Kevin Mitnick, a well-known computer hacker, died. He founded Mitnick Security Consulting to offer Fortune 500 firms and governmental organizations cybersecurity guidance.

Kevin Mitnick died after a year-long fight with pancreatic cancer. Mitnick began hacking when he was 12 years old, in 1979.  He passed away on July 16th at the age of 59.

Mitnick was sent to jail for 12 months in 1988  for software piracy.  Despite being found guilty, he persisted in hacking while on the run in the 1990s, breaking into other networks, including the voicemail servers at Pacific Bell.

Mitnick said that he never stole money from his victims while he was obtaining data and credit card numbers. He was detained in 1995 and accused of computer and telephone access device fraud. He may have had access to millions of dollars’ worth of business trade secrets, according to law authorities.

Mitnick later became a White Hat hacker and cybersecurity expert.  In order to evaluate an organization’s security procedures, “white hat” hackers utilize their talents to identify vulnerabilities and security problems.

Kevin Mitnick founded Mitnick Security Consulting in 2003 to offer Fortune 500 firms and governmental organizations cybersecurity guidance. Later, in 2011, he joined KnowBe4, a business that provides phishing security awareness training, as a “chief hacking officer” and a co-owner.

Kevin Mitnick said in his 2011 autobiography, “Ghost in the Wires,” that he never utilized his abilities to steal or abuse information for financial benefit. For him, hacking was like chess, where winning signified success. Hackers staged “Free Kevin” rallies outside his prison after his arrest.

Conclusion

Kevin Mitnick died after a year-long fight with pancreatic cancer. Mitnick began hacking when he was 12 years old, in 1979. Mitnick founded Mitnick Security Consulting in 2003 and co-founded KnowBe4, a cybersecurity training company.

Mitnick was sent to jail for 12 months in 1988  for software piracy.  Despite being found guilty, he persisted in hacking while on the run in the 1990s, breaking into other networks, including the voicemail servers at Pacific Bell.

Mitnick compared hacking to a game of chess, where winning the game was enough to feel successful. Following his arrest, the hacker community organized protests outside the prison to call for his release as part of the “Free Kevin” movement.

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