“A quest for knowledge, the intellectual challenge,” Kevin Mitnik had confessed to the Senate committee as his motivation for his cyber crimes. During a time when the world was only getting used to the internet, Mitnick broke into a North American Air Defense Command computer. The genius, trickster, or hacker passed away on July 16 at the age of 59.
Both the hunt for Kevin and his tussle with the authorities later is what bought him into the nation’s spotlight. Even after being taken in for cyber crimes, a group of cyber enthusiasts supported and protested for his release. Here’s more about the misunderstood genius.
All About Kevin Mitnick
Kevin Mitnick was born on August 6, 1963, and grew up in Los Angeles. He spent his childhood years bored and finding fun in fooling people, as per Register. As a teenager, he broke into government computers. This made him appear on the radar of federal law enforcement agencies. During the time of Mitnick’s case, cyber laws were ambiguous, as stated by the then-crime prosecutor, Mark Rasch.
“He (Mitnick) became a cause célèbre for the internet. There was this idea that he was liberating data, he was liberating information, and that he was just proving how hacking could be done,” Rasch said. “And people in the hacker community who thought he was a demigod” he added.
By the age of 30, Mitnick had already served time in prison. But he was not ready to stop there. Later after his release, he became a cybersecurity consultant. The former hacker was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in mid-2022. He died on July 16, 2023. Mitnick is survived by his wife Kimberly who is expecting a child later this year.
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How Did Mitnick Earn His Fame As A Hacker?
“My motivation was a quest for knowledge, the intellectual challenge, the thrill, and the escape from reality,” Mitnick confided during one of the Senate committee hearings. The techie didn’t clearly make any financial gains from his fraud.
He stole credit card numbers and got involved with corporate trade secrets. Mitnick also broke into the computer systems of corporates like Nokia and Motorola, causing millions of dollars in damage.
The huge media coverage and the overhyped search for him are what made him popular. The 2000 movie ‘Track Down’ was inspired by Mitnick’s life story. In addition, a book was also written by Tsutomu Shimomura, a cybersecurity expert, and Times reporter John Markoff on Mitnick’s crime spree.
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