The Cuckoo's Egg cover art

The Cuckoo's Egg

Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage

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The Cuckoo's Egg

By: Cliff Stoll
Narrated by: Will Damron
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About this listen

Before the internet became widely known as a global tool for terrorists, one perceptive US citizen recognized its ominous potential. Armed with clear evidence of computer espionage, he began a highly personal quest to expose a hidden network of spies that threatened national security. But would the authorities back him up? Cliff Stoll's dramatic firsthand account is "a computer-age detective story, instantly fascinating [and] astonishingly gripping" - Smithsonian.

Cliff Stoll was an astronomer turned systems manager at Lawrence Berkeley Lab when a 75 cent accounting error alerted him to the presence of an unauthorized user on his system. The hacker's code name was "Hunter" - a mysterious invader who managed to break into US computer systems and steal sensitive military and security information. Stoll began a one-man hunt of his own: spying on the spy. It was a dangerous game of deception, broken codes, satellites, and missile bases - a one-man sting operation that finally gained the attention of the CIA...and ultimately trapped an international spy ring fueled by cash, cocaine, and the KGB.

©1989 Clifford Stoll (P)2020 Tantor Espionage Freedom & Security Politics & Government Security & Encryption True Crime War & Crisis Technology Military Computer Security
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I read this book many years ago, and it was much easier for me to understand when listening, rather than reading. It is amazing how no one was prepared to act for so long - reminded me of the Madoff story. No doubt all the agencies have huge numbers of staff nowadays constantly trying to track hackers, and we have probably all experienced phishing emails and release of personal data. Of course when officials believe fake data....

Revisiting this book - still a great read

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This is not just a book about computer hackers. It's about the trust and relationships that span idealistic dreams of comunity and the reality of how human... Both kind and evil, we are.

A harbinger of modern internet issues.

Important and brilliant

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It's a story that draws you in so you struggle to stop listening. Well written and appropriateness paced, and with excellent performance.

Great story

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Setting is late 80s computing, but the author does a good job of fleshing out characters, giving them personality, and taking something fairly dry topic-wise and keeping you interested.

Very good reading for junior systems people in explaining methodical working. As the systems are old (simpler) it makes things easier to follow.

Old but good

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good book expected newer but this ones from 1980's
I still gave it 5 starZ

Good but old

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