The Cuckoo's Egg

Tracking a Spy Through the Maze of Computer Espionage

By: Cliff Stoll

Narrated by: Will Damron

Length: 12 hrs and 46 mins

Publisher's summary

Before the internet became widely known as a global tool for terrorists, one perceptive US citizen recognized its ominous potential. Armed with clear evidence of computer espionage, he began a highly personal quest to expose a hidden network of spies that threatened national security. But would the authorities back him up? Cliff Stoll's dramatic firsthand account is "a computer-age detective story, instantly fascinating [and] astonishingly gripping" - Smithsonian.

Cliff Stoll was an astronomer turned systems manager at Lawrence Berkeley Lab when a 75 cent accounting error alerted him to the presence of an unauthorized user on his system. The hacker's code name was "Hunter" - a mysterious invader who managed to break into US computer systems and steal sensitive military and security information. Stoll began a one-man hunt of his own: spying on the spy. It was a dangerous game of deception, broken codes, satellites, and missile bases - a one-man sting operation that finally gained the attention of the CIA...and ultimately trapped an international spy ring fueled by cash, cocaine, and the KGB.

©1989 Clifford Stoll (P)2020 Tantor

riveting!

Well written and choc-full of details, will delight even if not a techie. great story.

True Story cyber hunt

Story about how a small 75 cent in billing what turned out to be a rabbit deep within network. Talks about how his year long tracking of this culprit lead to his bosses wanting to stop the trace due to lack of support from government for prosecution to multiple 3 letter agencies wanting him to pursue the trace and probably the hundreds of pages he had printed out showing the hacker moves through the network all just to find out that the person behind it can't even be punish due to foreign state laws are lacking during this time. Even though this story is dated, its still relevant to an extent to today's internet and cyber criminals.

Overall good book

Starts really well, gets a bit dry and finishes somewhat lamely, but it's all real and gives insight into how computer networks used to be (and still are)

A Real Story About Computer Security

Good performance, sometimes a bit verbose when reading computer screen output, but a great story overall about the early years of cyber security that a lot of people can still learn something from.

Classic cyber tale but longwinded

Great narration, story could have left out much of the repetitive middle section (hacked, traced, hacked, traced). Long, long buildup to a ho-hum ending. Epilogue is a more exciting than the main story. Still, not a bad tale and it's cyber canon.

just can't stop listening

the writing was so vivid you can see the image clearly in front of you.

Accurate

Excellent storytelling about real events. Funny thing is over 30yrs later these same issues, lateral movement, are still a thing.

Cannot put this thing down!

So glad this finally came out in audiobook format. It is one of the best books written on computer hacking out there.

A story 35 years old but...

A story 35 years old, but events just like it take place even today! Very interesting story on the early days of cyber security. A simpler time. I am glad Cliff got this book made in an audio book format.

Not just jacket chase

I like this story. It is both entertaining and educational. I like the side stories about Cliff's life.