Kevin Mitnick
Presentation by: Kevin Cain
COMP 1631 – Introduction to Computer Science.
Professor Liam Keliher.
February 2, 2011
Kevin Mitnick
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Kevin Mitnick is most commonly known as a
computer hacker.
Kevin Mitnick
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He is also known for many other roles:
Author, lecturer, owner of a security consulting
firm.
He is a convicted criminal.
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At the time of his arrest (February 15, 1995), he
was the most wanted computer criminal in the
United States.
Kevin Mitnick
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When we think of hackers, we conjure thoughts
of extremely tech-savvy individuals.
Kevin Mitnick was not extremely technical with
computers, his main skill in hacking is what is
known as 'social engineering'.
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Social engineering is the act of manipulating people
into performing actions or divulging confidential
information, rather than by breaking in or using
technical hacking techniques (essentially a fancier,
more technical way of lying).
Kevin Mitnick
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It has been said that the scope of his computer
hacking was strictly limited to social
engineering;
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He claims he did not use any special tools or
methods of exploiting a computer's security.
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This is where his skill as an able social
engineer came into play; he claims to have only
gained access using passwords given to him
via social engineering.
Kevin Mitnick
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An example of social engineering would be:
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Waiting until a snowstorm and calling a company
which you want access to, posing as a system
administrator or other authoritative figure. Then
asking for a password to access the system to 'work
from home'.
Kevin Mitnick
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His first experience as a social engineer was at
age 12, bypassing the punchcard system of the
Los Angeles public transit.
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A bus driver told him where he could buy his own
punch for tickets.
He obtained one and used it on unused transfer
slips he would find in the trash in order to ride the
bus for free.
Kevin Mitnick
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His confirmed criminal acts:
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Illegitimately using the transit system.
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Evasion of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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Gaining full control of the computers of: Digital
Equipment Corporation (to view proprietary
information) and an IBM minicomputer at the
Computer Learning Center in Los Angeles.
Hacking NEC, Motorola, Fujitsu Siemens, Nokia
and Sun Microsystems.
Kevin Mitnick
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His arrest:
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He was arrested by the FBI in 1995. This was his
second arrest – he was first arrested in 1988.
Computer security expert Tsutomu Shimomura and
computer journalist John Markoff assisted the FBI in
tracking down Mitnick.
He spent eight months in solitary confinement
because the defense convinced the judge that he
was able to start a nuclear war by whistling certain
tones into a telephone.
Kevin Mitnick
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A federal warrant was issued for Kevin Mitnick
prior to his 1995 arrest due to a violation of
probation.
He was first convicted in 1988 for breaking into
several corporate computer networks and
stealing computer programs.
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He was given a 1 year sentence.
Kevin Mitnick
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"At 1:30 a.m., today, February 15, 1995, agents
of the FBI arrested KEVIN MITNICK, a wellknown computer hacker and federal fugitive.
The arrest occurred after an intensive two-week
electronic manhunt led law enforcement agents
to MITNICK's apartment in Raleigh, North
Carolina." - from the FBI press release
Kevin Mitnick
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His current occupation is a computer security
consultant and the founder of Mitnick Security
Consulting LLC, a computer security consulting
firm.
He is also an author. He has helped write two
books concerning his experiences.
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The Art of Deception
The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind
Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers.
Currently working on an autobiography.
Kevin Mitnick
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There are also books written about his manhunt
from the other perspective – those who assisted
in tracking him down.
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Takedown by Tsutomu Shimomura and John
Markoff.
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The Fugitive Game by John Littman
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The Cyberthief and the Samurai by Jeff Goodell
Kevin Mitnick
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There was much publicity concerning his
incarceration;
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Wired, NY Times, 2600 (The Hacker Quarterly),
Magazine, Cypherpunks, l0pht Heavy Industries,
Legal Defense Pages, a Kevin Mitnick page at
Georgia Tech and et cetera.
There was also much controversy concerning
his arrest and sentencing. Kevin Mitnick's
supporters asserted many charges against him
were fraudulent and not based on actual loss.
Kevin Mitnick
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Some suggest Kevin Mitnick was a criminal
who was legimitately arrested.
Others suggest the situation was exaggerated
to profit from internet security hype.
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Prior to his arrest and conviction, the government
had enacted new laws regarding cyber-security.
Kevin Mitnick
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His arrest and conviction opens up many
questions concerning computer security,
privacy, and cyberspace.
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Many of which remain unanswered to this day.
Kevin Mitnick
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References:
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Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Mitnick
Gulker.com: The Kevin Mitnick / Tsutomu
Shimomura Affair http://www.gulker.com/ra/hack/
US Department of Justice Press Release
http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/Pre_96/February95/89
.txt.html
Archive of www.freekevin.com, Donald C.
Randolph,
http://web.archive.org/web/20060424153130/http://
www.freekevin.com/about.html