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Legendary Hacker: It Was 'a Huge Game'

Mitnick reflects on the road from 'computer terrorist' to consultant

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 22, 2009 12:00 PM CDT
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(Newser) – Tagged a “computer terrorist,” Kevin Mitnick served jail time after eluding the FBI for 3 years; today, he’s a security consultant. The best-known hacker ever tells CNET his infiltration of firms like Motorola and Sun “was like a huge game”: “thrilling, adventurous,” and “all about solving the puzzle.” But to aspiring hackers, he says: “Don’t follow in my footsteps.”

“It was the wrong thing to do,” he says. But it was necessary as a way to learn. “At the time there was no such thing as penetration testing and no school curriculum on security. You had to be self-taught.” Today, he’s happy doing “ethical hacking” on companies’ behalf. How often, he asks, can you “take a criminal activity, legitimize it, and get paid for it?”

Computer hacker Kevin Mitnick appears outside Los Angeles Federal Court building June 26, 2000.
Computer hacker Kevin Mitnick appears outside Los Angeles Federal Court building June 26, 2000.   (Getty Images)
Kevin Mitnick is seen after being released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, Ca., January 21, 2000.
Kevin Mitnick is seen after being released from the Federal Correctional Institution in Lompoc, Ca., January 21, 2000.   (Getty Images)
Kevin Mitnick is a renowned hacker.
Kevin Mitnick is a renowned hacker.   (©zappowbang)
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COMMENTS
Showing 1 of 1 comment
Rembrandt_Q_Einstein
Jun 24, 2009 6:00 AM CDT
One of my heroes.

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FBI • law enforcement • hacker • Sun Microsystems • Motorola • computer security • cybercrime • interview • Kevin Mitnick

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