Slashdot Mirror
Ask Kevin Mitnick
Okay, Kevin Mitnick is getting back online and can start taking email tomorrow, January 21. We've spoken with Kevin by phone, and he agrees that a Slashdot interview is a fine way to help celebrate his return to the Internet, especially since he has a book to sell and a consulting business to build. (Don't forget: Kevin hasn't been able to make much money for a number of years, and has a lot of lost time to make up for.) One question per post, please. We'll email Kevin 10 of the highest-moderated questions, and post his answers shortly after he gets them to us.
How has the growing popularity of Linux improved computer security? Conversely, how has the continuing success of Windows harmed security as a whole and encouraged hackers?
Karma: Good (despite my invention of the Karma: sig)
Now that you're out of jail do you plan on getting married? I'm sure there are a lot of us geek chicks out here swooning of the thought of marrying a rebel jailbird ;)
ps: how'd you like them chickens?
Dude, the guy's been in jail. Of COURSE the first thing he did was to browse some pr0n.
Now, the second thing he did with access to the net... that'd be an interesting question.
You cannot apply a technological solution to a sociological problem. (Edwards' Law)
Let's just say he went in a Tight End and came out a Wide Receiver :)
This is not the greatest sig in the world, no. This is just a tribute.
Now that you got all this fame from being a hacker weeny, are you now trying to push books and start a consulting buisness because you finally realized that's where the money is? Did you need to be so distructive just to get that start in life? Frankly, a lepord CAN'T change it's spots and that's how I see this 'snake oil' campain you're on now. The typical /. luser may fall for it and even grovel at your feet, but I'm not biting.
In all honesty, I really do hope you change your ways, and I really do hope you can persuade other hacker weenies from following your path. I'm not holding my breath on preaching to the hacker weenie world tho.
Hi Kevin. I just have one simple question for you:
Did you learn your lesson?
"A terrorist is someone who has a bomb but doesn't have an air force." -William Blum
Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox are hacker icons. Mitnick is just a dumb fool who got caught breaking the law.
FreeSpeech.org
How can I trust a "security consulting" company that runs its web site using Micro$oft software?
The site defensivethinking.com is running Microsoft-IIS/5.0 on Windows 2000.
Seriously, which is better:
a) Ability to get online again
OR...
b) Sex with a mare?
"When I was 13 I thought that cracking into systems was "kool." Now that I am an adult, I see that once a system has been compromised - even if it's just so that a smart kid can look around - it costs a fortune to be sure that a) the holes are closed, and b) the kid didn't do any damage."
/. get behind him?"
OTOH that kid found a hole you didn't know about, and he did it for free. If you're going to take cost into account, you must take in ALL costs.
"He broke the law. Should we help him "make up for lost time" by helping him profit on his life experiences? I don't think so."
Because when criminals tell there side of what happened it can reveal injustices? Or be a lesson to the next generation?
"Let me give an example. Let's say that I am pro legalization of prostitution. (I'm not)
Before the legislators became "enlightened" on this issue (while it is still illegal) someone is convicted of being a pimp - should I make that person a poster-boy? Should I work to build a "how to be a pimp" consulting business, or promote a "pimping for dummies" book?"
First of all pimping is not a crime, prostitution is.(usually) Of course some of the things some 'pimps' do is illegal. (Don't believe everything hollywood says about pimps). I think many people would find what a pimp does interesting, and might actually buy a book about a pimp.(in fact, there is at least one book on this subject).
Your analogy falls short because Kevin is not selling a book, or starting a business, that tells someone how to 'hack'.
"Kevin broke the law, and did his time. Can't he just get a straight job like the rest of us and move on? Why must he be a hero? Why must
there are many reasons, for me he is an example of how omeone can get unjustly punished for a crime, just bewcause it involves technology.
"Kevin, please get a regular job and live like an ordinary citizen." please define"regular job" and an "ordinary citizen".
"I don't get it. "
we know.
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on