Ghost in the Wires

My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker

By: Kevin Mitnick, William L. Simon

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's summary

Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world’s biggest companies—and however fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. He spent years skipping through cyberspace, always three steps ahead and labeled unstoppable. But for Kevin, hacking wasn’t just about technological feats—it was an old fashioned confidence game that required guile and deception to trick the unwitting out of valuable information.

Driven by a powerful urge to accomplish the impossible, Mitnick bypassed security systems and blazed into major organizations including Motorola, Sun Microsystems, and Pacific Bell. But as the FBI’s net began to tighten, Kevin went on the run, engaging in an increasingly sophisticated cat-and-mouse game that led through false identities, a host of cities, plenty of close shaves, and to an ultimate showdown with the feds, who would stop at nothing to bring him down.

Ghost in the Wires is a thrilling true story of intrigue, suspense, and unbelievable escape and a portrait of a visionary whose creativity, skills, and persistence forced the authorities to rethink the way they pursued him, inspiring ripples that brought permanent changes in the way people and companies protect their most sensitive information.

©2011 Kevin Mitnick. Foreword 2011 by Steve Wozniak (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Intriguing, insightful, and extremely educational into the mind of one who truly mastered the art of social engineering with the use of a computer and modern-day technologies. I strongly believe that one can learn a great deal about protecting themselves once they understand how another one perpetrates the crime.” (Frank W. Abagnale, author of Catch Me If You Can)

Unbelievable

Thrilling. Exciting. This NEEDS to be a series! I was hooked from the start, Kevin really was a computer/phone magician. What id do to meet this guy and pick his brain.

Decently entertaining with a good narrator

What did you love best about Ghost in the Wires?

Ray Porter - his inflections and reading are spot on. He makes it seem as though this is his memoir. He's been good in others and so-so in some but this was perfect material for him. Enjoyable listen. Parts of this could have been insanely boring but the authors and narrator did a good job conveying the technical details with out putting you to sleep.

What other book might you compare Ghost in the Wires to and why?

Not really a book but as others have noted, this is the geek version of Catch Me If You Can.

Any additional comments?

The author (Mitnick) is arrogant, yes. That's his personality and what enabled him to pull off most of what he did so there's no way to take that out of the book. And a bit whiny. But looking past that, it's quite fascinating what he was able to talk people into and what info he could talk them out of.

Fantastic this is a winner.

Great story great narration. Kevin Mitnick is obviously a bright guy who has some issues. Glad he is on the good guys side.

could not get enugh

me and my daughter couldn't get enugh. while driving around doing errands and bring her to dance practice, we would sit in the parking spot not wanting to stop until the chapter ended. truly an amazing story.

A great read!

Love this book (actually not quite finished). Fascinating account of Kevin Mitnick's remarkable career as a fugitive hacker. Reads like a thriller. Ray Porter does a great job as the reader, as well.

Impossible to resist.

This book was utterly thrilling from start to finish. Both writer and narrator did a great job. My favourite part is that Kevins descriptions of his hacking can be understood by anyone, but the more technical knowledge you have, the more "Aha!" moments you will have.

Kevin Mitnick went through a lot. Read this story!

Would you consider the audio edition of Ghost in the Wires to be better than the print version?

I own a copy of both & I think both versions are very good. Worth reading twice!

What about Ray Porter’s performance did you like?

Ray Porter has an enthusiastic voice. This is the first time I heard him read, but during the audio edition, I felt like Kevin was reading directly to me.

If you could give Ghost in the Wires a new subtitle, what would it be?

The Autobiography of the world's first major hacker!

Fantastic read (listen)

If you could sum up Ghost in the Wires in three words, what would they be?

Amazingly thoroughly captivating

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Ray Porter's enthusiasm as if he were Kevin. I felt as though I was in the room with Kevin.

Which character – as performed by Ray Porter – was your favorite?

Kevin

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Deja Vu.

Any additional comments?

Kevin's insatiable desire to learn and undaunting quest for knowledge is inspiring. Ray Porter's reading is fantastic. I listened to this book at 1.5X speed. Ray's clarity and enthusiasm as well as the style of writing made every moment amazingly coherent and exciting.

Instructive and entertaining

This book takes readers through a fascinating world where regular phone communications become magic. It shows how we fear what we do not understand. It is a great read and highly educational

Interesting story but very techical

Any additional comments?

This story is good to listen to. I got tuned into it and didn't skip any parts. I felt like some parts were too technical. Lots of computer and telephone jargon. The story itself is pretty entertaining, but the best part is the end. Everything turned out to be like a fairytale for this guy, despite the criminal record, which is pretty inspiring. Definitely would recommend it to others.