Kevin Mitnick, a renowned hacker and computer security consultant, passed away on July 16th, 2023, due to pancreatic cancer. Mitnick, who gained notoriety in the 90s with multiple high-profile hacking cases, leaves behind a wife and an unborn child.
Mitnick’s hacking journey began at a young age when he hacked into the Digital Equipment Corporation’s computer in 1979 and later breached the voicemail service at Pacific Bell. After being convicted and serving time, he was released under strict supervision. Mitnick’s experiences with arrests, convictions, and incarceration led him to transform into a white hat hacker in the 20th century. He worked as a security awareness training lead for KnowBe4 and was a member of Zimperium’s security advisory board.
In addition to his role as a security consultant, Mitnick also authored several books on computer science. He excelled in network penetrations and taught social engineering classes to government officers. He later established Mitnick Security Consulting LLC in Las Vegas, Nevada, aiming to raise security awareness among corporate employees. He provided consulting services for ransomware-related issues and helped 19 businesses effectively mitigate risks associated with file encrypting attacks.
It is worth noting that in December 1997, there were reports of a supposed hack on the Yahoo! search engine, demanding the release of Mitnick from jail. However, after a thorough investigation, Yahoo! confirmed that the threat was a hoax and the worm was non-existent.
In conclusion,
Key points:
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2. Kevin Mitnick, a former hacker, became a respected security consultant.
3. Mitnick authored books on computer science and provided consulting services.
4. Mitnick’s hacking journey highlights the importance of ethical hacking and cybersecurity.
5. The