Mitnick offers cash for hacker tales - mea culpa optional
The Story
of course, Mitnick might be pimping for confessions from those the feebs couldn't otherwise catch
Quote:
Mitnick will look for stories about hacks against high-value targets such as universities and governments and will agree to keep the author's identity a secret in exchange for the details about how computer networks were compromised, he said.
Unsophisticated hackers who use automated scanning and hacking programs, commonly referred to as "script kiddies," need not apply, Mitnick said.
"I'm looking more for attacks that have an industrial espionage flavor to them," he said. "I look at hacking like a chess game, and I'm looking for stories that are 'Bobbie Fischer-like,'" he said, referring to the American chess grandmaster and 1972 world champion.
In addition to publishing the hackers' untold stories, Mitnick and a co-author will analyze the attacks and offer readers suggestions on how to avoid such attacks on their own networks, he said.
The biggest challenge will be verifying the truth of the stories, Mitnick said.
Proof of the compromise, such as proprietary information taken from the organization, could help to establish the veracity of the hacker's tale. However, Mitnick is wary of receiving such information and finding himself on the wrong side of the U.S. Justice Department, and he would speak with his lawyers about the legality of receiving such information first, he said.
"If receiving (proprietary information) is not legal, I'll have to find some other way to exercise due diligence on the stories. I don't want the book to be fiction," he said.
Mitnick denied that he was in any way encouraging illegal acts by offering money in exchange for stories.
"I certainly don't want to encourage people to go out and do a hack just to tell me the story," he said.
Mitnick will look for stories about hacks against high-value targets such as universities and governments and will agree to keep the author's identity a secret in exchange for the details about how computer networks were compromised, he said.
Unsophisticated hackers who use automated scanning and hacking programs, commonly referred to as "script kiddies," need not apply, Mitnick said.
"I'm looking more for attacks that have an industrial espionage flavor to them," he said. "I look at hacking like a chess game, and I'm looking for stories that are 'Bobbie Fischer-like,'" he said, referring to the American chess grandmaster and 1972 world champion.
In addition to publishing the hackers' untold stories, Mitnick and a co-author will analyze the attacks and offer readers suggestions on how to avoid such attacks on their own networks, he said.
The biggest challenge will be verifying the truth of the stories, Mitnick said.
Proof of the compromise, such as proprietary information taken from the organization, could help to establish the veracity of the hacker's tale. However, Mitnick is wary of receiving such information and finding himself on the wrong side of the U.S. Justice Department, and he would speak with his lawyers about the legality of receiving such information first, he said.
"If receiving (proprietary information) is not legal, I'll have to find some other way to exercise due diligence on the stories. I don't want the book to be fiction," he said.
Mitnick denied that he was in any way encouraging illegal acts by offering money in exchange for stories.
"I certainly don't want to encourage people to go out and do a hack just to tell me the story," he said.
of course, Mitnick might be pimping for confessions from those the feebs couldn't otherwise catch
Comments
Original Zdnet article
Mitnick's Call for Hackers (His website)