Kevin Mitnick, a former hacker and one of the FBI’s “most wanted” cyber terrorists, passed away at the age of 59.
After a two-year FBI manhunt in the 1990s, Mitnick was convicted of computer and wire fraud and sentenced to five years in prison.
However, after being allowed to go free in 2000, he reshaped himself into a different human being, turning into a well-known “white hat” hacker, cybersecurity expert, and author.
“I made some really stupid mistakes in the past as a younger man that I regret. I’m lucky that I’ve been given a second chance and that I could use these skills to help the community,” he told CNN in an interview in 2005.
He passed away on Sunday after a 14-month-long battle with pancreatic cancer.
In the 1990s, Mitnick made a name for himself by getting into business networks, notably those of Pacific Bell and the government, and stealing credit card and corporate data.
In addition to hacking into the nation’s cell networks and damaging business, governmental, and academic computer systems, he was involved in the nationwide theft of thousands of credit card information and data files.
He established Mitnick Security Consulting in 2003, which provided cybersecurity advice to Fortune 500 firms and government organizations.
In 2011, he was appointed “chief hacking officer” and a co-owner of KnowBe4, a company that provides phishing security awareness training.
Kevin was known for his intelligence, sense of humor, and exceptional technological aptitude, which was only topped by his ability as the first “social engineer,” the business said in a statement on Thursday. He will always be known as “the world’s most famous hacker.”
A memorial for him will take place in Las Vegas on August 1. Kevin is survived by his wife, Kimberley, who is reportedly pregnant with their first child.