Legendary US Hacker Kevin Mitnick Dies at 59

Technology and its progress have enabled human beings to go beyond imagination in terms of achievements, ease, and grace. As it is the nature of the world, good deeds always come with bad endeavours, and the same is the case of the legendary computer and programming expert Kevin Mitnick. 

Kevin was a top-notch hacker based in the United States of America who was famous for his allegedly outlawed activities at North American Aerospace Defense Commands and more. Once in his course of life, he was the most wanted person with law executives going after him for his hacking performances. 

He got sentenced to behind bars, and this led to his transition from being a criminal to a white-hat hacker. His services helped many digital firms to detect and fight off several digital threats, making him a cybersecurity hero. This month on July 16, 2023, Kevin Mitnick passed away from this world aged 59, leaving the legacy of his robust digital surveillance. 

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Kevin Mitnick – A Brief Background

Born on August 6, 1963, Kevin Mitnick was a renowned cybersecurity consultant and convicted black-hat hacker. He was born in Van Nuys, California, in the US and lived an exciting life as both a hero and a criminal. 

His early mastermind activity was convincing a bus driver to let him know where he could buy a ticket punch. He used the ticket punch to make useless bus slips found in a dustbin and travelled the entire California for free. He had several aesthetic career positions, and his attitude was totally different from his fellow people. 

Kevin had a nickname, The Condor, inspired by a popular film, Three Days of the Condor. With many ups and downs in life, such as going to prison, charging with inevitable charges of cybercrime and shifting towards becoming the best cybersecurity consultant in the U.S., Kevin was a top-notch personality who just died after suffering from pancreatic cancer for a decade. 

Transition From Most-Wanted Hacker to Esteemed Cybersecurity Officer

The FBI has designated Kevin Mitnick as the most sought digital hacker in the world. In 1995, he was apprehended by the FBI and eventually pleaded guilty to computer and wire fraud charges. Investigators thought he might have access to confidential information valued a massive amount of dollars to the company. 

Through his 2011 publication, Ghost in the Wires, Kevin denied theft of information for commercial advantages with his expertise. The hacker community rallied in response to his arrest, holding “Free Kevin”, events outside the prison where he was being kept. 

Afterwards, Mitnick changed careers and used his knowledge to help businesses improve their defences against cyberattacks by becoming a “White Hat”, hacker, writer, and consultant. Mitnick Security Consulting, which he created in 2003, provided advice on cybersecurity to numerous businesses and government institutions. He also joined KnowBe4 as a Chief Security Officer in 2011. 

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The Wanted Status of US Hacker Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick was highly skilled in computer networks and could hack any network or system to exploit it to his benefit. Using this ground, the FBI started their investigation to make Kevin a memorable case for the rest of the global hackers. Though legendary US hacker, Kevin Mitnick, rejected the charges and allegations against him in his writing, his life events said something different. 

At the age of 16 in 1979, Kevin accessed Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) operating systems and copied their data. He faced a year in prison for the charges with a 3-year supervised release from prison. A company, Pacific Bell, monitored his phone calls during the supervision period. 

He was still on parole when Kevin Mitnick also hacked the Pacific Bell systems to check how they monitored his actions. Thus, a warrant was issued against him for violating the parole terms, initiating an FBI manhunt against him. This investigation was two years long, with authorities labelling him as “The Most-Wanted Cybercriminal”. 

Legacy of Kevin Mitnick

Kevin’s transition from a cybercriminal to exposing the actions of cyber criminals is one of the best things to happen in the history of computers. It was the most challenging task for government authorities across the globe to put a stop to phishing and ransomware activities. 

Businesses and organisations always feared losing their data and essential business operations due to black-hat hackers. The turning of Kevin Mitnick from a black-hat hacker to a cybersecurity consultant advanced the field to a greater extent, creating room for businesses to operate fearlessly and efficiently. 

On the other hand, he led the government institutions to not only stop harmful activities online but also enabled them to bring the accused malicious and bad hackers behind bars. Thus, Kevin Mitnick has left a legacy for the white-hat hackers and cybersecurity legends who strive tirelessly to strengthen the business’s digital presence. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Made Kevin Mitnick Die?

Kevin Mitnick was diagnosed around ten years ago with pancreatic cancer, which is a serious health complication leading a person towards death. At the age of 59, Kevin was admitted to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania hospital, where his treatment was continued under medical professionals. On July 16, 2023, he had his last breath and died with his wife carrying his first unborn child. 

Is Kevin Mitnick the World’s Best Hacker?

The Condor is considered the most famous and the best hacker in the world from an early age. His criminal history and cybersecurity consultancy earned him the highest rank in the hackers’ community. His skills were undoubtedly precious for the corporate and IT world, which will be missed as he is no longer in this world. 

Is Kevin Mitnick the Father of Cybersecurity?

Though Mitnick was a top-class hacker and cybersecurity consultant, he had not earned the title “The Father of Cybersecurity”. Bob Thomas has earned this title for his invention of the world’s first computer virus, “The Creeper Virus”. The astonishing thing about the Creeper Virus was that it did not harm computer systems but alerted them to their security weaknesses.