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I was fooled into this when his first book was released, "The Art of Deception". I think I read the first three pages and heart sank because it wasn't a book ab

I was fooled into this when his first book was released, "The Art of Deception". I think I read the first three pages and heart sank because it wasn't a book about computer stuff really at all and I started thinking this guy is a fraud. but mostly I was fooled by marketing. (I was 12 at the time). I just remember being very let down by the book and not being a fan of Mitnik for that reason. The comment section of this post has an underlying anger towards the hi-jacking of the word 'hacker' as it was and is applied to kevin mitnik and thus misunderstood by the public waaaaay too often.

mlvljr 12y ago
The first chapter (the one about random-number generator numbers and slot machines) was almost cool though (the rest was so-so, leaving that very impression you mentioned) -- read it in Russian, in translation, in a book store [and decided not to buy].
malexw 12y ago
Interesting, I had the exact same reaction as you. Bought the book (along with Michal Zalewski's Silence on the Wire), got less than a chapter in, and put it down in frustration. I've since wondered if I should go back and give it another chance. Sounds like no? For what it's worth, I really enjoyed Zalewski's book. He seems like a really smart guy.
- robin_reala 12y ago
  Silence On The Wire is an excellent book: both a good read and also technically informative. I’d highly recommend it.
CWilliams1013 12y ago
So you bought a book that's sold as "The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security"[0] and expected it to be about serious computer-based intrusion? [0] http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Deception-Controlling-Security/dp/076454280X/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Deception-Controlling-Security...
tlianza 12y ago
There's some poetic justice to feeling deceived by a book with that title.

mlvljr 12y ago

The first chapter (the one about random-number generator numbers and slot machines) was almost cool though (the rest was so-so, leaving that very impression you mentioned) -- read it in Russian, in translation, in a book store [and decided not to buy].

malexw 12y ago

Interesting, I had the exact same reaction as you. Bought the book (along with Michal Zalewski's Silence on the Wire), got less than a chapter in, and put it down in frustration. I've since wondered if I should go back and give it another chance. Sounds like no? For what it's worth, I really enjoyed Zalewski's book. He seems like a really smart guy.

robin_reala 12y ago
Silence On The Wire is an excellent book: both a good read and also technically informative. I’d highly recommend it.

CWilliams1013 12y ago

So you bought a book that's sold as "The world's most infamous hacker offers an insider's view of the low-tech threats to high-tech security"[0] and expected it to be about serious computer-based intrusion? [0] http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Deception-Controlling-Security/dp/076454280X/ http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Deception-Controlling-Security...

tlianza 12y ago

There's some poetic justice to feeling deceived by a book with that title.