"Enter the hostile world of computer crime from the comfort of your own armchair. Mitnick presents ten compelling chapters, each the result of an interview with a real hacker about a real attack. A must-read for anyone with an interest in information security"
—Tom Parker, Computer Security Analyst and founder of Global InterSec LLC
"It boggles the mind to contemplate the tremendous brilliance that goes into these illegal deeds. Imagine how much could be accomplished if these geniuses would use their skills for good. Whether for entertainment or education, I recommend this book."
—About.com
Praise for The Art of Deception
"Finally someone is onto the real cause of data security breaches—stupid humans. . . . Mitnick . . . reveals clever tricks of the 'social engineering' trade and shows how to fend them off."
—Stephen Manes, Forbes
"A tour de force, a series of tales of how some old-fashioned blarney and high-tech skills can pry any information from anyone. As entertainment, it's like reading the climaxes of a dozen complex thrillers, one after the other."
—Publishers Weekly
About the Author
KEVIN MITNICK, whose own exploits have made him a veritable hacker's hero, shares more than a dozen true stories of cyber-invasions—devilishly ingenious, highly effective schemes that kick up your pulse rate even as you marvel at their sheer audacity. Each is followed by Mitnick's expert analysis of how the attack could have been prevented. And he is uniquely qualified to recommend effective security measures. Both a legend in the hacker underworld and a general in the war on cybercrime, Kevin Mitnick holds the one weapon most likely to take down the intruder—intimate knowledge of the hacker's brilliant and tenacious mind.
WILLIAM L. SIMON is an award-winning author and screenwriter who also collaborated with Kevin Mitnick on The Art of Deception.