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Mitnick May Sue AT&T Over Account Breach
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Kevin Mitnick may sue AT&T for refusing to do anything about hackers constantly trying to break into his account.
Yesterday we reported that Mitnick had been told by both AT&T and the company that hosts his site to find service elsewhere. Apparently being Kevin Mitnick means a lot of people like to launch attacks on your website and breach your AT&T account only to post your personal details on the web.
CNet today reports that Kevin wanted compensation from AT&T. Unfortunately for Mitnick, AT&T wasn't having any of it. Now, Mitnick says he might sue.
"My attorney is going to review my contract to see what, if any, restrictions are in my service agreement," he said. "I may file a lawsuit for invasion of privacy for the failure to adequately protect my information."
"AT&T wants me off their network because they can't secure my account, and after being a loyal customer for almost a decade I find that reprehensible," he told CNet News on Thursday. "It apparently is more cost effective to drop me than to secure their customer's information."
Do you think Mitnick has the right to sue AT&T for terminating his contract? Let us know in the comments below!
Read the full story here.
Source : Tom's Hardware US
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Kevin Mitnick Enters The Pentagon
It was in 1983 that Kevin Mitnick achieved his major coup, a truly impressive hack. At that time he was a student at the University of South California. Using one of the machines at the university, probably a TRS-80 equipped with a Zilog processor at 1.77 MHz, Mitnick gained access to ARPANet, the ancestor of the Internet, which was then reserved for the Army, large corporations and universities. Mitnick's Early Glories By infiltrating this network, he gained access to the most protected computers of the time, those of the Pentagon. He had access to all files in the US Department of Defense. There was no evidence of data theft or degradation at the time: Mitnick simply followed his curiosity and tested his abilities. The intrusion was detected by a systems administrator, who sounded the alert. The investigation led to the author of the exploit, and Kevin Mitnick was arrested inside the university campus. He was tried and served his first real sentence for illegally accessing a computer system, spending six months in a young adult detention center.
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Hijacking Lines: Mitnick At Work
Like his predecessors, Kevin Mitnick also started hacking by modifying telephone lines in his neighborhood. In 1981, 17-year-old Kevin and a friend hacked a Computer System for Mainframe Operations (COSMOS) exchange belonging to Pacific Bell in Los Angeles. Once inside the system, he diverted the lines and intercepted all calls going through the exchange. Subscribers quickly started to complain about what they thought were errors or practical jokes being played by operators. Kevin Mitnick would, of course, answer these calls himself, sometimes even using tasteless jokes. Mitnick Sows Panic But Mitnick did not stop there: he continued to latch onto Pacific Bell and its COSMOS system. He was able to enter the system's database, stealing the data of several subscribers. He easily gained access to billing statements, passwords, gateway combinations and even a system manual. He also profited from this access to divert lines for his personal use. It was not until later that a Pacific Bell technician discovered abnormalities in the COSMOS system. An investigation was launched, quickly leading to the phone booth Kevin Mitnick used to make his calls and access the network; at that point, it was just a matter of waiting for him to appear and catch him in the act. Accused of data degradation and theft, Mitnick benefited from the judges' clemency, and was sentenced to three months in a reformatory and one year of probation.
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Mitnick's Capture: A Battle Between Hackers
In 1994, Kevin Mitnick was back to his illegal activities, and wanted by the FBI. He was already known worldwide because of his exploits, and his portrait had been distributed all over, encouraging people who recognized him to call the authorities if they spotted him. It was during this year and the one following that Kevin Mitnick would become the object of the most spectacular manhunt launched against a hacker. Mitnick Attacks a Rival Mitnick decided to attack another hacker and security expert, Tsutomu Shimomura. His attack was well prepared, and to be certain nobody would disturb him, Mitnick launched it on Christmas Day, December 25, 1994. He hacked Shimomura's personal computer using a technique unheard of at the time, IP spoofing, which involves using a bogus IP address to avoid being discovered during an intrusion. Mitnick was betrayed by Shimomura's firewall, however, which recorded all activity on the target machine. On December 26, Shimomura received a call from one of his colleagues informing him that his machine had been the victim of an intrusion. He quickly established a link to Mitnick, and decided to lend a hand to the FBI in arresting the hacker, by using his own hacking skills. A Virtual Manhunt Shimomura obtained carte blanche from the FBI, including authorization to use hacking to find Mitnick. The pursuit became a virtual chase; for example, Shimomura reported that he surprised Mitnick on January 17, 1995, when he infiltrated a network belonging to Motorola in order to steal the company's security software. Mitnick's Arrest As the chase intensified, they started closing in on Mitnick, who retreated to the city of Raleigh, North Carolina. To find the cell phone Mitnick used to launch his attacks, Shimomura walked the streets of Raleigh for two days equipped with a communications detector. On February 15, 1995, at 2:00 in the morning, the FBI burst into Mitnick's apartment together with Shimomura. When he saw his rival, the fugitive exclaimed: "Hi, Tsutomu! Congratulations!" After a pursuit of almost two years, Mitnick was sentenced to five years in prison, at that time the harshest sentence ever given to a hacker.




Wow, I haven't heard much of a peep in the media regarding mitnick lately. It won't be an easy case to prosecute IMHO. It really depends on various factors. In the end, if it wasn't for his past getting in the way, he could fend off the attacks himself. If I was him, I'd consider suing as well, but only if I knew without a doubt that I'd win. It isn't like he doesn't have the money for a lawsuit, heh.
Good for him.
AT&T and the like charge their early termination fee if you leave before your contract is up, even if their service sucks. Its time the consumer fights back.
The funny part is that this was one of the companies that he hack into back in the days of Pacific Bell. Now he is been hack out it.
The funny part is that this was one of the companies that he hack into(well alleged) back in the days of Pacific Bell. Now he is been hack out it.
While I don't feel very sorry for Mitnick repeatedly being attacked and compromised (it's his own fault he's become such a high profile target after all), this is no excuse the AT&T to shirk their duties in protecting his customer data. If his data is repeatedly being compromised, AT&T is clearly has security issues they should be addressing.
For those who would side with AT&T, let me put it this way. If Mitnick's customer information can be compromised, any customers information could be. If this was happening to you, would you still side with AT&T?
Absolutely he has the right to sue, he's being singled out. Curious how this will fall out in the long term but I think he should press forward with it based on the situation.
I'd say that AT&T should hold their end of the contract up and they should make a serious attempt to keep their networks and their servers secure.
Just look at all the security breaches and credit card thefts that have been in the news in the last year or two and you'll see the seriousness of this issue as it's no laughing matter.
If a company could keep a high profile hacker's account secure, then I'd be willing to do business with them should I need their services.
Too many companies are failing to take security seriously these days and they would rather put profits ahead of their clients own security.
AT&T is making more than enough ripping off their customers their high prices. They can certainly afford to better secure their networks instead of their pocketbooks.
Same thing goes for Verizon and other services.
With all their money AT&T should find better marketing people as this is really really really bad publicity for anyone in the field who can decide about hosting anything there.
And not only damaging hosting, even though some from the general public that go and buy iPhones might think otherwise.
AT&T is an absolute shit company. They treat their employees like shit and they treat their customer just as bad. If I were Kevin, I would find a better provider and sue the shit out of them.
Oh the irony... Mitnick suing AT&T.... they do deserve it though, AT&T are a real shite company.
CHA he has a right to sue. Who cares who he is. It's the fact that AT&T cannot secure vital customer information. You would kind of think security comes first from such a company.
AT&T should
- 1) Hire Kevin Mitnick as their Spokes Person
- 2) Make Kevin Mitnick a Security Consultant
- 3) Make Securing the network and the servers a priority
- 4) Keep Security a Priority
- 5) FIRE the Current AT&T CEO
Seems to me there should be a class actiont suit. If they can't secure his data then all their other customers data is at risk. They should be required by law to protect the data and they should be held accountable for any leaks, no matter who's data.
he has no right. contract says ATT can do whatever whenever it wants with your account without your consent. THE END. CASE CLOSED
Hack the planet! Hack the planet! Hack the planet!
yep AT&T has that in there contract. so AT&T can be crappy and incompetent as much as they want
all AT&T has to do is show up with his sig on the contract he signed and case closed
Just because they have the contract, does not mean case closed.
Breach of Contract on the part of the Contractor VOIDS the original contract and Invites a Law suit on the part of the Contractee.
In this case, failure to keep the client's account secure and negligence towards the security of all their other clients would more than justify a class action suit.
Sorry Folks, any phone service provider has the right to terminate you at their discresion, it's in
the contract you sign. I have had four different phone providers and everyone of them including AT&T states right in the ontract that they may terminate your contract at anytime without notice. And i can assure you that if security is at stake they have the right to cansel. Sorry that's just the way it is.
maybe this is the case we need to challenge these absurd contracts and EULAs that the corporate lawyers keep force feeding us...
If this was a business account, sue away, if it's a residential account, then tough sh*t.
Seriously, why do people feel so entitled now-a-days? This isn't water, food or shelter. It's a service, with other services available if you 'don't like it'.
This is regardless of who has the legal right here. The company that provided the service, assessed the cost of re-doing their infrastructure to suit a special case.
If there were actual damages occurred other than interruption of service, then I'd understand. But to sue because of the termination of a contract is just too crazy for me.
There are people who are unable to sue companies because it cant be proven that they were effected when the company got hacked and hundreds and thousands of accounts are effected. I think in this case, since Kevin can prove that his account information was hacked and ATT was derelict in securing his account, that he would have a case against them. Although, I think they would still be within their rights to drop him as a customer, they were still responsible to secure his information when he was.
But don't forget, many states also have specific laws which tend to Void parts of the Contractual Language.
So even though the contract may state that they can terminate at any time for any reason, it is recommended that you dig through your state laws to see just what they can and can not do or to check with someone who would be familiar with such laws.
Cause there are laws out there that are meant to protect the consumer, especially those who might need a telephone for emergencies or otherwise.
Same thing goes for Federal laws. They are counting on you not reading the contract thoroughly and not knowing your legal rights.
If any one deserves to be sued, ATn'T for sure is!
Their wireless system (cell) is nothing but a scam!
Go, Mitnic, go sue the bastards, and I am goin to sue them also!
If any one deserves to be sued, ATn'T for sure is!
Their wireless system (cell) is nothing but a scam!
Go, Mitnick, go sue the bastards, and I am goin to sue them also!
AT&T is one the worst companies when it comes to consumer relations. Companies like that always have some fine print hidden somewhere to protect themselves and screw us all.

Maybe he was hacking his own site to create some news.
You also have to think (or I do atlease) that he could have leaked his personal info just to trump up a case so he could sue AT&T (but I may be jaded)
You also have to think (or I do atlease) that he could have leaked his personal info just to trump up a case so he could sue AT&T (but I may be jaded)
^I tend to agree he could have put the info out there himself. I feel companies are well within their right to refuse his business.
This is the company that is still giving all its traffic to the government via the NSA so there is no data protection whatsoever with AT&T.
Your World Delivered. To the NSA.
You also have to think (or I do atlease) that he could have leaked his personal info just to trump up a case so he could sue AT&T (but I may be jaded)
I also thought of that PLUS Kevin gets free publicity for his company (I believe he owns a security company or is consulting)
And AT&T gets poor publicity.
WIN/WIN for Mitnick already.... Pay as you go phone solves all his troubles.