Kevin Mitnick (1963–2023): The Most Infamous Hacker of All Time

Updated September 2026. Kevin Mitnick died on July 16, 2023, at age 59. We’ve updated this profile with his death and legacy, corrected details of his case, and added answers to common questions. You can also read our 2023 report on his death.

Long before the internet became part of daily life, hackers were already probing phone networks, corporate computers and the people who ran them. Few of them became as famous as Kevin Mitnick.

In the 1990s, Mitnick was the most wanted computer hacker in the United States. After prison, he rebuilt his life as a security consultant, author and speaker who taught companies how attackers manipulate people. His story sits at the center of the history of cybersecurity.

Early life and first hacks

Kevin David Mitnick was born on August 6, 1963, in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California.

At 12, he used what we now call social engineering. He persuaded a bus driver to tell him where to buy a ticket punch, saying it was for a school project. He then used discarded transfer slips from a dumpster near the bus garage to ride Los Angeles buses for free.

In 1979, at 16, he got into the Ark, a computer system that Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) used to develop its RSTS/E operating system. He copied DEC’s software. He was convicted for this in 1988 and sentenced to 12 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Life as a fugitive

Near the end of his supervised release, Mitnick hacked into Pacific Bell voicemail computers. When a warrant was issued for his arrest, he fled. He spent about two and a half years as a fugitive.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, he gained unauthorized access to dozens of computer networks during that time. He used cloned cellular phones to hide his location, copied proprietary software from major cellphone and computer companies, intercepted passwords, and read private email.

Much of his success came from talking, not code. In his memoir Ghost in the Wires, Mitnick describes calling companies, posing as an employee, and persuading staff to hand over information. Those phone-based tricks later became the core of his security training.

Arrest and prison

After a widely publicized pursuit, the FBI arrested Mitnick on February 15, 1995, at his apartment in Raleigh, North Carolina. Agents found cloned phones, more than 100 cloned cellphone codes, and false identification.

In 1999, he pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud, two counts of computer fraud, and one count of illegally intercepting a wire communication. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison, plus 22 months for violating his earlier supervised release.

In total, Mitnick spent about five years in prison, including roughly four and a half years before trial and eight months in solitary confinement. He was released on January 21, 2000.

His supervised release lasted until January 2003. At first, he was barred from using almost any communications technology other than a landline phone. His plea deal also barred him from profiting from books or films about his crimes for seven years.

The case was controversial. Supporters argued that his punishment was excessive and that the claimed losses were inflated. The media coverage of his pursuit is still cited as an example of how hype can shape a criminal case.

From hacker to security consultant

After his release, Mitnick became a security consultant, author and public speaker. He testified before the U.S. House Committee on Financial Services in 2003 about computer security and identity theft.

He ran Mitnick Security Consulting, which performed penetration testing and social engineering assessments. In 2011 he joined security awareness company KnowBe4, where he was Chief Hacking Officer and part owner.

He co-wrote four widely read books:

• The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security (2002)
• The Art of Intrusion: The Real Stories Behind the Exploits of Hackers, Intruders and Deceivers (2005)
• Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker (2011)
• The Art of Invisibility: The World’s Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data (2017)

Death

Kevin Mitnick died of pancreatic cancer on July 16, 2023, at age 59, after a 14-month illness. KnowBe4 and his family announced his death on July 20, 2023. He was survived by his wife, Kimberley, who was pregnant with their first child.

Our news report from the time, Kevin Mitnick, the Notorious Hacker Who Became an Author and Security Consultant, Dies at 59, has more on the reaction to his death.

Legacy

Mitnick’s lasting contribution is the idea that people are often the weakest link in security. The Art of Deception helped make social engineering a mainstream topic, and much of today’s security awareness and phishing-simulation training builds on the tactics he described.

His case also helped shape how the U.S. handled computer crime in the 1990s, and it raised public awareness of network security. For many people in the field, his journey from fugitive to trusted advisor showed that hacking skills could be turned toward defense. If you’re thinking about that path yourself, see our guide to transitioning to a cybersecurity career.

The tricks Mitnick used by phone still work today through email, text and social media. Our social media security guide shows how to spot and resist modern social engineering. For daily news on the latest attacks, sign up for the CyberExperts Daily Brief.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• KnowBe4, “Kevin David Mitnick (Aug 6, 1963 – July 16, 2023)”: blog.knowbe4.com
• AP News, “Kevin Mitnick, hacker and FBI-wanted felon turned security guru, dead at 59”: apnews.com
• Wikipedia, Kevin Mitnick (case history, plea and sentence details): en.wikipedia.org
• Kevin Mitnick with William L. Simon, Ghost in the Wires (Little, Brown, 2011)
• Mitnick Security Consulting: mitnicksecurity.com

Donald Korinchak, MBA, PMP, CISSP, SecurityX, ITILv3

Donald Korinchak is a Cybersecurity Professional in the Washington DC area. Donald holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh Katz School of Business. Donald is considered a thought leader in business, leadership, and cybersecurity issues.