The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security (42 page)

extremely poor decisions, driven by my curiosity, the desire to learn about technology, and a good intellectual challenge. I'm a changed person now. I'm turning my talents and the extensive knowledge I've gathered about information security and social engineering tactics to helping government, businesses and individuals prevent, detect, and respond to information security threats. This book is one more way that I can use my experience to help others avoid the efforts of the malicious information thieves of the world. I think you will find the stories enjoyable, eye-opening and educational.

Kevin Mitnick

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Mitnick's Lost Chapter Found By Michelle Delio wired.com, Nov. 05, 2002

A missing chapter from hacker Kevin Mitnick's recent book has been published on the Internet.

The chapter was originally slated to be the first chapter in Mitnick's new book, The Art of Deception, but was not included in the published version of the book.

Chapter One appeared only in about 300 unbound galley copies that publishing company Wiley distributed to the media several months before releasing the book, according to a Wiley spokeswoman.

The publisher decided to remove the chapter shortly before releasing the book. Wiley representatives were unable to comment immediately on why the chapter was pulled.

The chapter contains the first recounting by Mitnick of his life as a hacker and a fugitive, as well as his arrest, trial and life in prison.

The chapter also includes allegations by Mitnick that John Markoff, technology reporter for The New York Times, printed malicious stories about Mitnick during the hacker's years as a fugitive.

The missing chapter was first made publicly available late Saturday in a Yahoo discussion group called "Kevin's Story." It has since appeared on other websites. Mitnick said he didn't know who had posted the chapter online. E-mails to the yahoo.com address listed with the original post went unanswered.

"I feel pretty good about the chapter being available," Mitnick said. "For a long time I was portrayed as the Osama bin Laden of the Internet and I really wanted to be able to tell my side of the story. I wanted to be able to explain exactly what I did and what I didn't do to people who thought they knew me."

Much of the material in the "missing chapter" details Mitnick's dealings with Markoff.

Of primary concern to Mitnick is that Markoff "failed to acknowledge a pre- existing relationship" with Mitnick in a July 4, 1994, story that appeared on the front page of The New York Times.

Markoff's story described Mitnick as a highly dangerous hacker capable of breaking into critical government computers and stressed that Mitnick had so far easily evaded law enforcement officials.

Mitnick charges that Markoff was angry at him because of a failed movie deal based on Markoff's 1991 book, Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier.

At the time of publication, Mitnick disputed the book's veracity but later accepted $5,000 of a total $50,000 offer to act as a consultant for the movie based on the book because he needed the money.

Two years later, when the studio wanted to renew the contract, Mitnick, by then employed, refused to renew. That refusal, according to Mitnick and two sources familiar with the incident, caused the deal to die.

Mitnick said Markoff should have mentioned the failed business deal in his subsequent articles on Mitnick. He also contends that many of the hacks attributed to him by Markoff never happened.

"But trying to prove that you didn't hack something is impossible if people believe you're skilled enough to evade detection," Mitnick said.

Markoff flatly refused to comment on any of Mitnick's allegations in Chapter One.

Mitnick said he wished the chapter could have been published with the book, but that he respected his publisher's decision. "But obviously, the Internet is a great way to get uncensored, unfiltered information out to the world," Mitnick added. "I'm counting the days until I can go online again."

Mitnick has been banned from using the Internet as a condition of his supervised release. He's free to go online again on January 21, 2003, after close to eight years offline.

The first site he'll visit is his girlfriend's blog.

"She tells me she's been documenting our entire relationship online," Mitnick said. "I'd love to know what she's been saying about me."

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