Ghost in the Wires cover art

Ghost in the Wires

My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker

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Ghost in the Wires

By: Kevin Mitnick, William L. Simon
Narrated by: Ray Porter
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About this listen

Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world’s biggest companies—and however fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. He spent years skipping through cyberspace, always three steps ahead and labeled unstoppable. But for Kevin, hacking wasn’t just about technological feats—it was an old fashioned confidence game that required guile and deception to trick the unwitting out of valuable information.

Driven by a powerful urge to accomplish the impossible, Mitnick bypassed security systems and blazed into major organizations including Motorola, Sun Microsystems, and Pacific Bell. But as the FBI’s net began to tighten, Kevin went on the run, engaging in an increasingly sophisticated cat-and-mouse game that led through false identities, a host of cities, plenty of close shaves, and to an ultimate showdown with the feds, who would stop at nothing to bring him down.

Ghost in the Wires is a thrilling true story of intrigue, suspense, and unbelievable escape and a portrait of a visionary whose creativity, skills, and persistence forced the authorities to rethink the way they pursued him, inspiring ripples that brought permanent changes in the way people and companies protect their most sensitive information.

©2011 Kevin Mitnick. Foreword 2011 by Steve Wozniak (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Science & Technology Security & Encryption True Crime Computer Security Exciting Hacking Haunted Software Fiction Ghost Programming

Critic Reviews

“Intriguing, insightful, and extremely educational into the mind of one who truly mastered the art of social engineering with the use of a computer and modern-day technologies. I strongly believe that one can learn a great deal about protecting themselves once they understand how another one perpetrates the crime.” (Frank W. Abagnale, author of Catch Me If You Can)

What listeners say about Ghost in the Wires

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amazing

great writing and good narration, would recommend, you do need to remember a lot of names but other than that great book

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Unbelievably great story into Technology

Unbelievably great story into Technology and its flaws. Beautifully narrated and absolutely accurate from software based attacks to social engineering to realising the power of information gathering.

10/10 - highly recommended.

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2 people found this helpful

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Couldn't stop myself from listening

Loved the story and couldn't help but smile all through the last chapter. Well start on another in the near future.

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Loved it.

The reader was very engaged with the story and I felt captivated throughout. I particularly liked that no detail was overlooked and the reader covered the exact reading of some of the more technical parts.
Mitnick's story is one that needs to be known so that the future of industry can be understood.

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relevant in 2024 new perspective

such a great story of the history of hacking a must read for anyone interested in internet security

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another look in to curious people in hot water

i loved listening to this as it us written as a great novel but is more like an autobiography. keept me listening well past my bed time . a must read for any pen tester or just a tec savy person.

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A very generous exposition into the mind, the tactics, and life & times of one of technology’s most influential actors.

Fabulous story read fabulously by Ray. Mitnick consistently strikes the right balance between technical nerdy insights, personal dramas, pratfall humour, narrative suspense, and a cracking sense of humour. A compelling listen.

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great book and the reader makes it easy to listen.

It's a great book and the reader makes it easy to listen for hours on end.

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Loved this book!

Both the story and the narrator are a perfect match here. This book definitely talks to me, I loved it.

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Great story

I found the story very engaging and super interesting. Very well narrated and cleanly presented, I found it super hard to disengage from this while listening between jobs.

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