Ghost in the Wires My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker

by Mitnick, Kevin; Simon, William L.; Wozniak, Steve

• ISBN13: 9780316037723
• ISBN10: 0316037729
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-04-24
• Publisher: Back Bay Books

Summary

Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world's biggest companies--and however fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. He spent years skipping through cyberspace, always three steps ahead and labeled unstoppable. But for Kevin, hacking wasn't just about technological feats-it was an old fashioned confidence game that required guile and deception to trick the unwitting out of valuable information. Driven by a powerful urge to accomplish the impossible, Mitnick bypassed security systems and blazed into major organizations including Motorola, Sun Microsystems, and Pacific Bell. But as the FBI's net began to tighten, Kevin went on the run, engaging in an increasingly sophisticated cat and mouse game that led through false identities, a host of cities, plenty of close shaves, and an ultimate showdown with the Feds, who would stop at nothing to bring him down. Ghost in the Wires is a thrilling true story of intrigue, suspense, and unbelievable escape, and a portrait of a visionary whose creativity, skills, and persistence forced the authorities to rethink the way they pursued him, inspiring ripples that brought permanent changes in the way people and companies protect their most sensitive information.

Author Biography

Kevin Mitnick, the world's most famous (former) hacker, is now a security consultant. He is the author, with William L. Simon, of the bestselling books The Art of Deception and The Art of Intrusion. He lives in Las Vegas.

Table of Contents

Foreword	p. xiii
Prologue	p. xv
The Making of a Hacker
Rough Start	p. 3
Just Visiting	p. 7
Original Sin	p. 20
Escape Artist	p. 34
All Your Phone Lines Belong to Me	p. 44
Will Hack for Love	p. 53
Hitched in Haste	p. 62
Lex Luthor	p. 72
The Kevin Mitnick Discount Plan	p. 94
Mystery Hacker	p. 102
Eric
Foul Play	p. 111
You Can Never Hide	p. 116
The Wiretapper	p. 126
You Tap Me, I Tap You	p. 131
"How the Fuck Did You Get That?"	p. 143
Crashing Eric's Private Party	p. 149
Pulling Back the Curtain	p. 153
Traffic Analysis	p. 163
Revelations	p. 169
Reverse Sting	p. 174
Cat and Mouse	p. 187
Detective Work	p. 187
Raided	p. 198
Vanishing Act	p. 206
On the Run
Harry Houdini	p. 217
Private Investigator	p. 226
Here Comes the Sun	p. 237
Trophy Hunter	p. 249
Departure	p. 264
Blindsided	p. 280
Eyes in the Sky	p. 289
Sleepless in Seattle	p. 306
An End and a Beginning
Hacking the Samurai	p. 323
Hiding in the Bible Belt	p. 331
Game Over	p. 347
An FBI Valentine	p. 354
Winning the Scapegoat Sweepstakes	p. 362
Aftermath: A Reversal of Fortune	p. 384
Acknowledgments	p. 395
Index	p. 402
Reading Group Guide	p. 415
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.