Kevin Mitnick
Kevin David Mitnick ( born August 6, 1963 in Van Nuys, California) is an American former hacker, an expert in social engineering and director of a security company.
Time as a hacker
Kevin Mitnick was known as " Condor " member of the " Roscoe Gang". He is said to have penetrated more than 100 times in the network of the Ministry of Defense of the United States and a few times in the NSA. In particular, the penetration into the NORAD network he denies, however.
In 1988, Mitnick was sentenced to eight months in solitary confinement, and another six months in the Half Way House. On 15 February 1995 Mitnick was arrested again and accused of being invaded " some of the most secure computer systems " in the United States by the FBI. He was imprisoned for two years without trial, or four and a half years without a bail hearing. A worldwide Free Kevin movement, led by the hacker magazine 2600, campaigned for Mitnick. Mitnick was sentenced to a prison term.
In January 2000, Mitnick was released after nearly five years of prison. As probation the judges ordered a three-year ban on the use of computer systems. The prosecutor remarked, " Mitnick could start a nuclear war by whistles into the phone ."
Author and security consultant
After his release Mitnick was active as an author and security consultant. He published the book "The Art of Deception " ( " The Art of Deception "). It is about the social engineering. He uses examples, the techniques of social engineering to offer guidance on how to protect his company before this.
In 2011 he published the book Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World 's Most Wanted Hacker, in which he describes his time as a hacker. This was allowed him by imposing conditions only seven years after his release.
The consulting firm founded by him, " defensive Thinking" helps companies including presentations and employee training in protecting their information against social engineering.
Reception in the media
Published in 2000 movie " Takedown " (also Hackers 2) provoked the protest of many hackers, a part of the media and of intimates Mitnick.
The two-hour, published in 2002 documentary by the hacker magazine 2600 magazine " Freedom Downtime " sheds light on the events surrounding Mitnick from a benevolent perspective. He won the " Audience Award for Documentaries " at the " New York International Independent Film & Video Festival " in 2002.
Mitnick had a role in the created by Rockstar Games Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas as a phone caller with a show that Area 53 is called and runs on WCTR. In addition, his character is also in the 2004 come out game Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines taken.
2001 Mitnick embodied in the ABC television series Alias - The agent in the fifth episode of the first season the CIA computer experts "Agent Burnett ".