Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick gets to use a computer again today 1/21/2003.

http://www.takedown.com/

Alot of audio of phone calls made on this site.

 

I believe this story was turned into a movie titles operation takedown.

 

And to think that human piece of crap is a role model for aspiring young hackers! Isn't "Hero Worship" wonderful?

 

I'm proud to admit that I admire him. Besides getting into places he wasn't supposed to be I don't think he really did anything wrong. You have to admire the talent of a young man who can accomplish such things.

 

I beg to differ toddles.

Am I supposed to admire him if he hacks my computer and congradulate him on his intelligence and computer skills? Am I supposed to spend time and money protecting my system from criminal ba$tards like him?

If I go to your house, pick the lock and steal your property will you congradulate me on my skills? Will you say: "Silly me! It's my own fault for not spending big bucks on better security"?

Don't try to justify criminal behaviour to me because I'm not buying it.

 

The Manhattan Project created the most destructive weapon in history. Those scientist achieved something never before thought of. They also indirectly killed thousands of people. Anything can be used destructively. They pushed science to the limits and brought about a better understanding of Nuclear Physics. Mitnick pushed computers to the limits and brought out a better understanding of Security. I'm rather glad it was Mitnick who broke into those computers at that point in time which started the computer security revolution then someone over in a terrorist country breaking in now. Imagine the information they could glean if security had never been tested before. It's all about which perspective you take on it.

 

If you want to know my perspective, read my thread about spyware. Ever watch your gf crying and frantic because her computer died on her and she doesnt know what to do?

My perspective is a personal one and I will do everything I can to fight this scum.

 

Spyware is malicious code with henious motives. Mitnick did not have henious motives. I'm not saying that he was perfect by anymeans. He broke the law, he spent his time in jail. Where I disagree with you is how you jumped to the conclusion that because he was a hacker, he is the scum of the earth. Being a hacker is not inherintly bad. Any good Network or System Admin has to be a hacker. They have to know the back doors and how things work.

The reason I'm defending him so adamently is because, had I been in the same situation as he was, knowing the same things he did, I probably would have done the same thing. Just to see how far I could go. It's just the way I am. I'm going to go as far as I can, (although I don't think I would be destructive) until someone tells me to stop, and then I'm going to look at it as a challenge. It's like if I told you not to click the button in this link. http://www.turnofftheinternet.com/# Don't you just want to click it to see what happens?



btw, if anyone does click it hit ctrl w to exit

 

I understand what you are saying but the computer/internet world does not have special priviledge, except for the anonymity and lack of legislation it enjoys. And I too am curious beyond measure ( I tweak and alter my OS to destruction on many occasions! ) but is criminal and indefensible when the tinkering interfers with others.

 

I don't really admire him, but i am curious as to how he did what he did. That's a way to learn about the structure of the internet or whatnot. I just saw him on TV surfing the 2600 site,lol. I don't think he will continue with his "black hat" career though. He would be a good security analyst maybe,lol, but it's probably a new world to him now as far as that's concerned.

The movie was "Hackers 2: Operation Takedown".

 

Is it wrong to extract a persons credit card details
and their account details from that, and their
computer details from their computer without asking
them first?

 

That is what the police and various government agencies
do every single time that a credit card number appears
on the internet.

 

Hello John,

Why would the police do that in the case of innocent people? I don't understand.

It is surely a matter of privacy. This man should not invade someone else's privacy, even for practise and to gain information about computers.

If I had manufactured a piece of software or hardware and didn't want it known yet, I would be very unhappy that a hacker took that information without permission.

Penny

 

.......I call it job security......Mitnick, Monted and Toddles.....yup...

 

Hi Tuppence,

You ask 'why?', well all i can offer by way of explanation
is my own thoughts on it.

The recording of details and information is nowadays very cheap, and very highly densely packagable.
Every mobile telephone call is monitored. The time and the
source and destination are recorded. The conversation is recorded. The same may be true of land lines, i suspect it
is but i dont know. If it is later required, the police or
government agencies can scrutinise the calls to use them in
their 'fight against crime'

So back to your question ... "Why would the police do that
in the case of innocent people? I don't understand."

Answer: They do it to all people, they cant tell in advance
who may commit a crime.

As to your other comment: ...
"If I had manufactured a piece of software or hardware and
didn't want it known yet, I would be very unhappy that a
hacker took that information without permission."

Of course you would.
But if you had come up with something worth protecting,
you would hopefully make sure that the details were not on
an internet using computer, or you might lose them.
I'm always fiddling aound with bits and pieces, i keep
anything 'sensitive' in notebooks, or if its very involved
on floppies, and wipe the 'recent' after using the puter.
At present im trying to make a 'lamp tester', i often have
to check small filament lamps to see if they light up
properly. That might sound like no big deal, but they come
in voltages ranging from 1 volt to sixty or more. i want to
just poke them onto the legs, and they will light up if
they're ok. That means the unit has to figure out the
voltage to apply. That would be more reliable than me, as
i have already blown quite a few. I intend to do it with a
light sensitive cell positioned close to the place i poke
the lamp to check it, the cell should register when its
lit and hold at that voltage for the check.

Ok, thats no big deal, and probably of no interest to any
one else, but other stuff might be, so i keep it separate.
(and no i havent finished my lamp tester yet!)

These hackers that get lots of bad publicity are (usually)
freelance types or maybe younger computer freaks, but i
think the ones working for larger companies or agencies
are much more insidious because they have large resources
to back them up, and organisations to hide behind. They
are the more dangerous variety in my opinion.

You also say: ... "It is surely a matter of privacy. This
man should not invade someone else's privacy, even for
practise and to gain information about computers."

I agree, in fact i would go further, i would say not only
that this man should not do it, i would say that no person
or agency should do it.
Except officers acting lawfully after the event, and with
the appropriate warrant.
And i do not believe that servers should be forced to make
details available to any persons or agencies, unless it be
officers acting lawfully and after the event, and with the
appropriate warrant.

Unfortunately we are way past that now.
You just have to cover your back as best you can.

John.