Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker
Best entry point for Mitnick's life, career, and hacking history in his own memoir.
Author guide
Kevin D. Mitnick Books in Order
Kevin David Mitnick (1963–2023) was an American computer security consultant, social engineer, author, and convicted hacker. After gaining notoriety for computer intrusions and evading law enforcement, he became a prominent security consultant and founded Mitnick Security Consulting. His authored and co-authored books examine social engineering, computer intrusions, digital privacy, and his experiences as one of the world's most wanted hackers.
cybersecuritycomputer securitysocial engineeringprivacymemoir
Catalog record updated .
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Start with one of these
The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security
Best entry point for his central subject: social engineering and the human element of security.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (3)
- The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security
nonfiction · 2002
The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security Kevin Mitnick's exploits as a cyber-desperado and fugitive form one of the most exhaustive FBI manhunts in history and have spawned…
- The Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data
nonfiction · 2017
Real-world advice on how to be invisible online from "the FBI's most wanted hacker" (Wired). Be online without leaving a trace. Your every step online is being tracked and stored, and your identity literally stolen. Big companies and big…
Nonfiction (1)
- Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker
memoir · 2011
Mitnick fue el hacker más escurridizo de la historia. Logró colarse en ordenadores y redes de las agencias y compañías más grandes del mundo, aparentemente impenetrables, como Motorola, Sun Microsystems o Pacific Bell. Para Kevin, hackear…
Frequently asked questions about Kevin D. Mitnick
Who was Kevin D. Mitnick?
Kevin D. Mitnick was an American computer security consultant, author, and convicted hacker. He became famous after a high-profile FBI pursuit in the 1990s and later reinvented himself as a cybersecurity professional.
Sources: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)mitnicksecurity.com (opens in a new tab)
When was Kevin Mitnick born, and when did he die?
Kevin Mitnick was born on August 6, 1963, and died on July 16, 2023, at age 59, after battling pancreatic cancer.
Sources: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)knowbe4.com (opens in a new tab)
What did Kevin Mitnick do after leaving prison?
After his release in 2000, Mitnick became a security consultant, public speaker, and author. He founded Mitnick Security in 2003 and later served as KnowBe4’s Chief Hacking Officer.
Sources: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)knowbe4.com (opens in a new tab)mitnicksecurity.com (opens in a new tab)
Why was Kevin Mitnick influential in cybersecurity?
Mitnick helped popularize social engineering, which involves manipulating people into revealing information or granting access. He later made the human element of security central to penetration testing, awareness training, and public cybersecurity education.
Sources: washingtonpost.com (opens in a new tab)mitnicksecurity.com (opens in a new tab)
Did Kevin Mitnick receive any major awards?
Yes. Mitnick received the 2023 SANS Institute Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously for substantial, long-term contributions to cybersecurity.
Sources: mitnicksecurity.com (opens in a new tab)youtube.com (opens in a new tab)