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.
What is the first thing that you have done with access to the internet?
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.)
Knowing all this as the result of your choice, would you choose this path again? If so, why?
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
I've heard that you've expressed regret over the actions that landed you in jail and I think I even heard you say that you think you were in the wrong. So how do you respond to the hundreds of wannabes who hacked sites "in your honor" and wore "Free Kevin" shirts at the risk of repelling girls? Do you owe them anything, even a little guidance towards the straight and narrow?
At any point did you consider leaving the computer world behind to search out other means of makeing a living such as teaching, history, construction...?
Or is is the old, I just gotta do this feeling?
--Should work--
In Cuckoo's Egg, Cliff Stoll siad that in some cases life is better without the internet. Did you find any advantages to life without it?
I wonder what the largest single difference between going in and coming out will be for KM. What kind of access to infotech did he have while inside? Was he at least able to keep abreast of current trends?
-theGreater Ponderer.
What would you say was your finest moment in court? While you seem to have been pretty much beat up by the court system I'm quite sure you must have had a shining moment or 2, either as a defendant, or perhaps an expert witness?
"Science is about ego as much as it is about discovery and truth " - I said it, so sue me.
How do you think that your sentence has changed you, and the way you view your society?
... that current laws against technology abuse are adaquete and what kind of changes do you feel should be made if not?
Shadus
How have you been able to maintain current skill sets while you were in the clink and after you got out? Is there any one skill set (programming, etc) that you plan to get current on?
(Don't forget: Kevin hasn't been able to make much money for a number of years...
This isn't true. AFAIK he was only prohibited from using a computer and the internet, not from holding any other job.
"A terrorist is someone who has a bomb but doesn't have an air force." -William Blum
So now that you've been back online for what's probably a few days by the time you read this:
What do you think of todays internet?
Sparks:Gadget:Beer Maker
Are you using WindowsXP, MacOS 10.2, (insert Distribution here)Linux, or your old personal favorite... Sun?
Hmmm, maybe you will try them all? You are a sneaky one.
...where's the best place to get some sweet WaR3Z, d00d???//
Honestly, though. Do you think your return to the internet should be a 'celebration'? You -did- break the law, why should we be happy you are back on the saddle again?
Kevin, you've said and many of us feel that you had the book thrown at you to try to deterr other wouldbe hackers and crackers from plying their craft.
How many of the charges brought against you were unfair? What do you feel would have been a fair set of charges to levy against you?
The next Slashdot story will be ready soon, but subscribers can beat the rush and slashdot the links early!
Looking abck at the last 8 years that has left you unable to use the Internet, do you feel that this deprevation has had any positive benefits on you? Did you have to find other hobbies that you now enjoy to while away the hours you used to spend hacking?
This sig has been temporarily disconnected or is no longer in service
Is the pen as bad as it is made out to be? Did you ever run in to trouble or not get along with the other inmates? Is there any advice that you can offer to any slashdotters that have to serve some time that you wish you had known?
Welcome back.
<high-level position here>
<name of stupid small company here>
2600 and others (even you) often say that it is true that you did some things that were wrong, but nothing anywhere near as bad as what you were accused of and nothing warranting the treatmeant you got. But from a self-critical point of view: what was it that you did that was "wrong" and what punishment would have been fair?
Are you hiring?
Do daemons dream of electric sleep()?
There have been many books writen trying to detail the escapades of early computer hackers, usually portraying them as pranking youth involved in gang like wars for power and street prestige.
Knowing what you do from all your escapades, do you enjoy reading fiction that is generally classified as "cyber punk"?
What genres of music do you like? Any bands in particular? Why? And do you get laid often for being a 1337 h4x0r?
Question: Do you feel, not being able to use the internet and generally spending so much time incarcerated, set you back on your knowledge? Case in point, 5-6 years ago Linux was still in its infancy. Do you ever get amazed how much OSS community has accomplished in such a short period of time?
Seeing that you have taken some responsibility for your actions, do you think your penalty was fair and will a penalty like you received, fair or not, deter others from following in your footsteps?
Did you ever get that tuna back?
I'm curious to know, do you believe your whole case would have been held differently had the crimes been committed in the year 2000 under newer laws rather than the ones of your time?
----------
Check out my blackbox styles
There has been alot of press, and over the years you have been a hero, and a Martyr to thousands of geeks and hackers, in addition to phone phreaks and anti establishment movements.
In what light and or combination of these types do you see yourself now, is that different from how you were 20 years ago, and do you see yourself as a champion of these things in the future or do you intend to just mix back into society and get a "normal" life back (after your book of course)?
Although social engineering has changed very little since before your unfortunate experience (perhaps only slightly in awareness of the value of the information), the state-of-the-art in hacking (in the more technical, not criminal sense) and even general-purpose programming has changed significantly. Do you feel as though you are at a disadvantage compared to those who have made every attempt (though truly impossible) to keep up? If so, what's your strategy for regaining your edge?
:)
As a side note, if you're interested in game programming, let me know!!
Do you feel any trepidation about returning to the online world at this point? With such a lengthy absence there have been numerous technological and paradigm changes. Do you feel you've been able to keep up to date (more or less) with current trends or is there a sense of "catch up" that you feel?
This is really a barrage of questions. What did the other prisoners think when they learned the nature of your detainment? Did you tell them you were in for armed robbery to toughen your rep? How would you rate Hollywood's penchant for prison portrayal, accurate, or way off the mark? Also, were you able to follow developments in computing through books; were you granted such a right?
I'm more concerned about social engineering than technical security problems. What methods of attack exists and what kind of measures do you think a company must take in order to prevent them?
given the state of technology today, and some of the recent new laws passed, do you think that the path that you took would still be possible today?
Selling software wont make you money, selling a service will.
What you think of the new hardware available, specifically the Ono-Sendai Samurai VII?
Several months ago we had a warez guy in (Chris Tresco) for a /. interview, and I'd like to ask the same question I did he:
>How clueful are they?
>In your opinion, how did the each party (prosecution, your lawyer, and most
>important - the judge) look when it came to their understanding of
>technology? Did they know every nook and cranny, or seem lost in a maze of
>confusion? Do you think an understanding of the issues in question was a
>significant factor in court proceedings?
I know you spoke of this briefly in that lost chapter of your book, in that the companies who said they were victimized significantly overstated their losses (and admitted to it), and the judge went beyond prosecution's suggestion for punishment. But I'm curious to know how competent you think the feds are in these types of legal matters.
The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
For better or worse, what is the most important thing that you have learned that applies to us all?
Given that you have been quoted as saying your 'hacking' was wrong to do. How do you feel about being perhaps the most notable icon of the hacking community?
"as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
Have your recent law-related experiences (for lack of a more elegant term) brought about any major philosophical changes in your life ? By this, I mean not necessarily computer related changes, but in all aspects of your perception of the world.
My question, in a nutshell: Did you know that you were going to get caught?
I guess what I'm most curious about is whether you knew the risks and took them anyway, or whether you thought you were covering your tracks and that the risks were minimal. It would be interesting to know if you knew you'd eventually get busted or whether you thought you were relatively "safe" from discovery.
"BSD: Free as in speech. Linux: Free as in beer. Windows 10: Free as in herpes." --Man On Pink Corner in #52607549.
What should our society and/or educational system do to better channel insatiably curious folks like you and me towards activities that society views as "helpful" and "beneficial," rather than "dangerous" and "criminal"?
BTW, I shook your hand at RSA 2002--I'll send you $10 if you can figure out who I am....
Do you think you made a deffinitive impact on security policies today, or do you think that most companies still have a lot to learn about security?
"If you only knew the POWER of the DARK SIDE!"
How did you learn to deal with the shakes? Did you get a toy computer and pretend, or just quit cold turkey?
Spending years without the Internet sure mean you'll probably feel the Net Lag as you'll at least get in touch with what you obviously considered as relevant source of information.
Now, you're back there, you don't have a reason to switch on your telly anymore and you surf to some web sites, whether political or others.
How do you feel this ubiquitous Big Brother that is now hiding behind each of us ?
Did you see it coming ?
Won't it be hard to learn it all again and especially to resist the temptation that this new harsher policized network brings ?
Trolling using another account since 2005.
Did anyone come up to you ever, slap you with a glove, and say, "I challenge you to a duel!"? Did you accept, and who won?
What are your thoughts about TCPA Initiative / Palladium? Do you see it as a destructive force in the computing industry?
As how you have spent 8 years involved in a situation that seems by all accounts to have been an overblown kangaroo court, do you feel the government needs a specific branch specifically to deal with "cybercrime", and if so, how would you see it laid out, ideally, and why?
Maeryk
Feminine Protection? What is that? A chartreuse flame thrower?
Kevin,
I enjoyed your bio, it's a pitty it was cut from your book.
Can you tell me why it was better to stay in prison and sign away your rights, than to go to trial early with a less prepared lawyer?
Weren't you just keeping yourself in prison longer that you should have been?
Do you really think that you would have got an even worse treatment if you went to trial earlier?
"The best part? I became an ordained minister while not wearing pants." -- CleverNickName
I realize that you may have put your cracking days behind you but can you really address the question of trust in the computer security industry.
How has your move into the security industry been recieved by the establishment, and how have you been dealing with the obvious question of you being trusted in the very area you manipulated.
Neck_of_the_Woods
#/usr/local/surf/glassy/overhead
What are the ten worst Windows vulnerabilities to hacking, how would you attack such systems, and what has to be done with Windows to prevent such vulnerabilities?
Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)
http://www.lawrenceperson.com/
...he agrees that a Slashdot interview is a fine way to help celebrate his return to the Internet
I guess he'd know better if he'd actually read any Slashdot interviews lately.
-- If no truths are spoken then no lies can hide --
You have a unique perspective on the world of technology, and especially the world of information security. As someone who has been removed from the world for quite some time, what has changed the most about the world (esp. with respect to technology and security) since the time you were first incarcerated? What were the biggest culture shocks to you when you were released from prison? Were you able to keep current on the world of technology while in prison? If so, how was what you read in prison different from what you actually saw?
__________________________________________
Take comfort in your ignorance.
Grandmaster Plague
I know that many of your exploits were due to social engineering as well as exploiting known holes in hardware/software. You write heavily about s.e. in your book as well.
Do you think that social engineering still plays as big a part now as it did in your heyday? Moreso maybe?
Back when you were on last, Hotmail was an independent company, no one knew what the GO network was, NetNanny was just an idea, .coms could go no where but up, p2p was underground, everything was free, and no one had pened the term 'cyber terrorism'.
How is the 'net different now from the last time and are you going to miss it?
SecondPageMedia - Wha
Yes, I know it's only supposed to be one question per post, but I think these are pretty well related.
I can't say that I don't give a fuck. I've just run out of fuck to give.
What has been the biggest stumbling block or surprise, if any, in attempting to re-educate yourself into today's tech world.
Eddy.WriteLinux.Com
Is it "cracker" or "hacker"?
You are a notable exception. What's it like being a rock star, and how great is it that you'll now be able to fully capitalize on your fame in the financial sense? Would you be in as promising a position today had you not run afoul of the law?
For those that would die defending it, Freedom
has a sweet taste that the protected will never know.
Do you feel that you were wrongly imprisoned, that your crimes were not hurtful or detrimental to society? If not, do you feel guilty at all about the crimes you have been convicted and served time for? Would you do it all again?
Polluting the Internet since 2003...
http://percep
Kevin is famous for breaking into systems. In point of fact, he broke the law breaking into systems.
/. get behind him?
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.
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.
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?
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
I don't get it. Let it go. Kevin, please get a regular job and live like an ordinary citizen.
Respectfully,
Anomaly
But Herr Heisenberg, how does the electron know when I'm looking?
Kevin, you've been seperated from computers by law, yet now you are running a consulting business. This would suggest that you have some level of expertise with computer technologies that did not exist or existed in fairly immature version of their current incarnations.
How did you/do you stay current on technologies without actual experience, and was it difficult without having an opportunity to put theory into practice?
What security precautions are you going to use to prevent bad people from hacking into your company's systems?
What is the password to my PayPal account? I forgot it a while back.
Thanks in advance!
Eve Fairbanks says I drive a hybrid!LOL
Technology obviously being a lifelong hobby, I imagine it would have been tempting to use a computer when noone else would know (a friend/family members/home PC).
Obviously you can't admit to this, but do you think laws forbidding the use of computes are effective? Or just end up banning legitimate uses while letting people illegitimatly do the illegitimate?
You seem to be held in rather high regard by the nerd community, much like Robin Hood. And just like Robin Hood, there's more myth than truth behind it.
Robin Hood stories are full of daring adventure, inhuman skill with a bow, and the addage of 'robbing the rich to give to the poor'. However, history tells us that if in fact he existed, he was another common thief who mugged women and kept the proceeds for himself.
In much the same way, there are tales of you sitting up all night, technically brilliant, controlling the machines from the inside in. But the truth tells us you sat on the phone like any other con man tricking people into revealing their passwords. And like Robin Hood, you kept the proceeds for yourself. Whether or not you did anything with them is irrelevant.
So why should anyone care who you are, what you think, or give you any more breaks than the next ex-con?
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
However, the questions still stand, albeit slightly modified. How difficult do you think it will be to find clients willing to accept your work, given your infamy? And, how long do you feel it will take you to catch up to the point where you can compete with other companies that are out there?
I can't say that I don't give a fuck. I've just run out of fuck to give.
Kevin,
Have you considered writing about your pursuit by system admins and law enforcement types? I read about you in a few "hacker" books. The only title I can remember now is "Takedown" by Tsutomu Shimomoura. I would find it interesting to read about how much you knew about his pursuit of you. Do the terms of your release even allow to do this? (Slashdot readers, don't buy Takedown. It's a travesty of a book. Tsutomu comes across as extremely annoying, and spends half the book describing where they went to lunch. I was cheering for Kevin by the end.)
Although I'm sure consulting will prove lucrative, is there any other work (such as R&D, security product testing, racecar driver) you would like to pursue in the future?
Beetle
http://ruff.cs.jmu.edu/~beetle/
Last I herd he was engaged to one of the Producers of THE SCREEN SAVERS. Darci something or outher. This is probly why he makes so many apearaces on the show.
I read your book and attended H2K2 last summer (I look forward to seeing you speak at the next one). I meant to ask this question to the Social Engineering panel:
Do you have any stories about Social Engineering gone awry? That is, a situation where the mark saw right through your ruse and you just couldn't pull it off.
Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
There was a very interesting (and well balanced) program about you I saw in England a while ago, and in it it mentioned that you were put into solitary confinement (AFAIK) for 6 months, and weren't allowed to use (let alone go near) a telephone under the misaligned fear that you could "blow up the country with one call".
My question is: How does it make you feel when there are such ignorant and misinformed people who are in a position of authority (i.e. judges, police, government) and are there any ways in which you can use your experience to change these attitudes/problems for the good?
Are you local? There's nothing for you here!
Of all the new internet technologies you need to catch up on, which are you most excited about and most eager to research first, and why?
Punctanym: alternate spelling of words using punctuation or numerals in place of some or all of its letters; see 'leet'
Kevin,
I was first introduced to your story by reading "The Fugitive Game" written my Jonathan Littman, and I wanted to ask you how close Mr. Littman came to showing your side of the events. The impression I got from the book was that it was rather egocentrically oriented around the author, and put him in a light of being a hero while you were put in a somewhat-villian like set. What are your thoughts in the way you were portrayed in this book, and how close to the truth does it fall?
BEDEVERE: Why do you think she is a witch?
SECOND VILLAGER: She turned me into a newt.
BEDEVERE: A newt?
SECOND VILLAGER (After looking at himself for some time): I got better.
ALL: Burn her anyway.
**QUESTION:**
How would you change our legal system to prevent procsecutors and uninformed judges from passing down judgements of witchcraft?
bash-2.04$
bash-2.04$yes "Don't you hate dialup connections?"| write USERNAME
Having read numerous accounts of your activities, both favorable and not, my impression is that your punishment was well deserved.
My question is therefore, "Did you learn that it is wrong to intentionally destroy others' work for your own amusement? If so, what part of the punishment was most effective? And, if not, what additional punishment might have changed your mind?"
This is a serious question. I'm not just trolling.
[ home ]
I saw a special on the History Channel or A&E about a month back (it may or may not have been a rerun, but I assume it was because Kevin's hair looked very different from the article's picture), in which Kevin was touring a CompUSA or something and talking about some of the things he did. He walked up to one of the demo computers and pointed at it, saying something like: "If I touch this keyboard, I could go away for a long time." That may not be entirely pertinent to your question, but it seems that he may have had at least a part in it...
Lack of eloquence does not denote lack of intelligence, though they often coincide.
From what I have read, it seems that you did more with social engineering than you did with actual hacking. What would you say your greatest strength is with regards to using hardware/software? Your greatest weakness?
If have read a bit about you, so I know that you were no slouch back in the days prior to your incarceration and release...but if you have actually stuck with the limits of your probation how are you planning to jump into consulting again?
Don't get me wrong, but you can only advise people on social engineering and easy passwords for so long...what kind of knowledge did you already have on PKI, VPNs, Firewalls, IDSes? There seems to be so much that has changed that just a cursory understanding of the principles behind these technologies does not seem sufficient to serve as a consultant (or at least one I would pay for)
Since so much has changed radically in the last few years, how have you kept up or do you plan to keep up at the moment? I can't see just reading a book on the latest OS specs and administrative tasks and being able to consult on them without hands on experience, and in your case you have quite a few years of language, os, security, and other operational technology advances to get up to speed with, etc.
So basically....what's you game plan to get back to a modern day equivalent of the proficiency you had several years ago?
Now that you're out of jail, may I take the "Free Kevin" bumpersticker off my car?
Trolling is a art,
What do you think about the generalization of the Internet and it's consequences (script kiddes, etc)?
Time flies and the pace of change is ever increasing in this industry. Certainly the landscape of the computer world has changed dramatically since you were last able to lay your hands on a keyboard.
Yours is a unique perspective - almost like a kid that has had full run of the candy store and was taken outside and forced to watch (face pressed to the glass). Now you're allowed back in to a drastically changed candy landscape. (Pardon the candy analogy, but I'm fond of sugary things).
In your opinion, what technology has changed the greatest since you were actively involved in the scene?
What will be your primary technology focus when you get back online - in terms of getting back up to speed?
Do you feel intimidated at the prospect of catching up on so many things? Are there areas that you will simply ignore out of necessity but would like to learn more about if you had the time?
Do you have any desire to hack just for the joy of hacking/discovery or have you been turned off of that in light of the consequences?
Thank you for your answers and welcome back!
You need people like me so you can point your fucking fingers, and say "that's the bad guy."
you have done an amazing job at garnering support and sympathy from the public, but how will we ever know if you deserve it? the only person that knows your true motives is you. with your social engineering skills and drive to see how far you can push things, wouldn't changing an entire public's opinion be the ultimate social hack?
With access to the internet what do you think of the current state of piracy?
How did you feel, having so many people rally to your cause? People you never met, yet were willing to step forward and add their voice to the cry "FREE KEVIN". I can only assume sitting in jail it must have felt hopeless. Did the battlecry help you at all? Feel like it was not hopeless?
Good luck
Tony
WTF? Over?
The question thats been bugging be the most about Kevin is why? Did you really think you were some sort of crusader or was that a delusion and your only realy motivation was for personal glory?
Commonly, high-risk activities are found to be addictive. Would you say that you were addicted to 'hacking' and social engineering? If so, did your lengthy sentence give you enough time to get over that addiction, or do you still feel the pangs of desire?
"player 4 hit player 1 with 0 stroms"
Apple? x86? Linux? Windows?
I saw a news item the other day that referred to you as legendary. Legendary! You're a script kiddie who was so stupid that he actually got caught, and yet here we are feting you like you're Linus Torvalds or something.
How does that make you feel?
Is this truly the only Earth I can live on?
While you were incarcerated - were there any attempts at unauthorized access to your ports? How did you manage to secure these ports from would be DoS attacks? Did you have to do a lot of social engineering to keep them safe?
How are you going to get even?
or if I was a lawyer:
"Imagine a person in your situation. How would they get even?"
You will have to pry my proprietary software $$$ from my cold dead hands!
- Hackers
, which I was written with some interestingly similar parallels to your own life...Did you ever imagine a beowulf cluster?
- what is the definition of simultanagnosia?! I've been meaning to look it up!
You were locked out of access to computers and the internet for a long time (internet time anyways) after doing things you agree were wrong. You are now working on a consulting business to utilize your hard learned knowledge in a productive manner. You seem to have been 'reformed' by the prison/legal system. How do you feel your life has been changed by the system when you have gone through what so many others are going through or are going to go through in the near future for technology related "crimes"? These people being persecuted by laws like the DMCA and information restriction laws. Having only started reading your book, it sounds like you don't want people to stop being curious, just to be cautious.
ZERO ZERO ONE ZERO ONE ZERO ONE ONE! Just brushing up for my next big invention: Ethernet over Voice (EoV)
I read a story where you were an expert witness for a trial in Las Vegas over redirected telephone calls. The defense called in to question if you really had hacked into the phone system. On a break, you ran to some old 'storage' locker and retrieved a printout of accounts and passwords or something.
What was the story behind your part that trial? (And how much stuff do you have in storage?)
Despite your legendary status as a cult hero within the geek community, we all know that to remain viable, we must all remain up to date on latest/greatest trends, tools, skills, terminology, etc. Let's be honest, we gain skill and knowledge re: computers by using/interfacing/reading about them. After your long absence from the computer world, how viable do you imagine yourself being? Admittedly, your name alone will open a lot of doors, but if your skills don't keep the door open, you may find yourself back outside. How have you kept current, and how do you plan to get yourself back up to speed with changes that have occured since you were forced offline?
whiel your computer skills could be put to very usefull legal computer uses in the next deaced or so I am sure you meet with peole who are leary given your past convictions..
What have you learned about selling yourself in this environment to overcome the objectections about your criminal convictions that might be of use to other slashdotters?
Side Note: some of us slashdotters have minor run ins with law in our past that coudl obviously if they are using computer kislls within the law make use of what you have learned in this area, Kevin..
Don't Tread on OpenSource
everybody SPAM KEVIN to show him what he has missed! i see t-shirts and bumper stickers with SPAM KEVIN on them! welcome home, and are you sure you don't need a larger penis?
I remember a not so long ago slashdot article talking about one of the laptops the feds seized had encrypted data they couldnt' access. What was the key size? I'd feel warm and cozy if you said 512 or smaller, since most of us now use 1024.
During your escapades which eventually landed you in hot water, you used the EFF account at The WELL to hide the files you stole from T. Shimomura. I'm still trying to figure out why the heck you did that. A simple "last" would have shown you that that was an active account, and you could have guessed that the user was probably technically savvy enough to notice the sudden spike in disk usage. Was that just an act of hacker hubris, or were you just not paying attention? Ultimately, it's what led to your downfall (FBI monitoring your keystrokes, live tracing of IP's) so I am well and truly curious.
-jim
what mind expanding activities are available at club fed? do they have kosher meals? prison have 'a clockwork orange' in the library?
Kevin,
I am not sure of your personal life; whether or not there are any children in your life be it your own children or nieces/nephews. I can only guess there may be some kid out there that looks up to you that is family. If not, then tailor you response for elementary grade school kids at a school function and an informational meeting with the parents.
What sort of things would you teach those kids, what sheltering would you provide, and what indicators would you look for in removing sheltering as the kids mature? How closely would you watch?
JLF
Life moves pretty fast; if you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it. -FB
Would you want kids growing up to want to emulate you? (I don't mean in software)
What do you say to kids who think you're cool?
Get off my launchpad!
"'At the time, I didn't believe I was going to get caught. I looked at it as very benign and trivial and more of a pain in the butt,' he said. 'When they started to enact federal laws against computer hacking I continued in that mindset' without realizing the seriousness of the activity and its potential consequences.'" - Kevin Mitnick, paragraph 14
So, from what I can tell, no, he didn't consider or wasn't aware of the risks he was taking; but this paragraph is repeating the last one.
Sigs are like bumper stickers.
You've mentioned in many capacities (your book, interviews on TV) that the law changed during your "big run," outlawing your activities. Yet, you continued to do what you did, and you were aware of the newer laws. If the law had outlawed what you were up to before you started, would you have gone through with what you've done?
The One Rule Of Chess You'll Ever Need: Don't play someone who carries a kit in their bookbag.
It's been a few years since you were exposed to the IT scene in general and the security scene in particular.
You are now in a sense our Rip van Winkle in this regard, and I'd like to know what your initial impressions are about the status quo regarding attitudes towards security (now and then), and changes you've perceived in levels of implemented security (gained, of course, from reading, not practising:-) ), etc.
Describe our world for us as seen by someone who only knew it 8 years ago. Has the baby matured into something to be proud of?
Blearf. Blearf, I say.
Essentially, you have been in limbo in terms of technology for the past 8 years, having missed the biggest revolution of computing since it's inception (ie. the Internet).
I've been a hardcore programmer for the past 10 years, and even I find it difficult to keep up with all these new technologies, terms, etc, and I spend around 3 hours a night after work just dedicated to investigating new technologies.
Where you able to keep up with technology during your incarceration and probation period by just reading books, or were you even allowed to read books? How soon do you think it will take you to re-absorb enough knowledge and, more importantly, experience to make yourself useful in today's world?
n00b :P
He who laughs last is stuck in a time dilation bubble.
Dude, that's the most blatant attempt I've ever seen ignored by the masses. Unbelievable. You should be at +5 with ten spare +s left over by now.
Honestly, though, I just wish someone would ask the question we all really wanna know the answer to.
Kevin, do they call you the customizer?
Bite my yammer.
While recently attending the Spam Conference at MIT, John Draper refered to you as a 'hacker' followed by an immediate outburst by Eric Raymond . Raymond claimed you were not a hacker, and that calling you such was an insult to other hackers. So my question is: Do you think you'll ever be able to lose the label 'criminal' and simply be called a hacker? Also, has being called a criminal by your peers affected you in any way?
I am preparing to leave the tech world for a while to pursue my dream of a PhD in a decidedly non-tech field, cultural geography. Sure, you can use a computer to do this sort of work, but it doesn't involve BGP flapping and hacking 200 lines of perl. One of the caveats I have received from tech friends is that moving away from the tech field, even temporarily, will kill me when I come back, if I come back. Personally, I don't think so as I will still being using the internet, blah, blah, blah. I just won't have a pager screaming all night and I won't be grepping log files for errors.
My question is this: How do you feel that your incarceration has hurt you with regard to all the new-fangled stuff that has cropped up over the last 10 or so years? Even more interesting to me is: do you think that being removed from the tech world enhances your perspective on matters or hurts it or both?
Comparing it to Windows will be a moot point, since El Dorado is going to have a 40% larger code base than XP.
I followed your story for years man.. I hate that our government felt the need to make an example out of you and all. From everything I've read I think you probably did do some illegal shit, but I seriously don't think the punishment fit the crime.
So here's my question:
What do you plan to do so that all of the bad things that happened to you do not happen to other like you?
OK I know my Karma will be destroyed for this...But that WIlliam Shattner interview question still has me laughing my ass off.
Razzious Domini
I could be a GREAT KARMA WHORE if I could just shed the few morals I have left.
It has been known that the government has hired convicts to help the govt capture others in that convits field of expertise.
Has the government tried to hire you to catch other hackers?
"Some fight for law. Some fight for justice. What will you fight for? One day, you will see."
... if you hadn't had the support of Emmanuel Goldstein, 2600, Off the Hook, Freedom Downtime, etc?
Join the Free Software Foundation
Great...the 21st is my birthday also. "Happy Birthday, Shoten! We have one more raving a$$hole on the net than we had on the 20th, only this one is getting press time!"
For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
Were you ever asked to pick up the soap?
(B) + (D) + (B) + (D) = (K) + (&)
"Do you feel that geek culture is as susceptible to embarassing personality cults as any other groups of human beings?"
--- Ban humanity.
Over the last several years, hasn't your access to computers been very limited? It seems to me that you were time-warped to the future; the computers of today aren't the computers of 10 or even 5 years ago. Can you really step back into the mainstream and claim that you know as much about the security of today's systems as those that got you in trouble?
Kevin,
The U.S. judicial system was manipulated to essentially hold you indefinitely without bail. If you were given the power to change any/or all aspects of the judicial system, what changes would you implement? (I know this is a broad question, so please answer in the context of your interment...)
Thanks!
Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
Mr. Mitnick:
There are some people who feel that it is unfair for you to use your reputation as an infamous cracker to sell books and build your new consulting business. They argue that you are being given a level of free publicity and exposure that other law-abiding citizens simply would not receive. How would you respond to these accusations? Do they concern you at all? Deep in your heart do you feel that it's unfair you are getting all this extra-special treatment but are willing to accept it anyhow because you need whatever help you can get? Do you feel that it's acceptable to accept some unusual help building your business because you were subject to equally unusual/extreme punishment?
Moderators: this is not a troll. I think this is a legitimate question that many people here would like answered.
GMD
watch this
Kevin, why is it you have chosen to use The Screen Savers as a way of connecting to the 'Net for the first time in 8 years?
I think it's a great idea, so we can all see how you respond to such a thing. I am just curious as to why you chose this show rather than the solitude of your own home.
Are you planning on going by condor on IRC again? ;)
(and hey, always keep that key in your wallet, you never know when one might come in useful.)
cheers
anime+manga together at last.. in real time.
Kevin-
I'm currently in the middle of reading your book, and so far I must say it's been a great and educational read!
However, I notice how you used names of various fake people in "hypothetical" names for "hypothetical" social engineering attacks that are remarkably similar to stories I've heard you tell of your various (mis)adventures?!
The evolution of the online world is an apparently gradual process to most of us who get on the internet many times each day. You have had a unique experience in that you stepped out of that world for a number of years before being allowed to step back in. We all know that technology improves a great deal in as little as a few months, so the differences between the online world you left and that which you are re-joining must be large (in degree and in number).
Which of these differences are the most significant, and have any of these changes been a step backward?
Given my assumption that most of your exploits were due to your uncanny ability to lie, should you even be consider a hacker at all? I may be wrong, but it seems that social engineering was / is your only true skill. That is not enough to cut it in the world of security consulting at this time, so how exactly do you intend to utilize your "skill set" to make a living now?
While most folks will not deny the fact that you performed some amazing feats and that you were pretty much able to do what you wanted, it seems as if most of your methodology is based on "social engineering". I realize that the information you need is there if you only ask the right people, but in retrospect, do you now feel that social engineering attacks are not as elegant as well-planned and completely electronic attacks?
While in prison, was he ever made to be someone's Bitch and are the stories about dropping the soap true?
If you believe in legalisation, then do promote that guy -- he was doing the right thing (and perhaps breaking the law, the two aren't always the same).
Although the circumstances/topics are different, the logic is akin to Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr., and many other people who try to do what is right.
Henry David Thoreau talks about this type of stuff in Civil Disobedience (quoted below)
Unjust laws exist: shall we be content to obey them, or shall we endeavor to amend them, and obey them until we have succeeded, or shall we transgress them at once? Men, generally, under such a government as this, think that they ought to wait until they have persuaded the majority to alter them. They think that, if they should resist, the remedy would be worse than the evil. But it is the fault of the government itself that the remedy is worse than the evil. It makes it worse. Why is it not more apt to anticipate and provide for reform? Why does it not cherish its wise minority? Why does it cry and resist before it is hurt? Why does it not encourage its citizens to put out its faults, and do better than it would have them? Why does it always crucify Christ and excommunicate Copernicus and Luther, and pronounce Washington and Franklin rebels?
One would think, that a deliberate and practical denial of its authority was the only offense never contemplated by its government; else, why has it not assigned its definite, its suitable and proportionate, penalty? If a man who has no property refuses but once to earn nine shillings for the State, he is put in prison for a period unlimited by any law that I know, and determined only by the discretion of those who put him there; but if he should steal ninety times nine shillings from the State, he is soon permitted to go at large again.
If the injustice is part of the necessary friction of the machine of government, let it go, let it go: perchance it will wear smooth--certainly the machine will wear out. If the injustice has a spring, or a pulley, or a rope, or a crank, exclusively for itself, then perhaps you may consider whether the remedy will not be worse than the evil; but if it is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law. Let your life be a counter-friction to stop the machine. What I have to do is to see, at any rate, that I do not lend myself to the wrong which I condemn.
there is no thing
what else could you want?
Do you think you have missed out on anything great on the internet, since your time away (i.e. goatse.cx)?
Do you plan to take legal action against the US-Government for violating your constitutional right to a quick and speedy trial?
- DenialX
I've been pretty disappointed in the general Slashdot reaction to Kevin Mitnick. He's a cracker, and a poor one. I don't wish him any particular harm, but he doesn't deserve to be lionized or rewarded for his exploits. I certainly don't think he has anything relevent to say.
Slahsdot needs a "Kevin Mitnick" category, so I can filter out stuff that involves him.
Go ahead and call this a troll, but it's how I feel.
Hi there. I'll leave behind these other /. questions as i can always pick up a copy of your book.
S0) What're your plans for getting back into the stream of things, and what suprising legal limitations must you follow to avoid further scruitany?
S1) vi or emacs?
S2) has DMCA been brought up in the legal battles?
S3) are you surpised by the progression of computer technology available to the common consumer? (the advent of grandma and susie six year old getting internet access).
S4) one more curiosity of mine.... how has your now-infamous reputation as a computer criminal influenced your plans for the next few years? (i.e. book deals, supporting free software, becoming a teacher, being more private/public, etc.)
good luck with the book!
- eric "shadow" shattow
SIGERR: laziness exceeds quota
In your book, you talk about inaccuracies that were disseminated to the public, the courts, etc. about you. Specifically, what were they and what is your side of that story?
-- I am. Therefore, I think!
What do you see as the largest hurdles for you over the next 12 months?
Also, what things do you plan on not changing in your day to day life?
Hi.
You were an insider, and suddenly, taken away from your environment. You've lost the internet boom, when a lot of things happened.
My question is: Did you, anytime, read or saw any technology that you though: I wish I could use this? And what would they be?
Buy a Nintendo DS Lite
I don't know much about the terms of your release, but I'm going to assume that you were told that they'd be watching you. In that vein, have they made any threats to you like "Step out of line again and we're going to come down on you like a ton of bricks?"
"Sometimes the truth is stupid." - Lawrence, creator of Prime Intellect
I'm a long time user of nyx.net. In 1994 you made a mess of the system that many people relied on to access the Internet. This system was and is, free Internet access for everyone. Your actions caused unpaid voluteers a lot of time and effort and shut down many people's only access to the Internet at a time when there were no other options. See :
http://www.nyx.net/history.html
Since you just started receiving email, how much spam do you have already?
Can you tell us about your relationship with The Gatsby, Agent Steal and others? Also, where did you get your knowledge about telephony / switches / social engineering RBOC's RNOC/etc?
2 years and no mod points. Join reddit. Because openness is good.
How does it feel to have your life subjected to such intense scrutiny? Much of the online world has to see you as something of a freak - the one person they can think of who couldn't receive an email even if he wanted to. It's a stark contrast to people who don't use the internet because they're afraid of it, or don't understand it.
Since most of this scrutiny has been internet-based, to what degree have you been aware of it? A Google search on your name yields 30k results. This puts you on the same order of magnitude as Charlie Sheen and Wil Wheaton. What aspects of the culture that has grown up around your name are you familiar with, and how do you feel about them?
-=Best Viewed Using [INLINE]=-
With your real name like perens, carmack . . .
An Education is the Font of All Liberty
simple enough
There are places where the networks are not touching,and there are places where they are-Boeing's Lori Gunter
Did spending an extensive period of time away from computers make you realize that you might just move away one day? or are you still fascinated like the first geek was?
...well, considering all the "linux is pimpin'" advocates, might be that you'd have a nice little niche market to target.
the PC gaming industry was a niche market some 10 years back.
how about it? can i get a "capital venture" whu whua?
SIGERR: laziness exceeds quota
Sure, he's served his time. That doesn't mean he suddenly needs to be treated like a hero now that he's out. I know somebody who recently got out of prison after being convicted of pedophillia. He's done his time, but he's still screwed because nobody trusts him. But does that mean we should parade him around as a hero too?
Do you think michael (or some othe /.crew d00d) will try to sneak in a +5 question as
they did in the last interview with the AMIBIOS guy?
Thank you
Hello Kevin, I bought your book and enjoyed it very much; however it struck me that most of the "cons" that were transcripted appeared too simplistic and obvious. Is that because me, a reader of a book dealing with social engineering, has in mind that this is a con, or are people really that gullible and the transcript is actually how it happens ?
Recently we've seen a number of laws that have encroached further upon what freedoms we have, both in how we use technology (the DMCA, and copyright legislation in general) and how our everyday lives are affected by technology (the PATRIOT act, surveillance, etc.); in this climate, then, do you think that hacking and general "technological disobedience" will serve to change these sorts of laws or merely strengthen them by "proving" that they are needed?
That is, is now the time to be more cautious with what we choose to explore, or should we, in protest, increasingly disregard these limits?
So, what would you say to someone who got a "Free Kevin" tatoo...besides, "What were you thinking!?"
A programmer is a machine for converting coffee into code.
Kevin,
In your opinion, did your actions, for which you were convicted, warrant the jail and probation time?
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible, make violent revolution inevitable" - JFK
Whats it like to see the online 'transcripts' of your old telnet sessions on Shimomura's website?
What sort of emotions/memories do they present to you?
--
Just because your paranoid - doesn't mean they are not out to get you!!
Open Source PVR Hardware Database
During your pre-trial detainment, you were put into solitary confinement. The government was afraid that you could start a nuclear war with a mere telephone call. Do you think that was within your skills at the time or were they just afraid of their own fears?
Travis
At the risk of destroying all of my karma and having a swarm of 2600 guys wearing free kevin shirts coming after my bandwidth I dare to ask the question which I think we are all thinking
What do you have to offer the security world after being in the clinker for so long. I do not doubt your oldschool skills in any sense, however tthe field of security and networking which you plan on consulting for has changed dramatically in the past few years.
What do you have to offer still? Despite your fame and being unargueably the cybercrime scapegoat, what skills do you possess that will benefit the security world in 2003? Have you had your relatives print 0-day exploits as well as your email? Do you have knowledge of current OS's and the security flaws they possess?
This is not a cheapshot at your abilities, however a simple question of how in the fast changing world of technology you have been able to maintain skills while not being able to touch a computer? By Moore's law you are way behind!
[I can picture a world without war, without hate. I can picture us attacking that world, because they'd never expect it]
An analogous situation would be where you had a Xerox machine and your own paper in a backback, and you entered into the file rooms of a company where you copied files, and then put them back where you got them. You didn't actually remove anything, and you didn't sell the documents, but you have copies of something that they didn't want you to have.
In that case, it would be considered breaking an entering and/or espionage, and few people would question that you did something unethical.
I am an advocate of open source software and disclosure of scientific information which may enhance innovation. But my personal view is that there are certain bits of information about myself that I don't want other people to have. My salary is one such thing. There are open-source software projects I work on in secret before I consider them releasable, which I work on in secret, and I would not appreciate them being released prematurely. The basic idea is that people have personal information and personal inventions which they own and which they have the right to control completely.
This also applies to a corporation. If IBM pays money to engineers to develop an application, then they own it, and they have the right to control it 100%. That also means they have the right to prevent others from looking at it, even if some of those lookers wouldn't do anything harmful with it.
In addition, there's this basic idea of being nice and respecting people's rights. I can peek into my neighbors' house and watch them having sex without them knowing it, but out of respect for their wish to not be observed when doing that, I don't try to look.
Given these two intimately related ideas that people own their inventions that they should have complete control over, and that they have the right to not disclose them, regardless of whether or not you intend to use it for anything, how do you justify hacking into computer systems which do not belong to you and making copies of information which the owners do not wish you to have?
How is not not harm when you violate someone's personal privacy, even that of a corporation?
Considering the hacker mantra "Don't do anything stupid and you won't get caught", what do you consider the stupid thing that got you caught?
Kevin,
;)
It's said that you spent $16K for lawyer fees to get your Ham Radio license back. I find it interesting that you cared that much about Ham Radio to do that.
What is it about Ham Radio that you find so compelling to spend that kind of money to get your license back? Also, what activities do you plan to do with Ham Radio?
73 es welcome back.
You know you're a geek if you've ever replied to a tagline.
I was the one that discovered your presence on our network at Security Pacific.
Later one, one of the staff had a phone conversation with you. You only spoke with DTMF beeps, but the gist of the conversation was our asking you why you broke in...
and your answer was, apparently, to get the source code for the Supervisor Series, which BTW is now publicly available at DECUS.
So, I have two questions for you:
1. Was that really the reason for the break in?
2. Did you know that you had managed to get to the production machines, doing back-end securities processing? If so, what stopped you from doing more damage?
BTW... for what it's worth: I feel you deserved the jail time, you didn't deserve the unconstitutional railroading you got.
Laugh at my Lisp and I keeell you.
A lot has changed over the last 8 years. While you haven't been able to use computers or the Internet, I'm sure that you have been able to keep up with books and other reading.
I'm sure that there is something new that you just can't wait to get your hands on. What is it and why?
I remember shortly after your capture there were all these stories labeling your story as one of "Samurai vs. Hacker" or something similar. I'm curious to know if you have had any contact with Tsutomu Shimomura, the person who the media portrayed as the one who single-handedly caught you, since you've been out? If so, are you on amicable terms?
Dear Kevin,
It is great to have you back on slashdot. Unfortunately, since you have been away, your account has been locked. If you would please reply to this post with your username and password, I would be happy to fix your account for you.
Sincerely,
CmdrTaco
"When I was in school, I cheated on my metaphysics exam: I looked into the soul of the boy sitting next to me"
What steps will you be taking to make sure you aren't railroaded again? I ask because I suspect that they are going to be out to get you again.
Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
Why should I give you any money to reward you for your crimes? You've given a bad name to the term "Hacker", why should anyone in the legitimate technology community respect you or even give you a second chance?
42 - So long and thanks for all the fish.
If he's been banned from using a computer for so many years, how's he expect to have the skill up to start his own consultancy company? How's he been keeping up to date with the technology if he hasn't been able to touch a PC in x yrs?
You tried your best, & you failed miserably,
The lesson is:
Never Try
In the last 8 years, how did you access the internet without the authorities finding out?
Have you been contacted about doing any more guest spots on "Alias"? Would you do them if asked?
Visit me on the web at Permanent4.com.
Kevin, Since your arrest and imprisonment, you have gained a tremendous amount of noteriety and have become a martyr for injustice. However, you did break the law for theft and damage of many phone and computer networks. Do you now realize or regret your actions as wrong? Do you have any apologies to make? Selbie
I have seen the movie Takedown about your story. I was curious was that movie accurate? In the movie you seem to be poking fun at the security guy (who's name I can't spell) and harrising him. Was this really what happened or hollywood drama added to sell the movie?
Good luck with your consulting buisness Kevin.
- zeno@cgisecurity.com
Believe me, if I started murdering people, there would be none of you left.
I read alot about when you were moving around the US to elude the authorities. From my understanding, they found you because you were still using one of the systems (telecom or other) and they tracked it. My question is as follows...
When you felt they were getting "hot on your trail", have you considered just stopping all computer/telecom related activites to become harder to find? Or even go to Canada or Europe?
NO! NO! Please don't mod me, I'm too young to die a troll. *click* Oh the pain, the pain...
And please feel free to expand and expound for your other 'net accessing devices. I'd be fascinated to know how a technically clued person with no (legal) access to the 'net can make informed decisions about what technology to choose to begin to access it.
If you were blocking sigs, you wouldn't have to read this.
You were given a notebook PC, with no net connection of course, by the court to work on during your Net-exile. What was on this PC? What OS was it running? And were you able to install any new software on it, or have software installed for you? The follow-up question, of course, is "and how many nethack characters did you ascend?" :)
Given the time warp you have just exited (centuries in internet time), one of the big changes happening with professional programming is that it is being "commoditized" by business and going to the lowest bidder. Having dealt with the consequences of your actions, what advice or help would you give aspiring software/programming professionals to pursue in their quest to have a career?
Supreme Granter of Doctor of Obviology Letters ("A FIRM Command of the Obvious")
Did you ever drop the SOAP?
Simple Object Access Protocol, that is.
What does it feel like to be an inspiration to thousands of script kiddies?
I'm not sure if you went to a prison or jail. Its possible you ended up in whats commonly known as a "white collar prison", which might make my question lame, but...
I'm curious about how your time was spent during your years behind bars. Did you take to reading to pass the time? Pick up crafts or lift weights?
I'm also curious about relationships you might have made. I think we are all familiar with the common inmates profile - some career criminals, some violent, some drug related - in *general*, poor and uneducated americans. I don't know what sort of background/upbringing you had, but i wonder if you had trouble making connections to people within the system, and in the connections you made - did you find it difficult to explain exactly why you were there? Did you get any respect for your talents in the computer field?
What was it like, not having any contact with your chosen 'profession'/'hobby'/etc, being forced to watch the world speed on past?
Or were you able to keep up-to-date somehow with out direct contact with the 'modern day world'?
Its hard enough to keep up when you are IN the business, I cant imagine what its like keeping up when banned from it.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
Check out this
As an alternative, let's say a guy was a street gang member convicted of related crimes who served his time and was released. After his release, he works for community groups and with police agencies to develop programs to keep kids out of gangs. As a former gang member, he'd know the kinds of kids that join and what they need to stay out of gangs. In fact, he becomes so successful at it, that he makes a decent living at it. Would people criticise him for "enriching himself through his past experiences"? Probably not. In fact, most people would appreciate his efforts to use his experiences to benefit others.
If Kevin is serious about his rehabilitation, his knowledge could prevent a large number of computer crimes. The difference is that Kevin may have corporations as his clients rather than community groups and local govenrment; in short, his potential clientelle has deeper pockets that the above example.
You've clearly been through some rather trying circumstances. What are your interests now, and how did they change from before your arrest, to your incarceration, and continuing to after your release?
(Hope you're doing another tour sometime--missed you in SoCal.)
-(())
To what extent do you think the movie War Games encouraged hacker culture amongst those of us in the 30s-ish age group? (Personally, the l33t h@x0rz I know all cite the grade-changing scene as at least ONE of their inspirations...)
"Stop throwing the Constitution in my face, it's just a goddamned piece of paper!" - George W. Bush Nov. 2005
Wow, you are such a hot shot. Do you actually think your script could make you enough money to live on?
There are huge financial companies out there that employ dozens of mathematicians with Ph.D's to statistically analyze the stock market. Even they can't make money appear out of thin air.
Get real.
OK, Kevin, so what's the real story? I know what I read in Wired, in exceprts from Takedown, and in endless 2600 articles. But give me the straight scoop: what's your side of the story, why you ended up in jail?
You've practically been granted sainthood by 2600. They started a movement that culminated in every geek in America pulling for you. But your fifteen minutes are up. Only us geeks are listening. Give us the straight scoop.
I was in Raleigh the day you got busted, and I vaguely remember the litany of offenses they named on WRAL when they showed your perp walk. You broke the law, right? You stole credit card numbers? You stole files from Shimomura's computer? (Which, yes, seems a bit less serious when I get fucking SPAM with files from random clueless people's computers, but that's a finer point and the law is notoriously bad about fine points.)
Clearly you've got skills, and I'm really looking forward to reading your book. But a movement based on your going to jail? Were you really, honestly, truly unjustly persecuted? Or, on reflection, did you crimes against society genuinely require some time in the pokey?
Over the years I've read a fair amount about your case. I'm sure some of the coverage was fair and some not. Many of the articles purported to contain quotes from you on various subjects. I have a sense, after reading all this, that while you feel you did something wrong, you are not really that sorry for what you did. Furthermore, I have the feeling that you only regret having been caught and not having done something wrong. Is my sense wrong? If so, please set the record straight.
I don't think that Mitnick has ever suggested that he didn't deserve to be punished or that he didn't break the law in some way. The issue is with the way he was handled by the justice system and those companies. Both wanting to make an example out of him, the handling was disproportionate to the crime.
Mitnick has knowledge and skills that will make him a productive part of society. The area he's promoting himself in is a legitimate legal business so why shouldn't we get behind him and support him. This would constitute a "regular job" - unless you mean flipping burgers or selling clothes at the gap, or maybe insurance salesperson. There are plenty of former criminals in areas of expertise that relate directly to their original crimes. Their knowledge is often very helpful in stopping future crimes and in showing how people can reform and rebuild their lives after having made mistakes.
Mitnick served out the punishment given by the state and now he should be allowed to live his life unencumbered by that "criminal" title. This includes seeking ANY gainful employment he can find.
I feel that society does have an obligation to help people who we've allowed to be mistreated.
The problem with the justice system today is:
1. They bend a little too much to the corporate will.
2. Punishment is never really centered around "correction" even though people are remanded to the "Department of Corrections".
3. There's no procedure for quick and fair correction of mistakes (i.e. false imprisonment, misshandling, etc.) Most compensation has to be gained via lawsuit. False judgements can stay with a person for life, damaging not only their mental health but their future job prospects and personal relationships.
4. Too much stock is put into conviction rates and not enough in to quality of prosecution and/or honesty in prosecution.
5. Justices allow stretching the word and spirit of the law in order to help prosecutions of people not exactly covered under existing laws. I.E. Some people get prosecuted under RICO when their crime has nothing to do with it.
6. Prosecutors withholding charges in order to pursue additional charges should they lose in the first round - an attempt to circumvent double jeopardy rules. (i.e. I murder someone during a robbery - the evidence is fairly thin, so I'm prosecuted for Murder (alone). When I'm acquitted the prosecution charges on attempted robbery, weapons charges or one of the many other charges that they can dig out that might have stronger evidence. The possibility of prosecution might loom for years, along with the stigma of "suspect".)
7. The ability to punish/pursue a suspect through (ab)use of the media. ("person of interest"). Placing pressure on a subject via media "leaks" or press releases that lead the public to believe certain things about a person. While not exactly lies we all know that it's the prosecution using the media to manipulate the public against a SUSPECTED criminal. (defense and prosecution should be barred (ethics) from using the media as a tool against the other side.) Remember INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY.
"Do not be swept up in the momentum of mediocrity." - anon
What have you learned about yourself over the past years since your conviction.
What is your outlook on life now?
What is the best and worse representations of your story in print/media - and why?
Lodragan Draoidh
The more you explain it, the more I don't understand it. - Mark Twain
\/\/H0 1Z 31337
First, nothing begins if not opening
After your sentence, do you differentiate between tech ethics issues? (Illegal P2P bad, but DMCA also bad)
Or is it possible you have a more blanketing approach? (Illegal P2P bad, DMCA good) (or, conversely, Illegal P2P good, DMCA bad)
What's this Submit thingy do?
HACK THE G1B50N?
Yes, but after you figure out that it doesn't work in the stock market, you realize that by rewriting a few functions, it will work on the roulette wheel. Then it's off to Vegas, and easy livin'.
It's been agreed upon by yourself and others that what you did was wrong but the punishment did not fit the crime.
With more and more people getting caught up in the 'hacker = terrorist' retoric of late, especially those in high places, changing minds is more important than ever. I shudder to think of what would happen if your activities had occured a few years later (that whole 'whistle launch codes into a phone' thing...).
What do you think is the most important thing that the hacker community should do to make sure that cases like yours don't occur again, and that cases involving computer crime are treated fairly and not trumped up to terrorism?
Where are we going, and why are we in this hand cart?
Kevin,
While going through this and the ammount of time you have spent away from the "Biz" is it hard for you to reintergrate yourself with all the changes considdering all of the limitations of your sentence. Are there any tips or tricks you use to catch up on all the changes?
Information Security is taking some very interesting turns now days. Because of this, new comers in the information security field might be needing some good advice on how to get started. You started in a very different way. How would you begin your career in information security now days?
cybermalandro
--Pat
In order to be an effective social engineer, you have to become a different person in order to successfully complete an objective. What kind of person did you have to become in order to survive physically, mentally, and emotionally in prison? How did you deal emotionally with solitary? Were you able to use your skills to get along better with other inmates and the guards?
Have you ever heard of Goatse.cx? Oh, you havent? well its this reall cool website that i suggest you check out right when you get on the internet...
*quietly laughs*
Slash-for-Thought
No Email eh? In that case, I have a large some on money I Nigeria but no way to transfer it. With only your bank account I could use you as a transfer and give you $1mil for your trouble! How about it?
....they don't realize that millions have tried to do the same thing and failed.
Anyone remember the four minute mile?
Because x number of attempts have failed does not make a thing impossible. I don't think it's entirely likely that this script exists, but your conclusion is based on faulty reasoning.
--
As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.
Finally, someone who might be worse than me!
Palladium?
Glog!
Would you say that the corrections system was successful in your case? Has jail time curbed your desire to compromise other people's machines? Has it taught you right from wrong? If yes, how was that acheived? If no, how could the system have better, "helped" you (helped society)?
Thanks,
Mathew Johnston
The media has portrayed you as a master Hacker. Do you consider yourself a hacker? Is there a difference between social engineering and hacking? I ask becuase you indicated in an interview posted on 2600 that you were "admittedly light" in programming skills. What are your thoughts on this?
_ _ _ Go for the eyes Boo! GO FOR THE EYES!
With all the computer-relate questions that are out there, I pose the following to you. With your skills in social engineering and the simple fact that you have been away from society for the good part of the last decade, do you have a girlfriend? If so, how did you two meet?
Reformed or not, what advice would you give to the budding nerd youth that want to follow in your (and others) footsteps and become a hacker?
There is no spork.
What is your opinion on current DRM/copy-protecting technologies being proposed and developed by corporations such as Microsoft and conglomerates like the RIAA and MPAA? Are you in support of this movement or against?
Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
Kevin, what would you like to say to this guys ? Thank you and welcome back !
Is there a moral obligation for the hacking community to counter a cyber-terror attack on America?
01000110 01110010 01100101 01100101 01100100 01101111 01101101
I know about this, yeah, it really happened.
Is this truly the only Earth I can live on?
Do you see a serious security threat from systems such as these in the near future?
PS2 and XBOX can both run Linux. XBOX via emulation can run any x86 based emulation. Thus both could become viable and inexpensive hacker tools. In addition thier closed architecture hides how many explotations are inheriant to the systems. However I don't expect to see many of these units plugged into a corporate LAN.
You say things that offend me and I can deal with it. Can you?
At any point in your incarceration, did the government approach you with a deal to drop the charges against you if you worked for them instead? I'm sure their computer security/fraud division could learn a thing or two from you.
I'm playing "Devil's Advocate" here.
Granted, you were young and pretty foolish, but that doesn't excuse the things you've done. It was as bad as walking up to someone and picking their pocket, stealing a purse from an un-attended shopping cart, only with a LOT more money involved. How can you justify to me or any other employer involved in either law enforcement or computer/network security to hire you? And the idea of "Use a thief to catch a thief" really doesn't float with most cops, trust me =)
Ceci n'est pas une sig.
R U L33t?!?!
I assume there are people who are watching your actions now ... even this interview and its responses. Who do you know is watching you and who do you suspect is watching? As someone experiencing government surveillance first hand, just how bad is it?
--- Jason Olshefsky
Karma: Poser (mostly affected by adding this line long after everyone else did)
Show some inmates with lots of power how to make free phone calls, and perform some favors for them. When you get out, they will take you into an elite crime syndicate as their technology head. Then wait for a secret box that decrypts everything to come along, and hire your former best friend to steal it for you.
Simple as that
Moderation Totals: Flamebait=2, Troll=1, Redundant=1, Insightful=6, Overrated=1, Underrated=1, Total=12. (not mine)
"I don't know what's the matter with people: they don't learn by understanding, they learn by some other way -- by rote, or something. Their knowledge is so fragile! ... this kind of fragility is, in fact, fairly common, even with more learned people."
--Richard Feynman
I think few would argue that there is a marked campaign, deliberate or otherwise, demonizing the idea of what a 'hacker' is in the minds of people. It is my contention that there is, and probably always will be, a certain paranoid fear driving the campaign, a fear of those who understand how to figure out how things work. To what degree is this fear justified? How should the need for security (personal, national, corporate, etc.) be balanced with the freedom to explore and disseminate information?
With technology and the internet becoming a bigger and more intrusive part of everyday life each year, how much more difficult was it towards the end of your sentence to stay away from computers and the internet than it was at the beginning? Did you have to change your behavior a lot as time went by?
Anyone here who wouldn't be in trouble if every one of their computer and copyright related "offenses" came to light can throw the first stone. Ever downloaded an unlicensed MP3 plugin for Redhat 8? Ever renamed irc to emacs to violate a school policy on computer use?
While you where away, p2p networks have become a very popular form of file sharing on the internet. Unfortunatley many people wish to put this to an end. What is your opinion of p2p networks and rights that should be associated with using them. Also what is your opinion of DRM (digital Rights Management) and the RIAA ?
if all else fails...install linux
What do you think about current security measures? Are the sufficient for the current wave of hackers/crackers?
What about Microsoft's security initiative? Will it ever be anything more than a PR catchphrase?
Ultimately, do you think it will ever be possible to make a computer product *completely* secure and unhackable?
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one " -Albert Einstein
Things have changed quite a bit with regards to the internet since you have seen it. Everything from internet businesses, to eBay, to high speed access (DSL, cable), to the dot-com bust. Did you keep up with things by reading? What was your main source of info to keep up with technology? What is your opinion on some of the more famous "hackers" of today, or are you even up it? What are your thoughts on email viruses/scams that utilize a type of social engineering?
Since you have been kind of on the outside looking in, I think you would have a pretty fresh view on some of these things.
My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.
No, but they have done a pretty damn good job of making it disappear into thin air ;)
Have you been able to keep up on all the technological changes through the years? If not, do you plan on bying masses of books and hardware? If so, what did you do to stay sufficiently up to date?
... and you're allowed to "use" again, how will you overcome the "urge?" aren't you "addicted" to the behavior that got you in trouble?
Namely, what are you views on activist use of hacking/cracking to promote political views?
Have you watched the new movie 'Catch Me If You Can'?
Handratty plays a very important role in getting Abiganle to work for the FBI while serving his sentence. Did you have anyone like Handratty around you or was the environment too hostile?
I copied this sig.
When I saw the picture next to the CNN story about you getting back online, I thought they had made a mistake. The guy in the nice suit with little glasses couldn't be the geeky Kevin I remember. My question is: Do you have a fashion or image consultant?
And a little hint for someone that hasn't gotten email in a while, Staci doesn't really want you to test her new webcam for her.
Good luck.
-B
> education
Clearly underfunded in your state.
From what I understand you are positioning yourself in the world of consulting and authoring.
If this ends up being a success for you, do you think that you will be able to look at your past with a positive, learning experience, point of view and can you see yourself letting go of some of the grudges spawned by the events leading to your sentencing?
How often do you wear a "Free Kevin" shirt? does your car have a Free Kevin bumpersticker on it? Did you ever have the urge to buy into your own merchendise? (And if so, did you actually have to pay for it?) ... teknofile.org
http://www.teknofile.org/
I'm sure that, with all the things you were forced to give up being away from any contact with computers for as long as you were, there were plenty of things you quickly got used to being without, and things you probably even forgot existed. However, I'm sure there were some things you really missed.
Of all the things you had to do without, what one thing about computers and the Internet did you miss the most?
Your Servant, B. Baggins
Q: How did you get into those NORAD computers, and how accurate was War Games?
(NOTE: yes, the above was just a joke, please put down your flamethrowers)
But seriously, now that all this is more or less over, how do you feel about John Markoff? Do you hold a grudge, or have you moved on? How about Tsutomu Shimomura?
"You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war." -- Albert Einstein
+1, Sneakers reference!
Have you had any hand in the making of Hackers 2? I mean did you get anything out of it? Did they consult you? Do they want to redo it?
This SIG pulled due to lack of funding. (This damn war is costing too much!)
I assume you've read the book Takedown. My question is, how close to reality was the story?
Is there anything specific that stands out as complete and utter BS?
Up until the Christmas Day 1994 break-in on Shimomura's computers the general feeling was that Syn-Ack attack would never be seen "in the wild" and was just a theoretical possibility. The Xmas attack proved the legal enforcement community wrong. This highlights that there's a game of leap-frog going on.
Even though in your book you've exposed the human element as the weakest part of security, do you think that the typical technological leapfrogging above could continue for the forseeable future, or will one side convincingly win this battle of intelligence and skill?
Assuming you are aware or have read Shimomura's recollection of events, did you find their techniques to track you down original (for 1994) ?
What's the root password for slashdot.org?
Do you feel Microsoft is out of control?
You are being MICROattacked, from various angles, in a SOFT manner.
Did you ever have any luck communicating across the huge cultural gap between government and hackers? Did you ever feel that they started to get our point of view, that some of them understood how we feel about the way they perceive us?
mods metamodded as "Unfair"
Kevin,
How free are you to tell us what you really think about things, and how much is your freedom of speech being moderated by the terms of your parole? For example, if you felt that (this is purely hypothetical), in response to IP issues you believed in taking actions that might be interpreted as criminal, would there be reprecussions for you if you stated them here?
What do you feel is the most effective means of dissolving the vail of mainstream media?
Kevin, you were a witness for the defense in that trial where it is claimed that "escort service" calls are being rerouted. Do you think your testimony helped or hindered; and was it your infamy that helped or hindered?
He needs to specefically explain wether or not conjugal visits were allowed in prison!
That could be a decisive factor in determining his past moves as good or bad. Really! Think office space.
IIRC I read in the NYT that its his girlfriend's blog actually.
Why not fork?
Is it at all possible to create a secure and computerized system?
anytime a person has ultimate authority to a system, there is a chance that the person may be compromised (social engineering).
do you see a way that can deny access to that individual while still allowing the freedom to make the system useful?
i see alot of division of permission in current corporate structures, but there always seems to be one person around that can manipulate the system in the end.
last question, the obligatory: If you had it all to do over again, would you?
"You never want a serious crisis to go to waste." - Rahm Emanuel
I have kept up on your plight over the years, reading various things about you. I have read your book and had a free kevin banner on my site. I truely wish you the very best and hope you are able to recover quickly.
Good luck to you.
Str8Dog
using System.Darkside; public
Do you have interest in continuing to be "hands-on" in the tech community, or will you just act as a security consultant and public speaker? Or do you want to get out of the tech field entirely and do something else? Also, have you talked to any of the FBI agents that captured you? If so, what is their viewpoint in hindsight of your treatment back then?
Without having touched a computer in years, what makes you, Mr. Mitnick, think that you are capable of founding a firm in the realm of information security? Unless I've missed something, I'm guessing that your security skills are grossly out of date and inadequate for the challenges facing information security today. Care to elaborate on this, and why somebody would hire the most infamous hacker in the world and trust you with their secrets?
Skiers and Riders -- http://www.snowjournal.com
Kevin, what are your views on punishment for "computer cromes" vs violent crimes , it seems that looking at data is more of a sin than murder in the modern world. what is your viewpoint ?
Type unto others as you would have them type unto you.
The time spent gaining the knowledge required to hack, the joy of successfully hacking, getting caught, dealing with the Feds, the time spent in jail, dealing with lawyers, dealing with the FCC, the fame, the media exposure, your new book, your new career, the possibility of making millions off of a movie deal, the possibility of making more money than you could have ever imagined because of who you are now, your future, etc....
Was it all worth it?
Go not unto/. for advice, for you will be told both yea and nay (but have nothing to do with the question)
As one of the people that protested in front of the Los Angeles court house, regularly displayed and passed out "Free Kevin" stickers, whored the kevinmitnick web-site for new information and watched with slack-jawed incredulity as our (hack-spit) Justice System worked its magic... I extend my heartfelt "Welcome Back!" and desire that your long road has ended and a new, better paved, more scenic one has begun. =8-D
Yet I, personally, am little satisfied. I carry a heavy, fervent desire to lash out against the authorities that would conduct such a circus.
Having spent the time you have, looking out from within, what would you suggest is the best approach for the "average Joe" to combat such attrocities as displayed by the Justice Department and our courts?
Are there courses of action beyond mere letter writing and becoming a tick on an "opinion form"?
How have people in the community treated you since your release? Have people been reluctanct to associate with you too closely? Have you had a hard time rebuilding your contacts?
Just in general has the response from the community been a positive one for you?
Kintanon
Check out JoshJitsu.info for Brazilian Ji
I was wondering, even though you were not allowed near a machine or the Internet, how did you keep up to date with the latest developments on tech-related issues?
This I'm sure will be the first question that will come to mind when anyone considers paying for your services as a security expert. i.e.: how can you help a company when you have been "out of the loop" all these years? I figure that since most security concerns are usually on the social engineering side that this will not be a big deal, but when it comes to other more technical aspects, how will you be able to help them?
hot teen nympho's, an MBA in 2 weeks and penis enlargement offers.
I bet his email account is full! 100,000 spams just waiting for him to return...
So... you tell us... How do you rate your own computer engineering skills? It's obvious what you think of your social engineering skills (and rightly so). But... how do you rate your own technical skills in such areas as logical thinking, programming ability, problem solving ability, creative solutions to complex technical problems, understanding of current protocols, methods, etc.
Being on the Internet can be a part of your life. Some people can get away, and others cannot. In their mind, turning the computer off would be akin to closing their eyes for a day. I'd assume being away from the Internet at first was hard. But then there were years to get used to it, and you probably won't "jump in" right away. Taking it slowly and comfortably instead. My question is, how long did it take for it to set in, and being away from it for so long, what do you have to say about it?
Have you read my journal today?
OK, check with your lawyers but as I'm sure you know the statue of limitations for computer crimes (not otherwise associated with violent crimes) is 4 years in most every state. So, with that in mind; can you tell us some of the coolest hacks you've ever done? Most especially; any so well done that they have gone undiscovered (and unprosecutable now)?
Kevin, if the FCC decides not to revoke your amateur radio license, will you continue to be out there in the community
This sig no verb.
and you were the prosecution in your case, how would you have handled it, given that (1) you were to be made an example of and (2) you wouldn't have changed your defense strategy?
Many changes since the last time you play with a keyborad and an old-box 486 computer. Some years from now, sudently, with viruses, attacks and P2P, A lot of people discovers Internet as a full of potential dangerous guys.
It seems to me than security becomes relevant since only some few years. People discovers security (from the simple "old-mama-with-a-new-computer-buys by-his-son" to the "heavy-buisnessman) as a main part of Internet Technology. Now, with the declaration of principes by Microsoft, several new laws and a lot of defaced sites, security is the main target of most of the part of computer industries.
What do you think about this new (false) revelation ? And all the new stuffs with this (large DoS attacks, TCPA, Palladium (of course)...)
Ceci n'est pas une signature.
How would you change the trial, incarceration, and supervised release process to eliminate some of the unnecessary frustration? Or maybe you could just describe some of the lesser known hurdles you faced.
I'm due to complete my own supervised release in the seemingly distant future. Congrats on the FCC win as well.
Now that the FCC has agreed to give you back your license, what Freq do you work?
"If, therefore, any be unhappy, let him remember that he is unhappy by reason of himself alone."
~Epictetus
Since you gained infamy, how do things go with the ladies?
boxers or briefs?
sig - .
Are social engineering principles useful in getting a date?
God knows, if there's anything the Slashdot crowd can use, it's *this*...
What... is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
What would you be doing now if you had never gotten caught? describe what you think your trajectory would have been and when you would have had to make a change to avoid getting arrested.
Man the poets down here don't write nothing at all, they just stand back and let it all be.
-Springsteen
It's clear that you will have a unique position in the field of security having been a former hacker, and I imagine you will do quite well for yourself financially. However, the price you have paid is readily apparent. Do you consider this to be a fair trade? With so many security positions available to former hackers such as yourself, could hacking be considered a 'good career move'?
"driven by [your] curiosity, the desire to learn about technology, and a good intellectual challenge*" are you tempted to 'hack' again now that you are back on line?
Not to suggest that you would, but is it tempting.
* From Chapter One: Kevin's Story by Kevin Mitnick
Having done a bit in israels army a while back,what is your take on recent events there?
*Repent!Quit Your Job!Slack Off!The World Ends Tomorrow and You May Die!
...how I love that movie.
"First lesson," Jon said. "Stick them with the pointy end."
As it probably wasn't around last time you used a computer...I'm thinking of copyright-infringing file sharing such as music, software and films here. Should we accept that computers and ADSL mean the end of copyright on recorded media, are these people just acting out of a sense of community (personally, I'd NEVER charge anyone for a copy of software) or are they all evil thieves who should be hunted down?
When I am king, you will be first against the wall.
VERY interesting read! I wonder why that chapter wasn't included in the book? Seems informative.
Kevin, In your bio, you mentioned the denaturing of the term "hacker" to reflect the negative status the media has superimposed on it. Do you think it is possible that people could eventually learn to use the word to mean someone who has a desire to learn as much as they can about everything (technology, etc)? Or do you think the media has put their spin on things so much that people will never be able to separate the negative from the positive on this?
"PC Load Letter? What the $@#% does that mean?!"
I think that you have said that you were not driven by money and that you enjoyed the challenge. There's another activity that is financially unrewarding and challenging: writing free software. Have you ever thought of using your skills in this direction? It's got one further advantage, too: they don't put you in prison for it (yet)!
What are the worst things about gaol? Is there anything there to do with your time so you don't feel it's wasted or is it almost all boredom?
Believe with me, my saplings.
Yes, but I think you're in a conversation with people who use the incorrect defintion of the term 'hacker.'
Agreed, they're the sort of people who think Mitnick is a hero. It just goes to show that there are other forms of ignorant people called 'crackers,' not just the poor white trash sort.
- Macromedia Flash web sites?
- mice with more than 2 buttons?
- LCD screens?
- digital cameras capable of more than 10 Megapixels?
- mouse gestures for website navigation?
- google.com?
Mordor...a magical, mythical land where women are more rare than dragons--but where every man would rather find a dragon
Kevin Mitnick has been behind bars and off of a PC for *how* many years? I understand that little changes with social engineering, but systems have changed enough that Kevin will still be playing catch-up for quite some time.
Ask this question again in 6 months. Kevin will be able to formulate a better opinion then.
Life is tough. It's tougher if you're stupid. --John Wayne
I am curious:
Conversely,
For extra creidit, I'd love to see a computer software analogue to Hilbert's famous List of Questions, as a kind of to-do list of how computers could most benefit people (in their daily or creative life).
Did you keep some of your data encrypted?
If so, what did you use to encrypt your data and how strong was it?
Hi and welcome back to freedom,
I have read on your site about the quite expeditive way your "pre-trial period" was handled by justice and how justice in its "moral" sense did not fulfill its job and how some of your essential rights were clearly denied to you.
After the 11/9 events, the new US national security directives, big corporations more and more trying to gain control over their users, what does your expertise in computer security and probably deep knowledge of obscure corporate and state practises (open wiretaps for example) incline you to think about the future of civil liberties in the US and as a whole (if you think you know anything worth telling about Europe for example) ?
And do you think you would accept to talk about in public if asked to do so by associations or political parties wishing to communicate on the subject ?
- What was life like on the run? How, for example, did you manage to find a place to live and get a job? Also, Littman's book seems to indicate that life on the run became stressful. Because of that, according to the book, you became reckless, allowing you to get caught when your pursuers traced your cell phone calls.
- What's your opinion of Littman's book?
Technology has advanced a lot since you were arrested. In fact, I'm willing to sell you this 450Mhz PC with 16MB RAM for only $3,000 (monitor sold separately). What do you think?
I hope this question gets asked in 1 form or another.
Kevin,
I followed you plight, mainly through the 2600 site and publication and it seems to me that the US "law" broke down in some areas, particularly the right to a speedy trial and ability for you to defend yourself. Along with this I read that you were treated rather poorly, if not cruelly while in prison. Can you let us know how you felt you were treated given the circumstances and now that you've had time to reflect and if the "law" was bent away from justice in your case? And, if you could elaborate on some of the injustices, if any, were done to you in prison.
Thanks!
- Ed
You are bound to attract way more babes than you can possibly handle. Would you please consider piping the overflow to slashdot?
Social engineering sounds so impressive! Were u a con man?
cheers, man! put it behind u, move on, have fun, and take care!
Kevin;
I'm curious as to how you feel about John Markoff, a man that seemingly owes his journalistic career to exaggerating your exploits.
Between the book "Hackers" and outrageous lies he printed in the New York Times (I'd swear there was one piece he wrote where he claimed you had codes to launch missles), do you feel that you might have gotten a less abusive punishment by the legal system had Markoff *not* made you out to be the Great Satan of the computer world?
Do you feel that Markoff owes you an apology?
TTYL
If telephones are outlawed, then only outlaws will have telephones.
Kevin, what I've asked myself: after all those years in jail - haven't you thought of leaving the country ?
Just calling it quits an moving somewhere else ?
I've only loosely followed your case (and the related civil liberties problems in the USA) since I first heard of it in c.a. 1997, but judging from todays "status quo", I can say that it hasn't improved at all.
Windows 2000 - from the guys who brought us edlin
IIRC, the government had confiscated some hard disks of yours.
Rumour was that it was gibberish, that it was encrypted, that they wouldn't give them back to you unless you provided them with a passphrase that would eliminate the gibberish.
Any substance to these rumours that you wouldn't mind answering?
"Provided by the management for your protection."
What other crazy stuff did they think you could do while you were there?
Being called a dork on Slashdot must be like being called the retard in special ed.
The extent of restrictions that the authorities had placed on your actions were increadibly over the top. Given their fears, and your understanding, what measures do you think they *should* have taken to address their concerns AND sound like they're NOT writing a bad science fiction script?
Robert Anton Wilson
Do you think that you would still be hacking today if you didn't get caught? Do you view it as a good thing or a bad thing that you got caught and had to spend time in jail?
I couldn't tell if you were experimenting with poor-man's cryogenics or looking for the orange sherbet.
Given the great amount of misrepresentation of you Kevin, has anyone in mainstream-media gotten it right?
Silly Rabbit: tricks are for kids.
People have been talking about "Free Kevin" for years, now that you are free, where can I get a free Kevin for myself? I could use someone to play starcraft with, hell, their name doesn't even have to be Kevin, a free anyone will do...
I actually took the time to read history.html, seems it wasn't that bad afterall. Especially since he did it "by accident". Anyway, for my question to K. Is he going to do more then just sell books and explain "how" instead of doing? The Internet really needs some brilliant minds to figure a way out of the current situation: spam, DDoS, DCMA. There must be a way out. Right?
Is Morgan as hot as she looks on TV? No offense to Darci but why don't you social engineer some of that.
What does Kevin think of our legal system? Having been through the penal system and prison, I would like to hear his thoughts. Justice? BS? Rights?
-I'm not awake yet-
The terrible ignorance of our administration resulted in you being attributed supernatural powers such as being able to whistle down a phone and launch a nuclear strike, and so they wanted you "burned at the stake" like a Salem "witch". Does this careless ignorance still scare you?
Do you intend to go back to Ham Radio? If so, will you be using any digital modes, or just FM/SSB? And on which repeaters in the LA area will you be hanging out?
"dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope"
Have you seen the movie "Catch Me If You Can"? If so, do you see any similarities between the main character of that movie and your own life? And what are the differences between the two stories (aside from the obvious of the era and the fact you did not actually steal $$$)?
"dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope"
what kind of computer are you buying for your own use, what operating system (if linux, which distribution) will you use, and why did you pick those? (e.g., gentoo linux on an apple powerbook, redhat on a dual 3GHz Xeon, etc)
Did being a skinny computer geek amongst those big, horny, hardened criminals, enlighten your perspective on the female perspective of things? Did this scar you permanently?
I actually took the time to read history.html, seems it wasn't that bad afterall. Especially since he did it "by accident".
/etc/passwd" instead of using ">>" to add an account. So he ended up trashing the password file, taking the system down until someone could restore the backup from tape. In addition, I think there were a number of other vandal type attacks that were thought to be from him, but could not be confirmed. The general consensus at the time was that he was just an classic "script kiddie". Anyone could get a free account to do whatever they wanted, but it wasn't enough for him. He had to take down a community resource just to prove he could.
If my recollection is correct after all these years, I think he did stupid stuff like "echo 'password entry' >
That the contents of the networks and the ways people use them are a fair reflection of the way society *is*, or of the way we would like it to be?
Thank you for your time.
C|N>K
Is this one of those inane 'In Soviet Russia' jokes then?
After reading the above questions,<br> i get the feeling that everyone thinks you have been living in a cave for 8years, with no contact or information whatsoever about the internet and or computers in general. <br>
IS this true? or were you still allowed access to things such as books, magazines and other information that would have helped you keep in touch with the culture you yourself created?
First off, welcome back online; congrats... despite your stay at the federally funded vacation spot, are there any things you regret doing, or wish you had done "better"? I suppose it's like asking a crack addict if he/she'll go back to do what they used to... but... will you try any of your old tricks? Do you have any plans on teaching what you know to others? What kind of business do you intend to build? ... Finally, we've got this little problem with the North Koreans... Any chance you could use your "craft" to turn their nuclear program into the worlds most expensive pin ball simulator? ;-)
... I was curious, after all these years... what do you think of the net? Did it go the way you expected? Did it turn into what you hoped? Are you (dis)satisfied with the results? Any intentions to make your own post-prison marks on the future of the net? Intentions to contribute? Are you a re-habilitated 'citizen' or a disgruntled scapegoat? ...
little side note... we've got this little problem with North Korea; any chance you could use your 'craft' to turn their nuclear program into the worlds most expensive pinball simulator?
Welcome back
How did you write the book without a computer? Hand written then transcribed, typewriter, or were electronic typewriters allowed?
Once a hacker always a hacker so... when will you begin hacking again?
Have you ever considered using your social engineering skills to go Darkside and work for the CIA or other US government agency?
For all those that missed Chapter 1 on the Register here's a link Chapter One: Kevin Mitnick's story
Any sufficiently advanced man is indistinguishable from God
What i have seen you ran your laptops on win3.11 and win95. Are you today running win XP or do you prefer e.g. linux?
Do you now feel like a Count of Monte Cristo who just left prison?
The government had access to all the records that Mitnick could have used for his defense, but they arbitrarily withheld the records indefinitely. Each six months Mitnick was given the choice of going to trial with an unprepared defense and some crappy government lawyer with no access to the records necessary to prove his innoccence, or to sign a waiver allowing the government to delay the trial for another 6 months while he stayed in jail. In other words, they were just trying to fuck with him untile he broke, gave in, and pleaded guilty. They never had any intention of giving him a fair trial. It was a total mockery of the legal system and a travesty of justice.
Repeal the DMCA!
Hi Kevin, I was wondering if you plan to investigate echolink. I read somewhere that your amateur radio license was reinstated and would like to know what you think about the integration of ham radio/computers in the past 8 years.
42
Who do we put in our "FREE ______________" sigs now?
But you are a convicted criminal.
How is that effecting your ability to date?
This
86 +5 posts (at this time)! Mod up questions that not only sound insightful but are also interesting (and I don't mean that purely in the moderation sense). For example, it might be important if we know how he feels about his own actions- but does anybody really care?
How much spam do you have waiting for you?
My question is:
Does crime pay? Specifically, your crimes.
Your website has had a countdown on how long it will be until you are "truly free".
What is truly free? Do you consider the ability to browse the internet "freedom", or would true freedom mean you are given a free hand to investigate vulnerabilities in other people's websites? Does being able to use a computer mean you are truly free or does true freedom rely on other things as well?
Given you were behind bars for so long, what do you consider true freedom to consist of?
If the pattern goes 9am, 10am, 11am, why isn't noon 12am?
The whole internet boom-and-bust thing happened while you were Off Net, and the economy's worked it's way back down to about what it was before you got caught.
What's it been like watching it from the outside? Do you have any perspectives that are different from what people experienced going through it?
Bill Stewart
New Fast-Compression-only CPR http://preview.tinyurl.com/dy575ks
The time, April 1994. The place - Colorado Supernet (think *.csn.org) in Boulder, Colorado. I was a green as hell newbie sysadmin on my second job out of college. One day, federal marshals show up with search warrants and lawyers from a large, American electronics manufacturer. They are looking for stolen PROM code for cell phones, and they think it is on our machines (it was). It turns out someone did some "human engineering" on a gullible IT person somewhere and downloaded the code without having to crack anything. This person then backtracked through a long list of hacked accounts across the Internet to cover their tracks.
The search process shut SuperNet down for almost three days. We couldn't answer the phones, check email, or even touch our servers. It seemed certain that this was the last straw in a long list of problems, and that the company would fold. In a panic, I quit that job two weeks later. That was a bad decision, as it turns out, but one I still hold the mysterious cracker responsible for. That person changed my life, and not for the better.
So, was it you?
- Necron69
If such a system gets built, how likely do you think that it will get compromised, how quickly will this happen and what techniques do you think would be used?
Those are property crimes.
Violent crimes would be Aggravated Burglary (which requires force or threat of force against the occupant of the dwelling being burglarized), Robbery or Aggravated Robbery (depending on severity of the injury/threat to the victim).
Even if a man chops off your hand with a sword, you still have two nice, sharp bones to stick in his eyes.
Kevin,
One of the more publicized aspects of your return to "normal society" was your campaign to retain (or regain) your amateur radio license.
Not having followed every detail of your situation, was that just a part of your overall effort, or do you wish to use your amateur radio license in the future.
73,
Dave KQ3T
It must have been hell reading reviews and watching other people (your girlfriend) play with all the new computer technology out there...
What new technology was on your wish list this year, and what new or old tools/tech would you put on the list for the kids today who want to become as masterful with systems as you once were ?
"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."--Benjamin Franklin
The first time I read through your book, it appeared to be a handbook for security, telling people what to look out for and how to prevent social engineering.
The second time I read through it, it became much more obvious to me that it was more a manual for con men, showing the benefits and pitfalls of certain techniques.
Without blatently asking if it was your intention to sort of "stick it to 'em" by unleashing more "players of the game" on the world, what are your comments on these two ways of reading your book?
Mitnick is going to have a hard time building a consultancy business nowadays... after all those years of "Free Kevin" who will want "Pay Kevin" now?
are full of shit?
Obviously when one has been deified as you have all kinds of stories start popping up..like "Wargames" was based on your exploits, etc.
So which ones specifically are false?
(Don't get me wrong I am a HUGE fan of your work). And do you speak with Tsutomu Shimomura?
Since you are uniquely in a position to have seen the source code of several commercial products up close without signing an NDA did you find anything like the infamous NSA_KEY ?
Linkedin http://in.linkedin.com/in/robinsaikatchatterjee
And in Soviet Russia, the prosecutors give Jesus cancer!
In times of universal deceit, telling the truth gets you modded -1 Troll
The first time I read this, I thought you meant "so we could hax0r his account later." ; )
And if so, how did you get away from Bill Handel?
-- @rjamestaylor on Ello
and it most certainly isn't scalable.
Yes it could make enough money for me to live on, but not enough for me to be happy on. It takes more than just caffeine.....
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
What is the most significant thing you have learned or appreciated anything since the time you were released from prison because of computer inactivity?
because my blackjack script is much more likely to succeed in the real world. Hell, I'll even explain the theory to you people:
Start with an initial bet of x.
If you win, you make $x, and if you lose just bit 2x then 4x then 8x etc. Eventually you will win and make $x.
You can't judge a book by the way it wears its hair.
Was it worth it?
Parallelism between your case and Sklyarowski one is evident. Let us have your comments on this. Ciao
What will you do if American crackers are replaced by Indian crackers?
Table-ized A.I.
Hey Kevin i was just wondering what kind of computer setup you were going to get now that you can own whatever? what OS are you going to run? cool. thanks
NaTe
..if he offers the highest bid for your "soul" ...and why not?
Do you feel like you'll be given an unhindered chance to be 'free', Or do you think that the vague state of some US technology laws would be used against you if the opportunity presents itself?
Follow up to that question; are you more or less likely to work on a project that could be construed as a (for example) DMCA violation because of your past?
There are some people that if they don't know, you can't tell 'em.
On a related note, I'd like to ask you if you have any political views relating to free software and open source? There's been a lot of debate on the issue. Since you have seen the computer revolution from a different perspective than most other people, I'd like to hear your comments.
With all the insane laws on the books now, and you under the microscope of the DoJ as you are, do you feel it is even safe to do anything at all regarding a computer? Are you worried that you will break DMCA by using or publishing something like a bug patch or anything that deals with file formats (e-books, dvd), anything that could be considered a circumvention device?
-twb
Any plans to write a book about your early experiences becoming a hacker, your exploits and what it was like to be living on the run from the feds? Or is "The Fugitive Game" to be considered your authorized story?
Frankly this personal, social, exploration story is the book I think many of us would like to see, though of course I bought "Art of Deception."
On that note, did you ever receive any compensation from John Markoff or from any of the print/film versions of "Takedown"?
i can get a lot of girls, but they are not that intectual, can you help me find a "geekette"? Simontek. I just had to ask, and ya'll know you want a girl that has skillz with a computer.
SimonTek
Are you surprised at the huge pile of crap that the internet has become in your absence?
Are there any new technologies that have sprung up that you wish you could uninvent? What do you feel most nostalgic for?
What's so special about computers?
What would you say was the greatest paradigm shift that you observed/did not observe in your time away from the internet?
How many messages in your inbox since you've been away ? - Or are you still busy downloading them ?
A slashdotting - you get the stick first and then the carrot !
OK let me spell this out for you.
The people who make lots and lots of money quite often don't use computers. I'm not saying that he could or could not work for the local barber of flipping hamburgers or any of the many jobs that might have put him in contact with a computer. My point is that there are high level jobs that are often filled by the computer illiterate, not the computer elite and it is because of the skill sets that they possess that have nothing to do with computers.
Mitnick's social engineering skills coupled with his better than average mental acuity could place him in one of those positions.
I was refuting the statement that he has been unable to make money while you keep insisting that he couldn't take a job he likely doesn't want anyway. We're not only not in agreement, we're not even arguing the same topic.
--
As a matter of fact, I am a lawyer. But I play an actor on TV.
AS the subject says: are you planning to get a Slashdot-account?
Lesbian Nazi Hookers Abducted by UFOs and Forced Into Weight Loss Programs - -all next week on Town Talk.
Kevin, imagine that you are somehow trapped in an elevator, with the prosecutor who argued that you could start a nuclear war from a touch-tone phone, and the judge who believed him and put you in solitary confinement as a result.
After the long, awkward silence, when you three finally had something to say to each other, what do you think it would be?
Do you feel that, at least that one time, you were punished by the judge for his own stupidity?
I would be curious to know your thoughts / feelings about your prosecution, now that you are back online. Was the government's case against you fair, and did society benefit from your prosecution?
For those who don't know already, Darci Wood is the LabMistress on LabMistress.com. You may have seen her comments on Slashdot, especially regarding stories on Kevin Mitnick.
My question:
Where and when did you two meet? How did you end up spending so much time together?
Sometimes I worry that I'll develop Alzheimer's disease, but no one will notice.
Just checking...
All those who prosecute will get an unfairly-horrible type of cancer?
Jouster
Since you've been 'under the microscope' of the G-men now. Can you offer any advice to us in the new era of Ashcroft's Spy on your neighbors program? Seriously now, with privacy eroding and reports that hardened criminals in prison are getting into the identity theft crimes, can you offer privacy advice from your unique perspective in life?
See this comment and its followups, buddy.
Jouster
Do you smoke? If so, what? Slightly off topic, but relevant to my interests. Most hax0rs i know smoke *something* at least.
Part of the draw to being in 'The Life' is the feeling of comaraderie you get from your peers. I saw your appearance on TechTV the other night and can't help but ask: Was there any particular event, person, or experience that you will draw upon to prevent you from going over to the 'Dark Side'?
Language is determined by the people who use it. Give it up. Hacker has come to mean someone who cracks networks. Rather than arguing some syntactical dogma why not try to make a coherent point.
"as plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee" - Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz. (One man's humorous is another mans flamebait)
Maybe the moderator should read this wired article first, since it contains answer to many questions posted here.
You can't actually beleive that. Id bet it was within months of his release he got on the net. He can connect to the internet using empty tuna cans and parts from walkman tape players, according to the prision officials anyway....
What emailer is he using?
Someone set us up the bomb, so shine we are!
And since my example actually involves mathematical principles, it's much more apt an analogy than physical effort. Better still, of course, would be to skip the analogy and argue directly from the facts.
Any sufficiently well-organized community is indistinguishable from Government.
Hello. Most people have the feeling that hackers need to use aliases. Script kiddies always use and abuse them, and think that's "cool". I always thought the practice was somewhat stupid (calling myself The Net Destructor or something won't make me any more competent), but even movies like the terrible Hackers and the great The Matrix promote them.
As one of the most known hackers in the world, and being known as Kevin, what's your opinion on the subject?
My website