AT&T Tells Hacker to Find Cell Service Elsewhere
AT&T has reportedly told celebrity hacker Kevin Mitnick that the company can no longer offer him cell phone service because of the inordinate amount of attacks on his cell phone account.
The Register last night published a lengthy article on the issues Mitnick is facing with his phone company and web hosting firm. Mitnick claims both AT&T and HostedHere.net, both of which have told Mitnick that they no longer want his business.
According to the Reg, Mitnick recently hired a lawyer to complain that his privacy was being invaded by people posting his account information - including the last four digits of his SSN, his address, the password he uses to log into his account online and both his cell and home phone numbers - in public hacking forums.
"They can't seem to secure my account," Mitnick said. "And then instead of doing something about it, they try to kill the messenger and want to boot me off their network when all I want them to do is to secure my account so no one gets access to my phone records."
David Wykofka, IT director at HostedHere said that Kevin is a "high profile target," explaining the company's decision to ask Mitnick to leave. "When vulnerabilities come out in third-party vendor software, he is one of the first targets on their list. This is just one of the perils of being Kevin Mitnick. If you're Barack Obama, you don't get webhosting at GoDaddy."
Read the full story here.
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So basically any AT&T customer is not safe
I still don't know who Kevin Mitnick is. Anyway, get a life, Kevin!
anyone see the irony that a hacker is complaining about his privacy being invaded?
The truth is that nobody's safe, Mitnick has made himself a target simply by notoriety. I do think his claims are legit though in the sense that these companies claim to offer secure services. Rather than attempt to live up to their promises they're cutting their ties with him. It's like a bodyguard not doing the job he was hired for because the opposition looks too tough. Rather cowardly move on their part, but can one really blame them other than the ethical aspects of the situation? Those companies have to make money and maintaining this security is simply too expensive for them.
Unfortunately, this could happen to anyone who becomes a target, so don't rejoice in the irony of it because it could happen to you too.
I still don't know who Kevin Mitnick is. Anyway, get a life, Kevin!
Epic fail on reading the article
It's like a bodyguard not doing the job he was hired for because the opposition looks too tough.
No no no. The average person hires a body guard to protect them from potential danger from an unknown individual. Mitnick hires a bodyguard because he happens to know the entire army of Uzbeckistan is after him. At some point, the body guard just says "look, if you are going to piss off foreign militaries, you better have your own military to back you up."
Most bodyguards are just there to look intimidating. Most won't die for a client that paid them $500 for the night, its just not worth it. You want real protection, you have to pay for it. Mitnick has chosen a path in life that attracts many enemies, he needs to be responsible for his own security.
This would be like buying a winter jacket at Lands End, then complaining that it doesn't stop bullets. I don't recall AT&T and HostedHere ever promising they could stop legions of hackers all trying to make a name for themselves just because some jackass ex-hacker pays for cell phone service and basic web hosting.
Oh brother. He should know he'll always have a huge target on his back. This is a simple problem to solve, too. Just use someone else (and not a family member with the same last name) to setup his mobile account in their name. Or, better yet for people like him, purchase a pre-paid cell phone with cash, and likewise buy the time cards with cash.
But instead he's whining like a punk and hiring lawyers?! And this guy used to be "the most dangerous hacker in America"? How the mighty have fallen.
don't rejoice in the irony of it because it could happen to you too.
I think you're missing the definition of "irony." It's slightly ironic that a hacker is getting hacked, but it's extremely ironic that this hacker is complaining about being unable to protect his information.
If this happened to me, it wouldn't really be ironic because I am not a hacker. I'd just be another number.
I cant wait till that freaking self-expanding gate.com ad goes away forever. If I want to know more, I'll expand it myself. I know one thig for sure, I won't buy any services they provide now for sure.
As a notorious ex-hacker who hacked cellular service company servers, he really shouldn't be complaining to a cellular service company....
i love how tom's readers are so analytical. Really awesome stuff. it makes me feel smarter just being on this website!
Or, better yet for people like him, purchase a pre-paid cell phone with cash, and likewise buy the time cards with cash.But instead he's whining like a punk and hiring lawyers?! And this guy used to be "the most dangerous hacker in America"? How the mighty have fallen.
No doubt!
As you mentioned a pre-paid cell would solve this instantly. I think he has choosen this route for another reason.... Only Mitnik knows.
Epic fail on reading the article
Agreed.
nice job at&t for telling us your network isn't safe
Ouch, what's with the godaddy shun?
Big kevin should contact me so i could fix him up with premium services.
No one can guarantee that his account wont be hacked and or abused but at least i can guarantee that i kick any paying customer just because i might get ddos'd more.
At least when he hires one of my dedicated or virtual boxes i might actually have something to do during office hours other then playing world of warcraft and getting fancy lunches for potential clients.
Oops that i wont kick any paying customer ... typo late at night
Heh, clearly someone is leaking his info from inside the company... how could someone get his account info without that happening? He has a pretty valid point though, regardless of how much of a high profile target he is... AT&T can't protect your info, and obviously they don't give a damn or they would do something about it.
anyone see the irony that a hacker is complaining about his privacy being invaded?
Right! I guess it is true that what goes around comes aroound.
Perhaps, just perhaps, there's no real need for him to have a phone of any kind. With as many people wanting a piece of him as alluded to, you'd think he'd prefer being a hermit. Even his physical USPS mailbox must be jammed with hate/spam mail. Get rid of it too.
Where is the respect from hackers towards other hackers, especially one of his stature. How rude.
Überhacker though he may be, does he have the skills to get all the bullshit ATT apps off his phone? I would pay good money for that.
talk about lazy. AT&T says its too hard to secure him on the network so there taking the easy way out. take note that any of the Iphone sheep could be next
I think you're missing the definition of "irony." It's slightly ironic that a hacker is getting hacked, but it's extremely ironic that this hacker is complaining about being unable to protect his information.If this happened to me, it wouldn't really be ironic because I am not a hacker. I'd just be another number.
how would you expect the hacker to protect himself on AT&T's network? illegally hack into AT&T's network and do it himself and risk getting caught? or try doing it the legal way by letting the GED level techs that AT&T hires and let them do it for him since its the only legal way.
Well the guy doesn't seem like the bad kind of hacker (referred to as a 'cracker' by most hackers because they do things illegally.) Essentially good hackers set things up, bad ones knock them down.
The irony is that he is defenceless against people hacking his phone because he can't hack his phone without voiding his contract. Guess that doesn't matter now
the high point would be if he was on a contract with em he got out of it for free. unless they force him to pay the penalty for backing out of a contract early and then he can take them to court for an easy win.
Heh, clearly someone is leaking his info from inside the company... how could someone get his account info without that happening?
Spot on right there! How would anyone know he is a 'high profile target' if his info wasn't leaked already? So AT&T is pretty much saying anyone can get anyone else's account info. Mitnick has every right to complain about his account being compromised no matter who he is (and yes I know all about him...he got a bum rap...2600 anyone?).
There are ways out, he should be using prepaid anon phones to make his calls. Prepaid anon credit cards to do shopping etc. The he doesnt have to worry.
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Whats sad tho is the way at&t handled it tho, rather then tryign to secure their network they just try to sweep him under the rug. Good for the books, but its bad pr. Its admitting their security sucks, and they dont wanna bother to fix it.