![albert gonzalez]()
Computers don't hack themselves.
Even so, the idea of a "hacker" has changed a lot over the years.
Back in the early days of the Internet, a hacker was often a genius kid getting himself into trouble. (Think the 1983 movie WarGames, starring Matthew Broderick, or 1995's Hackers.) Facebook and other Silicon Valley companies use this curious-tinkerer definition.
But as the Internet grew into the backbone of the economy, the dark side of hacking attracted more sophisticated criminals. Today, a criminal who breaks into computers is often out to steal money. And for good reason. Some of the world's top cybercrooks could be hauling in $100 million a year, some experts say.
In the last few years, a new hacking trend has arrived, too, known as "hacktivism." This is a type of hacking meant to protest a company or government's policies. They might try to take down a company's website or steal and expose information. While their intentions may be noble, some of these hacks have ended up being as dangerous to the public as the ones conducted by organized crime.
No. 10: Kevin Mitnick
![]()
Kevin Mitnick was a genius kid hacker. By the time of his arrest in 1995, he was he was the most-wanted computer criminal in the United States.
He hacked into IBM, Motorola, NEC, Nokia, Sun Microsystems and Fujitsu Siemens, Pacific Bell, FBI, Pentagon, Novell. He even managed to wiretap NSA agents, the story goes.
Mitnick served five years in prison, but as an adult turned his life around to become a good-guy hacker. He's now hired by companies to help them set up their security systems. And he's written a couple of books, too.
Impact: He made hacking cool for a lot of other genius kids who went on to write their own viruses and break into systems. But he did turn his life around to become a better role model.
No. 9: Adrian Lamo
![]()
Adrian Lamo's name was etched into hacker history after he broke into systems belonging to the New York Times, Yahoo, Microsoft, and MCI Worldcom.
He was arrested in 2003, sentenced to six months of detention at his parents' home, two years of probation, and $65,000 in restitution.
Lamo would make a lot more news, particularly after he told federal authorities that Bradley Manning, a soldier, was responsible for leaking hundreds of sensitive U.S. documents to Wikileaks. Manning was arrested and Lamo faced national criticism by WikiLeaks supporters and fellow hackers for his decision.
Impact: His decision to out Manning polarized the hacking world, potentially making it difficult for other hackers who want to break ranks with their peers.
No. 8: Gary McKinnon
![]()
Gary McKinnon is a British hacker accused of causing more than $700,000 in damage to U.S. military systems in what U.S. prosecutor called the "biggest military computer hack of all time".
He has been fighting extradition for seven years and faces up to 60 years in a U.S. jail if he were to be tried and found guilty.
McKinnon, 46, is autistic. He admits hacking into Pentagon and NASA computers under the pseudonym "Solo" but said he was looking for evidence of UFOs. Earlier this month, Britain has refused to release him into U.S. custody.
Impact: The case has set a precedent for countries to ignore extradition treaties. It has also raised questions about the treatment of hackers with disabilities.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Please follow SAI: Enterprise on Twitter and Facebook.
