On July 16th, one of the world’s most wanted computer hackers, Kevin Mitnick, passed away at 59 years old. According to his obituary, Mitnick was battling pancreatic cancer for over a year while undergoing treatment at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
“Much of his life reads like a fiction story,” the obituary reads, and it’s probably the perfect way to describe this enigmatic man’s journey. Mitnick first infiltrated a computer system way back in 1979, and was sentenced to a year in prison in 1988 for copying a company’s software.
In the 90s, Mitnick hacked into Pacific Bell’s voicemail computers while under supervised release and continued to hack into phone networks, corporate and government websites. The hacker eventually became a fugitive and wasn’t caught until 1995, when he was charged with computer fraud. Authorities believed that Mitnick had access to corporate trade secrets worth millions of dollars, though his fans claim he never stole from the general public.
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After spending five years in prison, Kevin Mitnick became a White Hat hacker and cybersecurity consultant for KnowBe4. He is survived by his wife, Kimberley, who is expecting his child.
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