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The Fascinating Story Of Notorious Hacker Kevin Mitnick: From Magic To Outwitting The Fbi And Becoming An Ethical Hacker
Immerse yourself in the amazing life story of a notorious hacker – Kevin Mitnick.
From his love of magic to his outsmarting of the FBI, follow this electrifying figure’s journey.
For those fascinated with the world of computing and the idea that computers can be manipulated and controlled by some, he is an inspirational figure.
Mitnick’s admittedly unethical hacking activities have made him notorious, yet what changed lives wasn’t his crime but his post-crime redemption as an ethical hacker who advises on computer security through his company.
Through this biography you’ll learn why Mitnick decided to go from good to bad, and back again, learning invaluable lessons along the way.
Growing Up With Bad Authority Figures Led Kevin Mitnick To Become A Master Of Social Engineering
Growing up, Kevin Mitnick developed a strong interest in magic and manipulation.
As a child, he was trained to be an only child by his mother Shelly who lived an itinerant life and often ended up in bad relationships.
Being constantly on the move prevented him from making any friends but Kevin still managed to get decent grades in school and he excelled in sports too.
The extracurricular activity that particularly captured his imagination was magic.
At the tender age of ten, a neighbor showed him a simple magic trick and it sparked off a fire within Kevin – he loved the element of deception, or rather manipulating the audience into believing what you wanted them to believe.
He became completely obsessed with studying tricks and discovering ways of fooling people through his performances.
When he turned thirteen, Kevin developed an interest in social engineering – how to manipulate people so they do what you want – especially after discovering The Big Brother Game which helped him access private records like driving history, bank accounts and even those of strangers without their knowledge.
As Kevin came to learn, the key to successful social engineering is developing trust amongst those people- so you must use the correct terminology that those around you use.
Using this technique works more often than not for him as proven by his escapades time and time again before his seventeenth birthday!
Kevin Mitnick And His Mission To Hack The Digital World
In the early 1980s, Kevin Mitnick first began his journey into the world of computer hacking while he was still just a teenager.
Before computers, he tested out his hacking skills by calling up different offices and posing as a police officer.
He would ask for the “Requester Code,” and then use this to gain access to different records.
His most notable exploit involved gaining access to DMV files all across California.
All he had to do was call up local police stations and pose as a DMV representative to get confirmation for a Requester Code- something he usually made up on the spot!
Unfortunately, this eventually led him into trouble when he gained access to an administrator account at a research company- where his friend’s father worked.
Despite Mitnick having no part in it, his friend Micah incriminated him by neglecting to cover his tracks.
The FBI took notice and paid Mitnick a visit- but didn’t pursue any further action as there were no laws against computer hacking in place yet and Mitnick was only 17 years old.
Mitnick received a stern warning, though; this would not be the last time that he’d run afoul of the law!
Kevin Mitnick’s Love Of Thrill-Seeking Almost Got Him In Serious Trouble With The Law
Kevin Mitnick’s first arrest was a result of unfortunate decisions made by his friends.
The job began with a phone call from Mitnick posing as a network technician warning US Leasing about a computer bug that was putting the data at risk.
His friend, Lewis, helped him out to gain access to the system and all seemed okay until Lewis broke up with his girlfriend, Susan (who also happened to be a hacker).
Using the account data that Lewis left lying around as carelessly, Susan entered the system and had every machine in the company print out Mitnick’s name.
To make matters worse, she uncovered that Mitnick and Lewis had stolen employee manuals from a local phone company which she immediately reported to law enforcement authorities.
Mitnick was minors when he was arrested and sentenced to 90 days in juvenile detention center.
The strange nature of the crime caught the judge overseeing Mitnick’s case completely off guard: why would someone go through all this trouble for personal data but not do anything with it? This pattern of hacking for thrill rather than financial gain was unheard of at that time so he assumed there must have been some form of profiteering involved somehow.
Sadly, it ended up being an arrest due to the actions of Mitchell’s friends which taught him an invaluable lesson — no matter how careful one is, those accompanying him may not be aware enough to ensure their own safety or his; hence his future caution around trust.
Kevin Mitnick Learns The Hard Way That There Are Consequences For His Crimes
At the age of nineteen, Kevin Mitnick had already made a name for himself as a hacker and his juvenile offense had been reported on in the LA Times.
Unfortunately, this newfound notoriety caused him problems when he attempted to get legitimate computer work.
However, after six months at a trade school and using their job placement program, Mitnick was offered a job at GTE telephone company hacking into their system to identify weaknesses and build stronger security – a dream come true!
But Mitnick’s hacking got him into further trouble once GTE asked him to fill out security forms revealing his past; they let him go after nine days since his past record was discovered.
As it turned out, Mitnick resumed his old ways and started hacking into other systems.
His hacking eventually caught up with him – one company sued both mitnick and his girlfriend for 1.4 million dollars each!
In the end though, the lawsuit was dropped when it came to light that SCO only used it as leverage to force Mitnick to reveal his methods for getting into their network; ultimately getting away with only three years probation.
Kevin Mitnick’S Suspicious Encounter With An Impostor Revealed The Fbi’S Cunning Plan To Put Him Behind Bars
When Kevin Mitnick heard of a mysterious hacker named Eric Heinz, he was intrigued.
After they met in person, Mitnick became even more fascinated by Heinz, as he seemed to know his stuff and had access to codes that could be used to hack into any phone system on the west coast.
Mitnick also soon noticed Heinz’s unsettling paranoia and lack of a job.
Little did Kevin know that his meeting with Heinz would eventually put him in great danger of ending up in jail again.
When Mitnick started to feel suspicious of Heinz, he began monitoring his phone calls, only to find out that this imposter was actually an FBI agent who had planned a sting operation for him.
Fortunately, due to all the preparation Mitnick made beforehand, combined with some help from friends he knew before entering hacking again, he was able to avoid serious legal consequences.
Nevertheless, thanks to the mysterious meeting with Eric Heinz, Kevin learned a valuable lesson about being too trusting and full of curiosity when it comes to questionable characters who may have ulterior motives.
The Incredible Story Of How Kevin Mitnick Eluded Capture By Faking A New Identity Inspired By Harry Houdini
When Kevin Mitnick realized that he was under FBI surveillance, he knew he had to do everything he could to try and avoid getting caught.
He used his social engineering skills and experience to stay one step ahead of the law.
He was aware that the FBI was staking out his apartment, so he cleared it of any evidence that might be used against him and then left a note on the refrigerator with the message “FBI doughnuts” as an effort for them to know just how aware he was of their investigation.
The FBI didn’t take kindly to this message and soon sent a search party over but Mitnick was smart and thorough in his clean-up job leaving them with nothing.
Unfortunately, this momentary victory wasn’t enough because soon after his 3 year probation ended, they went back on the attack now knowing they had a warrant ready which would see Mitnick go to prison if arrested.
So, in order to save himself it was time for Mitnick to get out of town and start fresh with a new identity, which saw him move all the way to Las Vegas where he successfully obtained birth certificate and social security number under the name Eric Weiss – or Harry Houdini’s real name.
The Fbi Is Still On His Trail: How Kevin Mitnick Avoided Capture By Taking Cautionary Measures
Living as a fugitive could be very dangerous for Kevin Mitnick, so he was always one step ahead of the authorities.
This included crafting elaborate new identities for himself and always keeping his money close and his ID at hand.
When it came time to find employment, Mitnick decided to create a fake life for himself in Denver, Colorado.
He found a job opening at a law firm and created a false background story, including references from a pretend Las Vegas company.
His quick thinking and smooth talking landed him the job with ease.
It was during this time that Mitnick became focused on getting access to source codes for cell phone technology – particularly those of Motorola, Nokia and NEC.
After some successful entries into Motorola and Nokia networks, Mitnick’s luck ran out when he tapped into NEC’s system.
While there, he picked up on an email that tipped him off that the FBI were aware someone transferred their codes to California – something he had just done!
It’s no wonder why Mitnick’s life as a fugitive was full of fake identities and close calls – it kept him safe in more ways than one!
Kevin Mitnick’S Illegal Use Of Cloning Methods Finally Captured The Attention Of Law Enforcement
At the start of 1994, things seemed to be going well for Kevin Mitnick.
He was happily employed at Denver law firm and making phone calls using social engineering during his lunch break.
However, he soon wouldn’t have the opportunity to use this tactic again as his employers began to suspect that Mitnick was taking company time to complete outside consultancy work without their knowledge.
This eventually led to his dismissal from the law firm in Spring 1994, leading him unemployed at the age of 30.
With no other option, he resorted to his old habits of hit reset button by moving houses and changing his name – this time becoming Brian Merrill in Seattle.
Though he found employment easily enough due to Seattle’s booming tech industry, Mitnick’s paranoia was beginning to affect him heavily – a simple helicopter flying above could trigger panic attacks and he had become convinced that authorities were tracking him through his cell phone signal.
Things began to go downhill for Mitnick after he got fired from his Denver job and it only got worse when Seattle law enforcement noticed what they believed was an illegal cell-phone use on Mitnick’s part but turned out to be cloning methods so that he wouldn’t have to pay for his phone calls and make it appear that he was calling from a different phone number.
His attempts at covert behavior led them one step closer towards locating the wanted fugitive – though this time the FBI had gotten involved thanks to an informant of Mitnick’s who now happened passed onto them had been seeking Mitnick ever since.
Mitnick saw that capture was imminent and once again tried fleeing town, this time heading down South towards Raleigh, North Carolina only for the FBI to once again trace him with a search warrant in hand.
Despite still trying to pass off as someone with fake identity, they found what they were looking for in an old ski jacket belonging with the name Kevin Mitnick printed right at the top – signifying end of life as a fugitive scholar hacker and officially dragged into court where justice must now prevail!
A “Free Kevin” Movement Helps Mitnick Secure A Mercy Plea Deal After An Excessive, Unjust Sentencing
When Kevin Mitnick was arrested on February 15, 1995 and made to stand in a North Carolina courtroom to hear the charges being filed against him, he knew that the Feds were deadly serious about taking him down.
The charges of possession of 20,000 credit card numbers and billions of dollars worth of trade secrets meant that Mitnick was looking at a maximum sentence of 460 long years in jail for simply making 23 cellphone calls.
Plus, the corporations Mitnick had hacked wanted $300 million in damages.
This blatant injustice prompted people around the world to protest and speak out in defense of Kevin Mitnick by launching a “Free Kevin” campaign which included stickers and articles raising awareness about the case.
As a result, the plea bargain offered to the hacker was greatly reduced $300 million down to just $4,125 with no electronic devices allowed near him for three years under tight supervision.
It is this reaction — both from inside and outside of courtroom — that resulted in some reprieve for Mitnick; although it still costed him 5 years in jail.
Kevin Mitnick: Finding Redemption Through Ethical Hacking
When Kevin Mitnick was released from prison, he found a surprising opportunity to use his formerly illegal computer skills for the betterment of society.
A letter from US Senator Fred Thompson inviting him to take part in a Senate hearing gave him the chance to offer his expertise, and soon after he was in demand as a speaker on security issues.
His newfound fame even landed him a cameo role in an episode of J.J Abrams’ show Alias, where he was allowed to use his marked abilities – albeit under strict supervision from the show’s prop master!
Mitnick then put this newfound recognition to work by finding freelance consulting jobs at organizations wanting advice on their information technology, proving that it was possible for those with bad reputations through past mistakes or offenses to have a second chance and become something more constructive.
He also wrote his book The Art of Deception, allowing readers around the world to learn lessons from his own missteps.
All this led Mitnick towards leading an instrumental and fulfilling life outside prison walls by using the same skill set which once got him locked up in solitary confinement.
He had successfully turned things around, becoming one of the most trusted cyber security professionals out there – an ethically-minded testimony of turning lemons into some very sweet lemonade.
Wrap Up
The conclusion of Ghost in the Wires is that Kevin Mitnick demonstrated time and time again that he was one of the world’s most notorious hackers, using his talents for phones and computers for the thrill instead of personal gain.
Thankfully, being caught by law enforcement ended up being a positive experience for him because it enabled him to take advantage of his hacker skills to improve online security by providing companies with security solutions.
In this way, Mitnick was able to use his talents constructively which ultimately led to better protection and safety against cyber attacks.
