Posted by
michael
on from the fanboys-rejoice dept.
An anonymous reader writes "The next HOPE (Hackers on Planet Earth) conference will feature Steve Wozniak as one of the keynotes according to conference organizers at
2600. Mitnick's also got a keynote spot, and there's more to be announced."
Mitnick is best known for his social engineering skills. Pick up a copy of "The Art of Deception" and you'll see what I mean. The Social Engineering panel is the highlight of any HOPE convention.
Mitnick was also made into a martyr when he was held for over five years without so much as a bail hearing (not that he'd get it for being a flight risk, but a hearing is due process just the same).
The commonly-held explaination for Mitnick being in such lockdown is that he would still be able to con people, even fears of Mitnick launching nuclear attacks by dialing the right phone number and whistling.
-- Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
Mitnick is best known for his social engineering skills. Pick up a copy of "The Art of Deception" and you'll see what I mean. The Social Engineering panel is the highlight of any HOPE convention.
Whoop-de-freaking-do. "Social engineering" is not a new skill, nor was it something perfected by Mitnick. It's been around for a very VERY long time. The phrase "Loose lips sink ships" ring a bell? Mitnick is, and always was a second rate hack who got a lot of publicity for his crimes because he lived in the age of the internet where a lot of misinformed would-be-hackers rallyed behind him. He was an artificial flash in the pan, and has nothing real to add to such a discussion. You want someone with something to add? Hire an ex-NSA or ex-CIA to be your keynote. They knew more about "social engineering" during the world wars than Mitnick will ever know.
Mitnick was also made into a martyr when he was held for over five years without so much as a bail hearing (not that he'd get it for being a flight risk, but a hearing is due process just the same).
Mitnick's lawyers asked for him to be held longer, this was his choice, and in the end the time was taken off of his prison sentance. His extended incarceration was done as his own request. Read your history, even statements from Mitnick himself, this belief you hold is a common misrepresentation of what really happened.
The commonly-held explaination for Mitnick being in such lockdown is that he would still be able to con people, even fears of Mitnick launching nuclear attacks by dialing the right phone number and whistling.
This "fear" was never held by those who were holding Mitnick, rather it was FUD spread by Mitnick's own lawyers and representatives as part of a campaign to villify the US govt for arresting Mitnick.
Mitnick is a criminal, plain and simple, with nothing new to add. Lets put him back where he belongs, working for a living, instead of fueling his thirst for fame and easy money.
You know, I think the poor guy has paid his debt to society. Yes, he made some big mistakes, but now he's moving on and he IS earning an honest living.
What would you do in his present situation? Go work a crappy job or make the most of the situation? I know what I'd do and I don't blame him for doing the same.
The guy is not the hero people make him out to be, but he also does not need negative creeps kicking him down any more. His debt has been paid, grow up.
If you ever get a chance to hear Woz speak, by all means GO!
He has hundreds of great stories. You will not be disappointed.
Mitnick's restrictions
by
Anonymous Coward
·
· Score: 3, Funny
Due to conditions of release placed on him by the federal government, Mitnick is still prevented from touching any real computers. This is why he is expected to bring an Apple Macintosh to the event.
Re:Crackdown!
by
strictnein
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
How does that relate? The HOPE conference is not a huge warez trading fest. It's focus is (theoretically) technology and exploration.
The government "crackdown" wasn't on hackers and crackers, just those who commited huge amounts of copyright infringement.
Re:Question
by
menn0nite
·
· Score: 5, Informative
It's biennial...
Probably because most people can only afford one con a year, and most of the 2600 folks like going to CCC (which happens every year hope does not).
I agree, whats the deal?
by
Eagle5596
·
· Score: 4, Insightful
I have to agree, I fail to see what Mitnick could ever contribute. All he is, is a criminal who got caught. He wasn't even much of a computer guru, just knew how to manipulate people well enough to steal some data.
Mitnick's fame is something I can't comprehend. I don't see why we're showering him with honors and treating him like someone who has valuable input, or is worthy of praise. Let him find a job and try and earn an honest living like the rest of us.
Re:I agree, whats the deal?
by
Erwos
·
· Score: 5, Insightful
The point is, though, is that he's the guy who really showed one of the fundamental issues of computer security: secure software is not enough. _People_ need to be security-concious as well.
It's still a lesson people ignore to this day, so I don't think it's much of a stretch to claim him as a pioneer.
-Erwos
-- Plausible conjecture should not be misrepresented as proof positive.
Re:I agree, whats the deal?
by
dr_dank
·
· Score: 4, Informative
Another person who comes to mind who had done exactly that is Frank Abagnale (the film Catch Me if You Can is based on his life and exploits).
Abagnale has pulled in MILLIONS in consulting fees over the years and has lent his expertise in making monetary instruments more secure from the type of cons he used to pull back in the day.
-- Where does the school board find them and why do they keep sending them to ME?
We're off to see the Wizard
The Wonderful Wizard called woz
We hear he is a Whiz of a Woz
If ever a Woz there was
If ever, oh ever, a Woz there was
The Wizard called Woz is one because
Because, because, because, because, because
Because of the wonderful things he does
We're off the see the wizard
The Wonderful Wizard called Woz
The Great and all powerful Woz seems to be everywhere spreading his message...but what is he doing now?
I'll bring my Apple ][
by
darthcamaro
·
· Score: 4, Interesting
Wozniak? Wonder what he thinks of Apple these days. I'll bring down my old Apple ][ and see if he'll autograph my duodisk.
they specified which planet. At mostconferences it takes me a while to figure out which planet they are talking about.
That did not go over very well
by
AtariAmarok
·
· Score: 3, Funny
"I'd rather hear from Gates or Darl McBride"
That did not go over very well. The HOPE planners rejected these alternatives after Gates insisted on a meet and greet in which he "embraced and extended" everyone, and Darl insisted on charging each attendee $699 just to hear the keynote.
The Woz and blue boxing
by
br00tus
·
· Score: 4, Informative
Before Woz designed the Apple, he designed blue boxes, and he and Steve Jobs used to go around selling them to people, with Woz even using some of the design tricks he learned from making blue boxes to build the Apple I and II. I seem to recall either him or Jobs once saying that if they never had built blue boxes, they might have never have built the first Apple (which would mean IBM may have never built a PC, and who knows if any of us would be using PC's right now?), but I forget which one of them said that, when and where.
Woz is by far one of the best speakers I have ever heard. I saw him at MacHack a few years ago and the audience couldn't get enough of him. His stories and memories are some of the most colorful and interesting stories, and he has great speaking skills to back them up. I'm considering going to HOPE, and if I could go, I wouldn't miss the chance to be in the front row again.
Slashdot Mirror
Looks like Woz has come out of hibernation again. Two stories in one day? Must be the spring weather or something.
www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
What does Mitnick has to contrubite? Talk about how computers were seven years ago? Tell how to hind from the cops? What would his speach be about?
Interestingly, there is also a request for speakers.
If you ever get a chance to hear Woz speak, by all means GO!
He has hundreds of great stories. You will not be disappointed.
Due to conditions of release placed on him by the federal government, Mitnick is still prevented from touching any real computers. This is why he is expected to bring an Apple Macintosh to the event.
How does that relate? The HOPE conference is not a huge warez trading fest. It's focus is (theoretically) technology and exploration.
The government "crackdown" wasn't on hackers and crackers, just those who commited huge amounts of copyright infringement.
Casual Games/Downloads
It's biennial...
Probably because most people can only afford one con a year, and most of the 2600 folks like going to CCC (which happens every year hope does not).
I have to agree, I fail to see what Mitnick could ever contribute. All he is, is a criminal who got caught. He wasn't even much of a computer guru, just knew how to manipulate people well enough to steal some data.
Mitnick's fame is something I can't comprehend. I don't see why we're showering him with honors and treating him like someone who has valuable input, or is worthy of praise. Let him find a job and try and earn an honest living like the rest of us.
We're off to see the Wizard The Wonderful Wizard called woz We hear he is a Whiz of a Woz If ever a Woz there was If ever, oh ever, a Woz there was The Wizard called Woz is one because Because, because, because, because, because Because of the wonderful things he does We're off the see the wizard The Wonderful Wizard called Woz
The Great and all powerful Woz seems to be everywhere spreading his message...but what is he doing now?
Wozniak? Wonder what he thinks of Apple these days. I'll bring down my old Apple ][ and see if he'll autograph my duodisk.
they specified which planet. At mostconferences it takes me a while to figure out which planet they are talking about.
That did not go over very well. The HOPE planners rejected these alternatives after Gates insisted on a meet and greet in which he "embraced and extended" everyone, and Darl insisted on charging each attendee $699 just to hear the keynote.
Don't blame Durga. I voted for Centauri.
Don't miss Star Woz at The New HOPE.
Yeah.. it's a slow day.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
Before Woz designed the Apple, he designed blue boxes, and he and Steve Jobs used to go around selling them to people, with Woz even using some of the design tricks he learned from making blue boxes to build the Apple I and II. I seem to recall either him or Jobs once saying that if they never had built blue boxes, they might have never have built the first Apple (which would mean IBM may have never built a PC, and who knows if any of us would be using PC's right now?), but I forget which one of them said that, when and where.
HOPE was 1994 Beyond HOPE was 1997 H2K was 2000 H2K2 was 2002
Join the Free Software Foundation
Woz is by far one of the best speakers I have ever heard. I saw him at MacHack a few years ago and the audience couldn't get enough of him. His stories and memories are some of the most colorful and interesting stories, and he has great speaking skills to back them up. I'm considering going to HOPE, and if I could go, I wouldn't miss the chance to be in the front row again.