Kevin Mitnick
Kevin David Mitnick (born on August 6, 1963) is a computer security consultant, author, and hacker. In the late 20th century, he was convicted of various computer- and communications-related crimes. At the time of his arrest, he was the most-wanted computer criminal in the United States.
Computer hacking
At age 12, Mitnick used social engineering to bypass the punchcard system used in the Los Angeles bus system. After a friendly bus driver told him where he could buy his own ticket punch, he could ride any bus in the greater LA area using unused transfer slips he found in the trash. Social engineering became his primary method of obtaining information, including user names and passwords and modem phone numbers.
Mitnick gained unauthorized access to his first computer network in 1979, at 16, when a friend gave him the phone number for the Ark, the computer system Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) used for developing their RSTS/E operating system software. He broke into DEC's computer network and copied their software, a crime he was charged with and convicted of in 1988. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Near the end of his supervised release, Mitnick hacked into Pacific Bell voice mail computers. After a warrant was issued for his arrest, Mitnick fled, becoming a fugitive for two and a half years.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Mitnick gained unauthorized access to dozens of computer networks while he was a fugitive. He used cloned cellular phones to hide his location and, among other things, copied valuable proprietary software from some of the country's largest cellular telephone and computer companies. Mitnick also intercepted and stole computer passwords, altered computer networks, and broke into and read private e-mail. Mitnick was apprehended on Valentine's Day, 1995 in Raleigh, North Carolina. He was found with cloned cellular phones, more than 100 clone cellular phone codes, and multiple pieces of false identification.
Gary McKinnon
Gary McKinnon, a Scottish systems administrator has been accused of the biggest military computer hacking exercise of all times by the US government. McKinnon is also accused of copying data, account files and passwords into his own computer. US authorities pegged the cost of tracking and rectifying the problems caused by his hacking at over $700,000.
Gary McKinnon (born 10 February 1966) is a Scottish systems administrator and hacker who has been accused of what one U.S. prosecutor claims is the "biggest military computer hack of all time," although McKinnon himself states that he was merely looking for evidence of free energy suppression and a cover-up of UFO activity and other technologies potentially useful to the public. After a series of legal proceedings in England, McKinnon is currently fighting extradition to the United States.
Gary McKinnon, 40, accused of mounting the largest ever hack of United States government computer networks -- including Army, Air Force, Navy and NASA systems The court has recommended that McKinnon be extradited to the United States to face charges of illegally accessing 97 computers, causing US$700,000 (400,000 pounds; euro 588,000) in damage.
Pranav Mistry
Pranav Mistry is a PhD student in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT's Media Lab. Before his studies at MIT, he worked with Microsoft as a UX researcher; he's a graduate of IIT. Mistry is passionate about integrating the digital informational experience with our real-world interactions.
Pranav Mistry (b. 1981 in Palanpur, India) is one of the inventors of SixthSense. He is a research assistant and a PhD candidate at MIT Media Lab. Before joining MIT he worked as a UX Researcher with Microsoft. He received Master in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT and Master of Design from IIT Bombay. He has completed bachelors’ degree in Computer Science and Engineering. He is from Palanpur, which is situated in northern Gujarat in India. SixthSense has recently attracted global attention. Among some of his previous work, Pranav has invented Mouseless - an invisible computer mouse; intelligent sticky notes that can be searched, located and can send reminders and messages; a pen that can draw in 3D; and a public map that can act as Google of physical world. Pranav holds a Master in Media Arts and Sciences from MITIndustrial Design Center, IIT and Master of Design from Bombay besides his Bachelor degree in Computer Engineering from Nirma Institute Of Technology, Ahmedabad. Pranav’s research interests include Ubiquitous computing, Gestural and Tangible Interaction, AI, Augmented reality, Machine vision, Collective intelligence and Robotics.
SixthSense was awarded the 2009 Invention Award by Popular Science. He was also named to the MIT Technology Review TR35 as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35. In 2010, he was named to Creativity Magazine's Creativity 50. Mistry has been called "one of ten, best inventors in the world right now" by Chris Anderson. Mistry has been listed as one of the 15 Asian Scientists To Watch by Asian Scientist Magazine on 15 May 2011.
Operation AntiSec
Operation Anti-Security, also referred to as Operation AntiSec or #AntiSec, is a series of hacking attacks performed by members of hacking group LulzSec, the group Anonymous, and others inspired by the announcement of the operation. LulzSec performed the earliest attacks of the operation, with the first against the Serious Organised Crime Agency on 20 June 2011.
Soon after, the group released information taken from the servers of the Arizona Department of Public Safety; Anonymous would later release information from the same agency two more times. An offshoot of the group calling themselves LulzSec Brazil launched attacks on numerous websites belonging to the Government of Brazil and the energy company Petrobras. LulzSec claimed to retire as a group, but on 22 June they reconvened to hack into the websites of British newspapers The Sun and The Times, posting a fake news story of the death of their owner Rupert Murdoch.
Anonymous released their first cache of the operation on 27 June 2011 , taken from an anti-cyberterrorism program run by the United States Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency. They continued attacks on the Arizona government. They also launched attacks against the Brazilian government, Government of Zimbabwe, the Municipality of Mosman, and the Government of Tunisia. Their most recent attacks have been against large corporations, NATO, and various United States law enforcement websites. Anonymous has used the stolen credit card numbers of police officers to make unauthorized donations to various causes. Others have also committed hacks in the name of the operation, including a hack into the Fox News Twitter account to post a false news story about the assassination of President of the United States Barack Obama and attacks on the websites of government entities in various countries. The groups involved have published sensitive government and corporate information, as well as the email addresses, names, and social security numbers, and credit card numbers of website users.
Law enforcement has launched investigations into many of the attacks committed as part of Operation AntiSec. At least seven arrests have been made in connection to activities related to the operation, including the arrests of two purported LulzSec members, a man who provided LulzSec with security vulnerability information, and four alleged members of AntiSec NL, a group inspired by the operation.
Ankit Fadia
ANKIT FADIA, 24 years old, is an independent computer security and digital intelligence consultant with definitive experience in the field of Internet security based out of the Silicon Valley in California, USA. He has authored 14 internationally best-selling books on numerous topics related to Computer Security that have been widely appreciated by both professionals and industry leaders the world over. His books have sold a record 10 million copies across the globe, have been translated into Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Polish and are also being used as reference textbooks in some of the most prestigious academic institutions around the world.
Books and Publications
- Fadia, Ankit. The Unofficial Guide to Ethical Hacking, Course Technology
- Fadia, Ankit. Network Security: A Hacker's Perspective, Course Technology
- Fadia, Ankit. Hacking Mobile Phones, Course Technology
- Fadia, Ankit. Tips and Tricks on Linux, Centro Atlantico, 2002.
- Fadia, Ankit. Email Hacking, Vikas Publishing, 2020.
- Fadia, Ankit. Windows Hacking, Vikas Publishing, 2020.
- Fadia, Ankit; Jaya Bhattacharjee. Encryption Protecting your Data, Vikas Publishing, 2020.
- Fadia, Ankit; Zacharia, Manu. Intrusion Alert: An Ethical Hacking Guide to Intrusion Detection, Course Technology PTR, 2020
- Ankit, Fadia; Diwakar, Goel. Google Hacking - An Ethical Guide, Vikas Publications, 2020
- Das Patnaik, Nishant; Ankit, Fadia. Software Hacking, Vikas Publications, 2008.
- Ankit, Fadia; Boonlia, Prince. System Forensics, Vikas Publications, 2020.
- Ankit, Fadia; Singh, Aditya. Cracking Admissions in Colleges Abroad, Vikas Publications, 2020.
Ankit Fadia Official Website
