The autobiography of Kevin Mitnick, who at one time was the most wanted hacker on the planet, was a refreshing nonfiction read from all the science fiction I’ve been reading lately. Mitnick tells some of the most interesting and eye opening stories that I’ve read in a while from an entertaining retrospective first person account.
Kevin Mitnick eventually ended up serving 5 years in prison for his hacking crimes. Many anti-hacking laws were written as a direct result of his activities. Companies had to redesign their security to avoid the social engineering attacks that Mitnick made famous.
Interestingly, hacking for Mitnick was never about wealth or power; instead it was simply a challenge and came to be an addiction to him. Personally, I feel that since he never actually did anything damaging to or with the information he obtained he should have not been punished as severely.
