The Art Of Deception
Nov 6, 2009 Biography, Science and Technology, Specialist Subjects
Kevin Mitnick was at one point the most wanted computer hacker in the world. This will come to no surprise to you when you hear how he started hacking bus passes at the age of 12. Later on he was to serve 5 years in prison for a string of offences and was only released in 2000. He was restricted from using any telecoms devices but later fought this in court and they eventually allowed him on to the internet.
Mitnick now runs Mitnick Security Consulting LLC, a computer security consultancy.
Hacking came to fame in a lot of 80’s movies like War Games and Terminator, however back then hacking systems with an RS232 port and an analogue telephone was a rare and infrequent occurrence.
Once basic security systems like password protection had been put in place hacking became something more of an art. Detailed technical knowledge of how to run scripts on servers and circumnavigate security became increasingly more difficult.
So what Mitnick realised was that by using social hacking methods he could achieve similar results with a little practice. That is the main content and storyline of this book, and it’s a very good one.
Released in 2003 it is a little out of date for those who are really up on this sort of subject. Most people with half a brain in their heads are aware of “phishing” and email scams. But there really is a lot of useful information and great stories about just how easy it is to make your way in to systems with information provided relatively easily.
This is not a hackers guide, it’s more of an instructional manual of how not to be scammed and the way companies fail to recognise the holes is security via less obvious methods like the information available to the office secretary or receptionist.
Anyone in to technology will love the Mitnick story and anyone who owns a business must add this to their reading list. There is a newer release from Mitnick but we’ve not got round to it yet. I’m sure if it’s as good as this release it will be on here.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:07 am
You guys really need an “add to reading list” function, or something similar.
I keep reading these reviews thingking “I want to get that” and then having to bookmark it, and risk forgetting it!
November 7th, 2009 at 12:58 am
Looks like a cool book. The title sounds so cool ‘the art of deception’.
November 7th, 2009 at 8:19 am
The title of this book is very exciting and wants me to read more.
November 18th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
Just wanted to tell you thanks for all the great info found on your blog, even helped me with my job recently
keep it up!
November 27th, 2009 at 10:12 am
Best thing about it is although it is meant to be for security people it is also filled with anecdotes to illustrate which are all fun and engaging. And it really does feel like a how to for hacking businesses as a whole not just computers but people and buildings too.