for a talk. I
 > remember there being a sharp transition but I can't place when.

Wasn't it around 1995 when the below appeared on some mailing list(s) and/or 
newsgroup(s)..

   http://insecure.org/stf/mudge_buffer_overflow_tutorial.html

..?

HTH,

=JeffH