Kevin Mitnick - A Hacker's Story

A documentary on the life of Kevin Mitnick, the world's most famous hacker.
MAIN SOURCES:
Kevin's 1979 DEC Hack:
passwordresearc...
Kevin's background story, including becoming a fugitive:
www.theregiste...
John Markoff New York Times Article July 4, 1994:
archive.nytime...
Article in February 16, 1995:
archive.nytime...
Court Hearing:
law.jrank.org/...
Kevin Mitnick 2600 Magazine Interview:
• 2600 Films: Kevin Mitn...
Freedom Downtime (Part 2) Proof of Kevin's Innocence:
• Freedom Downtime (Part...
Freedom Downtime (Part 3) Protesting Kevin's Innocence:
• Freedom Downtime (Part...

[@belowaverageasian7197]

R.I.P. Kevin Mitnick (August 6, 1963 - July 16, 2023) Modern technology and security today wouldn't have been the same without you!

[@nikolajovanovic9326]

That's how I heard about him, and your video was first when I put his name in KZbin. Thanks for this mini documentary!

[@a-google-user07]

R.I.P. The Greatest hacker of all time

[@BitsofSkin]

Wtf?????? Kevin died?????? OMFG IM GOING TO CRY 😢😢😢😢

[@Sosa4x]

Rip today i was programming my brain with your data

[@bobbyb69]

RIP Kevin. Today we lost true genius and pioneer of the hacking community.

[@HesTNTonPMS]

the most dangerous hacker is the one you never hear about.

[@looptimelapse]

not necessarily

[@whitemanthatjumps]

just finished reading Ghost in the wires, Kevin's autobiography. The guy did it just for the challenge and fun, never stole a buck... cool story

[@Abhi-hz6et]

Then how did he survive for those years?

[@whitemanthatjumps]

@@Abhi-hz6et working standard IT jons he applied for. Changing cities and using fake names. Also, his mom and grandma helped him a lot financially

[@railgap]

AUTObiography mate. You need to cogitate on that.

[@steveschu]

Great book.

[@boilerroombob]

Just got a copy off ebay to read when I go to Greece in September 2022.......now I can't put it down.....lol

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

I can't believe the donut story is not in here. Is it apocryphal? Allegedly, Mitnik had so thoroughly infiltrated the phone systems that he was surveilling those trying to surveil him. He detected them preparing for a raid, and left them a labeled box of donuts, having escaped just in time.

[@justaguy427]

🤣🤣

[@amimibarker1905]

I came to this video bc i read that too

[@snufkin4374]

I just bought his book, only found out now he died. A real creative genius, rest in peace.

[@user-vg7jm7yj7e]

When I heard of him, back in the late 80’s probably early 90’s I knew this guy was a genius! And being punished for it! It’s like a kid when he becomes bored in class because it’s too easy for him, he starts to get in trouble!

[@rppope1006]

I'm one of those guys. Ive been punished and limited intentionally in regards to my success because others get jealous and envy. It sucks because I've never treated anyone in the manner of the piss poor treatment I've had before

[@soupkitchenable]

​@@rppope1006,m,

[@googlegoogle9712]

Very good documentary. Kevin Mitnick was the first hacker I ever heard of as a kid in the 90’s.

[@sematic1]

At the time. He had a better understanding of technology than we do at this point 💕

[@terminator2149]

listening to Kevin Mitnick, I related to him a bit, He didn't hack to be malicious, but if anything did it for the thrill. Thats how I feel sometimes with computer related subjects. I found it very aggravating that he was treated unfairly in the courts. His reasoning for what he did and what he was charged for was unfair. When he downloads a copy of the source code and its treated as if the company lost millions because of it; If he had done something with it like distribute the source code, the punishment he received would have made sense; but he didn't do anything with the code or so he says. hence this was all unfair.

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Yea, it's a shame how he spent so many years in prison, all because some people depicted him as someone that he really wasn't.

[@choalon2381]

kevin mitnick is the most iconic hacker ever but u can't deny the fact that it cost them a lot of money u don't know what he is planning to do with the info so u need to either delete the info or in this case wait till the hacker gets caught

[@terminator2149]

@@choalon2381 It doesnt cost any money to the company, its the same concept of pirating. If someone pirates the same game 6 times, does that mean the company lost 6x worth of money for that product? no. they didnt.

[@Zupee]

​@@terminator2149 The companies he hacked are thinking that he could sell the source code to another company for a sum. Making use of their source code to steal ideas and implement them as their own. Essentially stealing the hacked companies confidential information and using for themselves. In their defence, it makes sense. Even though he never did do it. In the hacked companies eyes, they see him as a middle man in my opinion. Even if it wasn't his intentions and just so they can say they lost millions and upping the charges against Mitnick.

[@sirkid8553]

Completely agree, he wasn't stealing it to sell to their competitors, wasn't using it to give to governments or anything. He looked at it, oh this is cool, and probably deleted it.

[@benjaminbash7544]

He got ratted out so theoretically if he had better contacts on his “jobs” he wouldn’t have been caught.

[@cgrooney9945]

RIP Kevin. It's weird, I admit I never even heard of Kevin Mitnick until a couple of weeks ago. I was watching re-runs of old Tech TV, they televised his first time being allowed to use the Internet lol. I than learned more about his story including watching this video. So weird now I hear he passed away.. Crazy world

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

Same here. I grew up in the 80s and 90s and just barely heard about the guy despite crawling on my belly as an 11yo into my parents' bedroom to exfiltrate one of the first laptops. I then took it upstairs to my room and connected it the phoneline. I then dialed up a local BBS. All I really did was see what it was all about and play some door games. My life could have gone down a very different track, but I ended up being just fascinated with games and how players could be interconnected across the wires rather than phreaking or cracking, even though I would read a very little about these activities because my pals were into it. Barnes & Noble doesn't even carry physical copies of Ghost in the Wires, Takedown, nor The Fugitive Game. Guess I'm going to have to pay The Big Sleazy Online Retailer for it. Kevin would laugh at me. Oh well, never gonna be even near his level. _only the good die young_

[@WaltDittrich]

Where do you watch reruns of Tech TV? I remember watching those live, new, as they came out (Screensavers was one of my favorites, and Leo Laporte? Wow!). It'd be great to revisit them today.

[@WaltDittrich]

@@xCheddarB0b42x Years ago, I read Ghost in the Wires via Audible (listened)... I know it wasn't Kevin narrating, but WOW! It sure did sound like it! It had all the suspense and intrigue of a movie. In fact, I believe THAT is the book to make a movie out of. Takedown was great, but Ghost in the Wires is on another level, a la Catch Me If You Can, as Kevin mentions in this video.

[@deltakid0]

Hey man, this is quality content, please keep uploading videos!!. Thank you.

[@belowaverageasian7197]

I appreciate it man! Thanks!

[@danielr2194]

You should make more of these, maybe a series on the history of notorious hackers

[@JMM599]

Pretty sure solitary confinement isn’t considered punishment to a hacker...just a typical day. I’ve voluntarily been in solitary confinement for the last 5 years 😂

[@belowaverageasian7197]

😂😂

[@andrelawas186]

Solitary confinement without technology bro

[@suprisedpikachu2087]

@@andrelawas186 that's horrific

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

I am not one to break into systems, but "The Medical Thing" that happened from 2020 to 2022 was also transparent to me. At the time, I was self-employed, which is a marketing phrase to obfuscate my PC gaming hermit penchant. ;p

[@amysantos355]

The book is great. I want to know what Kevin Poulson said to him when he contacted him in jail on the attorney line I bet he was blown away. Kevin Mitnick is brilliant!! He is legendary

[@shalomex-muslims2991]

I remember the "FREE KEVIN" days way back. R.I.P. - KEVIN. You made your mark and the world will remember you.

[@NK-iw6rq]

Love this story, both Kevin and Tsutomu are legends.

[@infinitechaoss]

This guy opened the door to cybersecurity. My respect

[@yootoob23]

RIP Kevin. We love you.

[@dominiquedoeslife]

Rest in power and in peace, Kevin. You meant more to many of us than could ever be properly conveyed, and you left the world a much better place than it was when you found it. Cheers to you!

[@phxfarmer4844]

Thank you for this gem

[@andymwes]

Just finished reading the book. What a guy! RIP Kevin

[@leeholmes9962]

Well done buddy 👍 you turned your life around and I wish you all the best ✌🇬🇧👍

[@WaltDittrich]

So terribly sad reading this comment today. 😢

[@paulsmith-vc2yc]

Someone make a GOOD mitnick doc. I think were over due. No one talks about his true brilliance and things hes done. Its all about his aftermath. Who cares!

[@FranthonyZarcoza]

i think it's avoided because a lot of the shit he was doing, and mid 80's early 90's phone phreaks were doing, can still be done today with minor alterations and updates tweaks. a lot of their MO was exposing security flaws based on human psychology and the limitations of the tech used by the places they targeted. the businesses basically set themselves up by cutting corners in their IT and tech departments. With shit like Linked in and public records available, a company's IT specialist can easily be researched and have their weaknesses exposed, based on the history of their technical past work.

[@PauIieWalnuts]

@@FranthonyZarcoza you make a good point. I wonder why employment contracts don't restrict such detailed info on a LinkedIn or other social media acct.

[@FranthonyZarcoza]

@@PauIieWalnuts You think? It could have something to do with the lack of IT security and understanding. I don't think the average consumer goes around looking for ways to exploit a technology. Most of us don't look beyond what's coded to be user friendly. Any elite kid or even script kiddies look into the source code to customize things. I don't think stringent security measures on websites like LinkedIn would stop staunch obsessions to sleuth up info on someone's personal or work life. Still, a realistic portrayal of the kind of shenanigans elite teens and or tweens got/get into would be a good watch. I'd sign up for that viewing 😊

[@valleygirltotallyforsure]

​​@@FranthonyZarcoza and it blows my mind how much information people willingly give away. I guarantee the majority of you haven't read the fine print before joining social media sites. For example, one of them states that whatever you post becomes their property and you relinquish all rights and ownership. And don't even get me started on the stupidity of posting a play by play of your life, including when and you'll be on vacation, and for how long. I watched an interview with a career criminal who burglarized homes for years before finally getting caught. He said he would just scroll through F*00k until he found families on vacation to target. He'd look for photos of their homes, pets and belongings. . . Tom Green said it best, we all post our stuff online. Look at my car. Look at my girlfriend. Look at my stuff....

[@gotzilla9692]

Intresting. Butthat horrible and loud background music is drivig me crazy

[@capitalj1987]

Rip Kevin the goat of my childhood memories

[@note2owns]

His handle was Knight Lighting on IRC many years ago.

[@zcb477]

Great video, thanks for sharing

[@4rti73x6]

RIP Kevin !!

[@Joelontugs]

Hide the cocaine hide the cocaine best line ever lmao

[@ISeeIsaac]

Your really underrated

[@TheLunchKing0426]

Man this is cool, i think i found a new idol

[@Amreen_Hossain]

Idol..?

[@TheLunchKing0426]

@@Amreen_Hossain well not in a bad way. Kevin did some bad stuff but he persevered and now he uses his genius for good.

[@Amreen_Hossain]

@@TheLunchKing0426 ahhhh makes sense, sorry

[@patsjoholm]

Great job. Informative and unbiased. Thanks for the share

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Thanks for the comment!

[@hemp64731]

No trial for 4.5 years? Thats crazy, no lawyer sued?

[@orangeMarmaladeFTW]

Did you create this documentary? Really enjoyed it but i'd appreciate some sources!

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Yep, our group made this for a University class project! I added some links in the description for the main resources!

[@hene6539]

@@belowaverageasian7197 Wow, hell of a job you did! Thank you!

[@RandAlThorR]

@@belowaverageasian7197 great job 👍

[@chandlinejeanpierre1068]

Ok I'm thinking my phone get hacked I need some help to remove it and found it what is the hardest way to found them cause I heard Its hard to found them..... I need to found the hackers that's on my phone best tip please....

[@Sjlastbeerc]

Great documentary

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Thanks!

[@JoeyVSupreme]

This should be a big learning experience for the justice system and the greater American culture. Prosecutors, and more importantly judges, are extremely technologically illiterate, and it allows our rights and freedoms as Americans to be blatantly abused. They hear words like “hacking”, and assume it’s Al Qaeda levels of horrible.

[@JM-pg8qv]

DEC was said as the word "deck" as opposed to D-E-C or sometimes they were just called Digital.

[@VanguardxGaming]

My hero, I cried at work today 😢

[@ChickenManiac]

Great video!

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Thank you!

[@davidpfol]

still can't believe he's death. So sad, we will miss you condor

[@csmarkham]

Anyone who reads Takedown, also owes it to themself to read John Littman’s “The Fugitive Game’. A different take on this same era and story-but with others in Kevin’s orbit. You’ll recognize others’ names. Notably, Kevin Poulsen, now an editor at Wired magazine. Many believe that it wasn’t Mitnick who taunted Simomura into the chase based on keylogs of their chat interactions which were made public before Kevin’s trial at the release of Takedown.

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

Hey thank you. I intend to read the set of three (Ghost in the Wires, Takedown, and Fugitive Game) to assemble a personal composite of what happened, why people lied about or misunderstood what happened, and the motivations behind such mischaracterizations.

[@hkuijlman]

He did not get recommended to go look in the trash. He asked where he could buy those punch machines (dont know how you call them) then he got given the address so he bought them. Then he thought that the bus drivers were probably just lazy and didnt clean the bus. So the people who cleaned the bus just threw those card books in the trash. Then he went looking and found a few dozens of half used books.

[@hsy831]

Thanks for sharing!

[@user-mm7xr8if1u]

Kevin was my most fave hacker.

[@tristan5892]

RIP Kevin. You’re an inspiration to many out there in the world.

[@kalcho9565]

R.I.P. Kevin Mitnick

[@kalamatagames2631]

if you are the best for what you do you will never starve :)

[@frooglepete]

RIP Kevin

[@justaguy427]

Larger than life. I'm saddened that he wasn't able to meet his first child as his wife was pregnant at the time of his passing.

[@lucentxo]

Rest in peace Kevin

[@tonyadeney1245]

video quite a character ----- years ago knew young guy, who had done a few months in prison for attempting to hack an asian bank - I was a university teacher - lad was clever, hyperactive really - asked 'ujdksjjhg' did it not occur to you, that if you hadn't committed a crime, you could have earnt money doing that - he then explained, how he got past various layers of system security over a few weeks - but couldn't resist going back for another go - and got caught inevitably - asked why do it ? ----- ''because he was bored with his family at home' ..... that was dubai - where this type of behaviour is frowned upon of course ..... what a mad world .....

[@csweetprince75]

Lazlow the radio personality? Like in GTA 5? 😂😂😂

[@belowaverageasian7197]

Yea😂😂 Lazlow is also a GTA character that is based on the real-life Lazlow!

[@tdog5993]

Lazlow has been around since GTA3

[@pineapple_studios4473]

as a hacker in training we just do it for the fun of it. we don't want to hurt anybody. I remember when I hacked my libraries website just because I can 👌😩

[@carolinerowles5951]

Good luck my friend, I'm struggling to get WhatsApp on my phone so hacking is way beyond my talents!

[@dirtkongor]

Would you teach me just for the fun of it?

[@A_Black_hoodie]

​@@dirtkongorlearn on your own

[@americanbradley]

@24:54 -- addressing the human element being weakest link in information security. From what I can tell, it still is.

[@Iloverap88]

Rest in peace Kelvin

[@chrissassouni]

This man hacked basically everyone, they owe him his rights but he doing a lot of complaining for a guy who hacked the government. Very smart tho, very interesting guy.

[@moodinahmed244]

whats the background music at 22:00? some help !

[@sirkid8553]

who remembers the FREEKEVIN stickers? =)

[@CarbonGlassMan]

This was a great video. Well done. I think it shows you're not a below average Asian at all.

[@sarvarbekismailov4094]

Dude must be really smart

[@habbab]

RIP, Kev.

[@jcs7217]

Great doc - says more about FBI and DOJ. Markoff was definitely an opportunistic weasel.

[@deeloc5500]

NIce vid he is the best but I don't understand why they force background music here on youtube on a documentary totally unnecessary

[@AamesInc]

He sure got caught a lot, but I spose the authorities were watching him closer than someone who wasn't on their radar.

[@KenFehling]

1:50 Sounds like The Verve - Bittersweet Symphony

[@hagtheug8678]

Rest in peace 😢 🕊️

[@vitkomusic6624]

What was the punishment for government playing hacking games???

[@csmarkham]

RIP Kevin.

[@Sh4rtL0rd]

RIP MY HERO

[@kylejohnson7777]

We the people need more mitnics😮😮😮

[@xCheddarB0b42x]

Kevin is Free. Godspeed!

[@GunsPoison]

My boring life is like solitary confinement.

[@axiomfinity]

The word hacker is a derogatory term meant to belittle the poor.

[@PeterAdiSaputro]

One of the best hacker I knew

[@gtcijowai4016]

How come...

[@A_Black_hoodie]

​@@gtcijowai4016how come what

[@jonnysokkoatduckdotcom]

R. I. P AMIGO.

[@Josephkumwenda]

Rip legend

[@afdashtech5322]

rip

[@MobWithGuns]

everyone knows the real worlds most known hacker is Dade Murphy aka Zero Cool aka Crash Override

[@ravenitesocialclub]

RIP Condor

[@equismas_bas]

may he rest in peace.

[@FOUL-SHARPTON213]

Idk what city that is but it ain’t Raleigh

[@micahpendleton5236]

Where can I find a laptop computer and a cell phone that doesn't have the Intel me chip in it

[@LIsEverywhere]

Rip kelvin we will miss u❤

[@user-iv3in2ou3p]

Maybe the nicest hacker ever.

[@Spook2431NYC]

Gov should hv just hired him & let him set his own salary!

[@_pebbled4741]

that first hacker group is a bunch of ops

[@josephquaquaii9255]

When I get opportunity I can be like him because I love hacking, that why I always following him

[@user-yc6xn5ze6h]

Lewis DePayne is the real UNIX hacker.

[@gagamaster9963]

What's the name of the song in the Background

[@belowaverageasian7197]

At what part of the video?

[@stefanjohansson2373]

Only asked by the artist 😂

[@johnb6477]

One minute in and you’re already getting the facts wrong

[@stepparentingmadeeasy]

We all know about Miramax now, don’t we.

[@daveoconnell3833]

this is an adam salndler movie in waiting

[@jephreemika490]

Being a White Hat has always been a dream of mine 😢

[@mikeystir3333]

RIP

[@dandsw9750]

He is the best man

[@hasangonendemirler9756]

#freekevin #ripkevin

[@sematic1]

I highly doubt he was notorious. Pointing out flaws in systems that people made. It’s a fucking job opportunity.