Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick (1963–2023) was an American computer security consultant and former hacker known for high-profile computer intrusions and social-engineering attacks.

The Mitnick–Shimomura Conflict: A 1994–1995 pursuit in which security researcher Tsutomu Shimomura helped track Kevin Mitnick after Mitnick accessed Shimomura’s computers. Shimomura’s role in tracing Mitnick turned their encounter into the best-known episode of his capture.
Social Engineering: The use of psychological manipulation to persuade people to disclose information or perform actions. Mitnick’s impersonation and persuasion tactics made people an entry point to protected systems.
Susan Thunder: A computer security professional who worked with Kevin Mitnick and later became his business partner. She helped build Mitnick’s post-prison consulting and security-training work.
Computer Fraud and Abuse Act: A United States federal law that criminalizes specified forms of unauthorized access to computers. Mitnick’s prosecution unfolded under the statute that became central to federal computer-crime cases.
Tsutomu Shimomura: A Japanese-American computer security researcher who helped locate Kevin Mitnick in 1995. His technical investigation and public account shaped the story of Mitnick’s arrest.
Phone Phreaking: The exploration and manipulation of telephone networks, often to obtain free calls or access network functions. Mitnick’s early interest in telephone systems supplied techniques and contacts for later intrusions.
Mikko Hyppönen: A Finnish computer security researcher known for work on malware and cybersecurity. His public discussions of hacking culture provide a useful professional-era comparison to Mitnick’s career.
Hacker Culture: A diverse set of communities and practices centered on exploring, modifying, and understanding technology. Mitnick’s public image became one prominent, contested representation of hacker identity.
Free Kevin Movement: A campaign that argued Kevin Mitnick’s detention and prosecution were excessive and raised concerns about digital rights. Supporters framed Mitnick’s imprisonment as a test of civil liberties in the early internet era.
Password Cracking: The process of recovering or guessing passwords through methods such as brute force, dictionaries, or stolen credentials. Credential access could turn information gathered from people into entry to computer accounts.

Linked from 3 pages