Welcome to the world of Kevin Mitnick, a name synonymous with hacking, cybersecurity, and the ever-evolving digital landscape. Kevin David Mitnick, an infamous former hacker turned cybersecurity consultant, has left an indelible mark on the history of computer security. His exploits, both before and after his incarceration, have fascinated and inspired generations of technologists, cybersecurity professionals, and enthusiasts alike.
Mitnick’s journey from a young hacker breaking into computer systems for the thrill of it to a respected cybersecurity expert has been nothing short of remarkable. His experiences, detailed in his books and interviews, provide valuable insights into the mindset of hackers, the vulnerabilities of computer systems, and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures. Through his exploits and subsequent transformation, Mitnick has become a symbol of redemption and a cautionary tale about the potential consequences of unchecked digital prowess.
On this page, you’ll find a collection of insightful and thought-provoking Kevin Mitnick quotes that encapsulate his perspective on cybersecurity, hacking, and technology. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, wisdom, or simply a glimpse into the mind of one of the most notorious figures in the world of cybersecurity, these quotes are sure to resonate. Feel free to copy them, pair them with images, or enhance them with stylish fonts to share and spread Mitnick’s invaluable insights.
I was addicted to hacking, more for the intellectual challenge, the curiosity, the seduction of adventure; not for stealing, or causing damage or writing computer viruses. Kevin Mitnick
I wasn’t a hacker for the money, and it wasn’t to cause damage. Kevin Mitnick
The Patriot Act is ludicrous. Terrorists have proved that they are interested in total genocide, not subtle little hacks of the U.S. infrastructure, yet the government wants a blank search warrant to spy and snoop on everyone’s communications. Kevin Mitnick
Being on the run wasn’t fun, but it was something I had to do. I was actually working in legitimate jobs. I wasn’t living on people’s credit cards. I was living like a character out of a movie. It was performance art. Kevin Mitnick
Protecting yourself is very challenging in the hostile environment of the Internet. Imagine a global environment where an unscrupulous person from the other side of the planet can probe your computer for weaknesses and exploit them to gain access to your most sensitive secrets. Kevin Mitnick
Security is always going to be a cat and mouse game because there’ll be people out there that are hunting for the zero day award, you have people that don’t have configuration management, don’t have vulnerability management, don’t have patch management. Kevin Mitnick
There’s a feature on Facebook where you can enable security that checks the device you’re coming from. By default these features are likely off, but as a consumer, you can enable them. Kevin Mitnick
Both social engineering and technical attacks played a big part in what I was able to do. It was a hybrid. I used social engineering when it was appropriate, and exploited technical vulnerabilities when it was appropriate. Kevin Mitnick
Once when I was a fugitive, I was working for a law firm in Denver. Kevin Mitnick
For the average home-user, anti-virus software is a must. A personal firewall such as Zone Alarm and running a program like HFNetcheck, which is a free download for personal users. It checks your system to see if anything needs to be patched. I’d also recommend a program such as SpyCop to periodically check for any spyware on your system. Kevin Mitnick
We have problems with our physical security, operational security through to management. Kevin Mitnick
It doesn’t work the same way everywhere. The Americans are the most gullible, because they don’t like to deny co-workers’ requests. People in the former Soviet bloc countries are less trusting, perhaps because of their previous experiences with their countries’ secret services. Kevin Mitnick
A lot of individuals out there carry a lot of proprietary information on their mobile devices, and they’re not protected. It’s a very target-rich environment. Kevin Mitnick
I was pretty much the government’s poster boy for what I had done. Kevin Mitnick
No way, no how did I break into NORAD. That’s a complete myth. And I never attempted to access anything considered to be classified government systems. Kevin Mitnick
The government does things like insisting that all encryption programs should have a back door. But surely no one is stupid enough to think the terrorists are going to use encryption systems with a back door. The terrorists will simply hire a programmer to come up with a secure encryption scheme. Kevin Mitnick
A company can spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on firewalls, intrusion detection systems and encryption and other security technologies, but if an attacker can call one trusted person within the company, and that person complies, and if the attacker gets in, then all that money spent on technology is essentially wasted. Kevin Mitnick
If you go to a coffee shop or at the airport, and you’re using open wireless, I would use a VPN service that you could subscribe for 10 bucks a month. Everything is encrypted in an encryption tunnel, so a hacker cannot tamper with your connection. Kevin Mitnick
Phone phreaking is a type of hacking that allows you to explore the telephone network by exploiting the phone systems and phone company employees. Kevin Mitnick
I did get a huge endorphin rush when I was able to crack a system because it was like a video game. Kevin Mitnick
Social engineering is using deception, manipulation and influence to convince a human who has access to a computer system to do something, like click on an attachment in an e-mail. Kevin Mitnick
The best thing to do is always keep randomly generated passwords everywhere and use a password tool to manage it, and then you don’t have to remember those passwords at all, just the master password that unlocks the database. Kevin Mitnick
It’s true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If I could locate security bugs, I could become better at hacking into their systems. It was all towards becoming a better hacker. Kevin Mitnick
My primary goal of hacking was the intellectual curiosity, the seduction of adventure. Kevin Mitnick
If I needed to know about a security exploit, I preferred to get the information by accessing the companies’ security teams’ files, rather than poring over lines of code to find it on my own. It’s just more efficient. Kevin Mitnick
Should we fear hackers? Intention is at the heart of this discussion. Kevin Mitnick
The explosion of companies deploying wireless networks insecurely is creating vulnerabilities, as they think it’s limited to the office – then they have Johnny Hacker in the parking lot with an 802.11 antenna using the network to send threatening emails to the president! Kevin Mitnick
I use Mac. Not because it’s more secure than everything else – because it is actually less secure than Windows – but I use it because it is still under the radar. People who write malicious code want the greatest return on their investment, so they target Windows systems. I still work with Windows in virtual machines. Kevin Mitnick
At the end of the day, my goal was to be the best hacker. Kevin Mitnick
Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs founded Apple Inc, which set the computing world on its ear with the Macintosh in 1984. Kevin Mitnick
Hackers are becoming more sophisticated in conjuring up new ways to hijack your system by exploiting technical vulnerabilities or human nature. Don’t become the next victim of unscrupulous cyberspace intruders. Kevin Mitnick
All they need to do is to set up some website somewhere selling some bogus product at twenty percent of the normal market prices and people are going to be tricked into providing their credit card numbers. Kevin Mitnick
Most of the computer compromises that we hear about use a technique called spear phishing, which allows an attacker access to a key person’s workstation. It’s extremely difficult to defend against. Kevin Mitnick
Any type of operating system that I wanted to be able to hack, I basically compromised the source code, copied it over to the university because I didn’t have enough space on my 200 megabyte hard drive. Kevin Mitnick
I get hired by companies to hack into their systems and break into their physical facilities to find security holes. Our success rate is 100%; we’ve always found a hole. Kevin Mitnick
No company that I ever hacked into reported any damages, which they were required to do for significant losses. Kevin Mitnick
Computer hacking really results in financial losses and hassles. The objectives of terrorist groups are more serious. That is not to say that cyber groups can’t access a telephone switch in Manhattan on a day like 9/11, shut it down, and therefore cause more casualties. Kevin Mitnick
Choosing a hard-to-guess, but easy-to-remember password is important! Kevin Mitnick
Not being allowed to use the Internet is kind of like not being allowed to use a telephone. Kevin Mitnick
I saw myself as an electronic joy rider. Kevin Mitnick
Usually companies hire me, and they know full well who I am, and that’s one of the reasons they want to hire me. Kevin Mitnick
Somebody could send you an office document or a PDF file, and as soon as you open it, it’s a booby trap and the hacker has complete control of your computer. Another major problem is password management. People use the same password on multiple sites, so when the hacker compromises one site, they have your password for everywhere else. Kevin Mitnick
I characterize myself as a retired hacker. I’m applying what I know to improve security at companies. Kevin Mitnick
A log-in simulator is a program to trick some unknowing user into providing their user name and password. Kevin Mitnick
The hacking trend has definitely turned criminal because of e-commerce. Kevin Mitnick
Are hackers a threat? The degree of threat presented by any conduct, whether legal or illegal, depends on the actions and intent of the individual and the harm they cause. Kevin Mitnick
I think malware is a significant threat because the mitigation, like antivirus software, hasn’t evolved to a point to really mitigate the risk to a reasonable degree. Kevin Mitnick
So the ethic I was taught in school resulted in the path I chose in my life following school. Kevin Mitnick
I trust online banking. You know why? Because if somebody hacks into my account and defrauds my credit card company, or my online bank account, guess who takes the loss? The bank, not me. Kevin Mitnick
My actions constituted pure hacking that resulted in relatively trivial expenses for the companies involved, despite the government’s false claims. Kevin Mitnick
I was an accomplished computer trespasser. I don’t consider myself a thief. I copied without permission. Kevin Mitnick
Hacking was the only entertainment that would occupy my mind – like a huge video game, but with real consequences. I could have evaded the FBI a lot longer if I had been able to control my passion for hacking. Kevin Mitnick
My argument is not that I shouldn’t have been punished, but that the punishment didn’t fit the crime. Kevin Mitnick
When I read about myself in the media, even I don’t recognize me. The myth of Kevin Mitnick is much more interesting than the reality of Kevin Mitnick. If they told the reality, no one would care. Kevin Mitnick
The perfect PIN is not four digits and not associated with your life, like an old telephone number. It’s something easy for you to remember and hard for other people to guess. Kevin Mitnick
The first programming assignment I had in high school was to find the first 100 Fibonacci numbers. Instead, I thought it would be cooler to write a program to get the teacher’s password and all the other students’ passwords. And the teacher gave me an A and told the class how smart I was. Kevin Mitnick
I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company. Kevin Mitnick
Sometimes I get a call from my bank, and the first thing they ask is, ‘Mr. Mitnick, may I get your account number?’ And I’ll say, ‘You called me! I’m not giving you my account number!’ Kevin Mitnick
I’m an expert witness in a case that’s in appeal about a guy who allegedly misappropriated source code from a major, major company – he actually worked there and then apparently they found it on his laptop later. Kevin Mitnick
I got so passionate about technology. Hacking to me was like a video game. It was about getting trophies. I just kept going on and on, despite all the trouble I was getting into, because I was hooked. Kevin Mitnick
What happens with smaller businesses is that they give in to the misconception that their site is secure because the system administrator deployed standard security products – firewalls, intrusion detection systems, or stronger authentication devices such as time-based tokens or biometric smart cards. But those things can be exploited. Kevin Mitnick
Our Constitution requires that the accused be presumed innocent before trial, thus granting all citizens the right to a bail hearing, where the accused has the opportunity to be represented by counsel, present evidence, and cross-examine witnesses. Kevin Mitnick
I believe in having each device secured and monitoring each device, rather than just monitoring holistically on the network, and then responding in short enough time for damage control. Kevin Mitnick
It’s kind of interesting, because hacking is a skill that could be used for criminal purposes or legitimate purposes, and so even though in the past I was hacking for the curiosity, and the thrill, to get a bite of the forbidden fruit of knowledge, I’m now working in the security field as a public speaker. Kevin Mitnick
To some people I’ll always be the bad guy. Kevin Mitnick
Some people think technology has the answers. Kevin Mitnick
I was an accomplished computer trespasser. I don’t consider myself a thief. Kevin Mitnick
Use a personal firewall. Configure it to prevent other computers, networks and sites from connecting to you, and specify which programs are allowed to connect to the net automatically. Kevin Mitnick
One of my all-time favorite pranks was gaining unauthorized access to the telephone switch and changing the class of service of a fellow phone phreak. When he’d attempt to make a call from home, he’d get a message telling him to deposit a dime, because the telephone company switch received input that indicated he was calling from a pay phone. Kevin Mitnick
Then again, my case was all about the misappropriation of source code because I wanted to become the best hacker in the world and I enjoyed beating the security mechanisms. Kevin Mitnick
I started with CB radio, ham radio, and eventually went into computers. And I was just fascinated with it. And back then, when I was in school, computer hacking was encouraged. It was an encouraged activity. In fact, I remember one of the projects my teacher gave me was writing a log-in simulator. Kevin Mitnick
Think about it: if you were running a multi-million dollar company, and your database of customer information was stolen, would you want to tell your clients? No. Most companies did not until the laws required them to. It’s in the best interest of organisations – when they’re attacked and information is stolen – to tell nobody. Kevin Mitnick
I don’t know the capabilities of our enemies. But I found it quite easy to circumvent security at certain phone companies throughout the United States. So if an inquisitive kid can do it, why can’t a cyberterrorist do it? Kevin Mitnick
Hackers are breaking the systems for profit. Before, it was about intellectual curiosity and pursuit of knowledge and thrill, and now hacking is big business. Kevin Mitnick
The key to social engineering is influencing a person to do something that allows the hacker to gain access to information or your network. Kevin Mitnick
Most people assume that once security software is installed, they’re protected. This isn’t the case. It’s critical that companies be proactive in thinking about security on a long-term basis. Kevin Mitnick
I can go into LinkedIn and search for network engineers and come up with a list of great spear-phishing targets because they usually have administrator rights over the network. Then I go onto Twitter or Facebook and trick them into doing something, and I have privileged access. Kevin Mitnick
What I found personally to be true was that it’s easier to manipulate people rather than technology. Kevin Mitnick
I made stupid decisions as a kid, or as a young adult, but I’m trying to be now, I’m trying to take this lemon and make lemonade. Kevin Mitnick
I think it goes back to my high school days. In computer class, the first assignment was to write a program to print the first 100 Fibonacci numbers. Instead, I wrote a program that would steal passwords of students. My teacher gave me an A. Kevin Mitnick
I could pose as a Yahoo rep claiming that there’s been some sort of fault, and somebody else is getting your e-mail, and we’re going to have to remove your account and reinstall it. So what we’ll do is reset the current password that you have – and by the way, what is it? Kevin Mitnick
Back in my day, I would probe by hand. Now you can get commercial software that does the job for you. Kevin Mitnick
My hacking was all about becoming the best at circumventing security. So when I was a fugitive, I worked systems administrator jobs to make money. I wasn’t stealing money or using other people’s credit cards. I was doing a 9-to-5 job. Kevin Mitnick
Garbage can provide important details for hackers: names, telephone numbers, a company’s internal jargon. Kevin Mitnick
I love solving puzzles, I love finding my way around obstacles, and I love learning new things about technology. Kevin Mitnick
I keep my stuff updated all the time. Being in the security industry, I keep up to date with securities. Kevin Mitnick
No company that I ever hacked into reported any damages, which they were required to do for significant losses. Sun didn’t stop using Solaris and DEC didn’t stop using VMS. Kevin Mitnick
Back up everything! You are not invulnerable. Catastrophic data loss can happen to you – one worm or Trojan is all it takes. Kevin Mitnick
So what I was essentially doing was, I compromised the confidentiality of their proprietary software to advance my agenda of becoming the best at breaking through the lock. Kevin Mitnick
I don’t condone anyone causing damage in my name, or doing anything malicious in support of my plight. There are more productive ways to help me. As a hacker myself, I never intentionally damaged anything. Kevin Mitnick
But a lot of businesses out there don’t see the return on investment, they look at it as a liability, and until they can understand that proactive security actually returns, gives them a return on investment, it’s still a hard sell for people. Kevin Mitnick
I get hired to hack into computers now and sometimes it’s actually easier than it was years ago. Kevin Mitnick
I happen to be notorious. That, I have no control over. Kevin Mitnick
As a young boy, I was taught in high school that hacking was cool. Kevin Mitnick
It’s actually a smarter crime because imagine if you rob a bank, or you’re dealing drugs. If you get caught you’re going to spend a lot of time in custody. But with hacking, it’s much easier to commit the crime and the risk of punishment is slim to none. Kevin Mitnick
My hacking involved pretty much exploring computer systems and obtaining access to the source code of telecommunication systems and computer operating systems, because my goal was to learn all I can about security vulnerabilities within these systems. Kevin Mitnick
I saw myself as an electronic joy rider. I was like James Bond behind the computer. I was just having a blast. Kevin Mitnick
I was hooked in before hacking was even illegal. Kevin Mitnick
When an attacker fails with one person, they often go to another person. The key is to report the attack to other departments. Workers should know to act like they are going along with what the hacker wants and take copious notes so the company will know what the hacker is trying to find. Kevin Mitnick
To have transactions made on your web site via credit card, you must be PCI compliant. Businesses make the mistake of thinking that because you passed the requirements and are PCI certified, you are immune to attacks. Kevin Mitnick
