Ghost in the Wires

Book summary

Kevin Mitnick was a prolific hacker who managed to stay one step ahead of the authorities for years. He now makes an honest living as a writer, public speaker and computer security consultant. He is also the author of the best-selling book The Art of Deception.

In early 1994, Kevin Mitnick began working at a Denver law firm, but his habit of making social engineering calls during lunch breaks raised suspicions among his employers, leading to his dismissal by spring. Falling back into old patterns, he assumed a new identity as Brian Merrill and moved to Seattle, where he found work in the tech industry. However, the stress of being a fugitive heightened his paranoia, and his attempts to obscure his trail through phone cloning inadvertently attracted law enforcement attention. An old acquaintance turned FBI informant exposed his true identity during a phone call, prompting Mitnick to flee to Raleigh, North Carolina. Despite his precautions, the FBI traced his cloned phone and discovered a pay stub with his real name during a raid on his apartment. Later, under the alias Eric Weiss, Mitnick faced another setback when a thief stole $11,000 from his gym locker, forcing him to seek legitimate work. He fabricated a résumé and references to secure a job at a prestigious Denver law firm, but his hacking activities persisted. While successfully breaching Motorola and Nokia systems, Mitnick’s infiltration of NEC drew FBI attention, compelling him to enhance his security measures. Following his trial, Mitnick embraced a new path, participating in a Senate hearing on cybersecurity and leveraging his expertise for speaking engagements, consulting, and writing. His book, *The Art of Deception*, became a bestseller, allowing him to transition into ethical hacking and fulfill his dream of exploring technology within legal boundaries.

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