FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Tech

Infamous Hacker Kevin Mitnick Tells Us How He Created Fake Identities

Once arrested by the FBI, Mitnick tells us how to keep information private online.
Getty Images/Craig F. Walker

Radio Motherboard sits down with infamous hacker and computer security expert Kevin Mitnick—aka The Condor—to discuss internet safety, online privacy, and the art of hacking.

A longtime code breaker and hacker, Mitnick was arrested in 1995 by the FBI for a laundry list of crimes, including gaining unauthorized access to dozens of computer networks and hacking into private emails and databases. The case was highly publicized and sparked a national conversation around cyber crime, becoming one of the first major controversies of the digital age.

Mitnick is now a consultant and author, and travels the country giving lectures on cyber security. In this episode we talked to him about his illustrious and oftentimes dangerous career as a hacker, which started at the age of 13 and culminated in his dramatic '95 arrest. We also touch on the pressingly urgent themes in his new book, The Art of Invisibility, exploring the notions of safety and privacy in an increasingly invasive digital landscape.

As a hacker and now as a security consultant, Mitnick has worked both inside and outside of the system, studying our online framework from angles that the average internet user cannot possibly access. He had some wisdom to share with us about keeping our information private online.

Get six of our favorite Motherboard stories every day by signing up for our newsletter.