Avsnitt
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Cris Thomas, also known as Space Rogue, was a founding member of the legendary L0pht Heavy Industries — the hacker collective that famously told the U.S. Senate they could take down the internet in 30 minutes. He would go on to found the Hacker News Network, giving the underground a voice and warning the world how vulnerable it was. He told the full story in his award-winning book, Space Rogue.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:40 Who is Space Rogue?
2:58 Growing up in rural Maine
4:20 Parents' divorce and its lasting impact
5:44 Building flashlights from trash — early curiosity
7:33 Childhood trauma and turning to computers
11:38 Joining the Army and buying his first Mac
14:47 Discovering BBSs and the modem world
21:10 Origin of the "Space Rogue" handle
23:19 Working as a security guard at Lotus
24:34 Dialing into BBSs from the Lotus overnight shift
32:27 The Works, 2600 meetings, and meeting the crew
36:13 What hacker meetups were actually like
40:28 Working at CompUSA with future L0pht members
42:59 CDC vs L0pht — setting the record straight
46:26 How the L0pht actually formed
53:37 The MIT flea market
57:10 Paranoia about law enforcement and the hacker crackdowns
1:01:54 Finding vulnerabilities and responsible disclosure struggles
1:06:16 L0pht v1 to v2 — moving to Watertown and membership changes
1:13:47 Fondest L0pht memories
1:16:25 Realizing L0pht was famous at Beyond Hope
1:19:02 L0phtCrack, t-shirts, and turning the hobby into a business
1:23:06 The birth of Hacker News Network
1:28:36 Breaking stories and becoming the "Voice of Reason"
1:31:01 Legion of Underground declares cyber war
1:41:59 The Senate testimony — how it came about
1:44:42 Suits, a rented van, and the road trip to DC
1:49:46 Reflecting on the testimony's real impact
1:53:55 "Security is here, it's just unevenly distributed"
1:54:27 The security boom and the road to At Stake
2:00:12 The At Stake deal — "garage band or mega band?"
2:05:24 Getting fired from At Stake — losing his identity
2:13:13 The lost decade — depression and rebuilding
2:15:24 Tan's call that changed everything — HNN goes video
2:22:11 Writing the book — motivation, self-publishing, and healing
2:27:40 Legacy and impact
2:29:42 Closing
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Rob Knake's fingerprints are all over modern cyber policy. As White House Director for Cybersecurity Policy, he helped craft the nation’s most significant cybersecurity strategy in nearly two decades and guided the response to major national cyber incidents. He’s advised presidents, shaped global cyber norms, co-authored two influential books on cyber conflict, and served as a senior fellow at Harvard and the Council on Foreign Relations.
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
03:15 - Growing Up with New Deal Democrats
06:30 - "To Whom Much Is Given, Much Is Required."
10:45 - Choosing Public Service Over Corporate Law
14:20 - Education at Connecticut College
18:30 - Democracy, Capitalism & Fukuyama's End of History
22:10 - Coast Guard Internship & Steve Flynn's Influence
27:45 - Richard Clarke & Early Cyber Policy Work
32:20 - The Emergence of Cyber as a National Security Threat
36:40 - From Good Harbor Consulting to Government Service
40:15 - Working on Counterterrorism at DHS
44:30 - The Bin Laden Raid Era & Shifting to Cyber
48:20 - Joining the Obama White House NSC
52:45 - Life as an NSC Staffer - Long Hours & Mission
56:30 - Stuxnet & Understanding Real-World Cyber Threats
01:00:15 - The Failed 2011 Cybersecurity Legislation
01:04:40 - Executive Order 13636 & The NIST Framework
01:09:20 - Operation Aurora & Chinese IP Theft
01:13:45 - Nudges vs Shoves - Voluntary vs Mandatory Security
01:18:30 - The Need for Cybersecurity Regulation
01:22:50 - Who Should Regulate & How to Regulate
01:27:10 - Software Liability & Outcome-Based Security
01:32:25 - The SolarWinds/Sunburst Attack Explained
01:37:40 - Private Equity's Impact on Cybersecurity
01:41:15 - The Failure of Collective Defense
01:45:30 - Government vs Private Sector Responsibility
01:52:20 - Why Government Can't Take Over Cyber Defense
01:58:45 - The Rise of Ransomware as a Threat
02:03:30 - Should We Ban Ransomware Payments?
02:08:15 - Corporate Hack-Back Operations
02:11:40 - Holding Nation-States Accountable for Ransomware
02:16:25 - Deterrence vs Resilience in Cyber Policy
02:22:10 - Are We Winning in Cybersecurity?
02:26:30 - AI's Impact on Cybersecurity
02:29:45 - Trump Administration & Potential Regulatory Changes
02:33:20 - The Public Sector Pay Gap Problem
02:38:50 - Current Work in the Private Sector
02:42:15 - Bridging the Hacker-Policy Divide
02:45:30 - Closing Thoughts
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Mohammed Bagha—who keeps his hacker handles anonymous and goes simply by ‘MB’—was one of the most feared hackers of the 1990s. With a larger-than-life online persona and the skills to back it up, he infiltrated corporate systems, telecom networks, and even the machines of other well-known hackers. He exposed their flaws, mocked their code, and dropped their secrets in public forums. But narrow misses with the law soon changed his path, and like many from that era, he turned his talents to defense—helping global companies strengthen their security and build lasting strategies.
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David Jacoby (aka “pewp”) is a pioneering Swedish hacker with over 30 years of influence in cybersecurity and hacker culture. From the early days of BBS systems, war dialing, and underground groups like Hack.se to connections with the Pirate Bay founders and the infamous CIA website hack, his journey shaped how hacking is viewed worldwide. He has been a technical advisor for the Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), starred in mainstream TV series like “Hacked”, founded Unreached AB, and now drives innovation as Chief Strategy Officer at Syndis in Iceland. Known for blending technical brilliance with cultural impact, Jacoby’s career reflects the evolution of hacking from underground curiosity to a force that redefined modern cybersecurity.
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Before he taught murderers how to play Dungeons & Dragons in Rikers, Jason Snitker, aka Parmaster, was one of the most prolific hackers on the planet. Trading exploits with groups across four continents, slipping into Citibank, and landing in Underground, the book co-written by Julian Assange before vanishing from the Secret Service for over two years.
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:05 Parmaster’s Origin Story
04:40 First Exposure to Computing
08:15 Learning Through Hacking
12:30 Meeting the Jedi Hackers
17:20 Mentorship from Gary Kildall
22:10 Early Hacker Communities
28:00 Hacking Techniques: Pad-to-Pad Exploit
34:45 Citibank Debit Card Breach
41:00 TRW and Killer Satellite Programs
47:25 Chaos, Soviets, and Hacker Wars
53:15 Life on the Run
01:01:00 Near Misses with the Secret Service
01:09:30 Arrest in New York
01:15:20 The Tombs and Rikers Island
01:21:45 Trial and Technicality
01:27:50 Transition to Cybersecurity Career
01:33:30 Reflections on Legacy
01:36:10 Closing
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From being the first to infiltrate hacking groups to going undercover in an Al Qaeda cell, Terry Rankhorn’s career shaped some of the FBI’s most critical moments in modern history. As a Supervisory Special Agent, he led covert entry teams across cyber, physical, and electronic access on some of the government’s most classified missions.
In this episode, part 2 of a two-part episode, Terry discusses the complexities of navigating the hacker community and the impact of undercover operations on trust within that community. This conversation delves into the experiences of an undercover agent who transitioned from investigating cybercrime to infiltrating Al-Qaeda operations. Terry also discusses the challenges and psychological aspects of undercover work, the importance of mentorship, and the evolution of cybercrime from curiosity-driven hacking to organized scams.
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Chapters:
00:00 The Evolution of Cybercrime and Undercover Operations
03:13 Navigating the FBI: From Training to Field Assignments
06:03 The Landscape of Domestic Terrorism in the 90s
08:53 Transitioning to Cybercrime: The Rise of Computer Intrusions
12:08 Building a Career in Cybercrime Investigations
15:01 The Undercover Experience: Infiltrating Hacker Groups
17:52 The Challenges of Attribution in Cybercrime
21:12 The First Major Cybercrime Case: A Learning Experience
23:50 The MagicFX Case: Legal Precedents in Cybercrime
27:13 The Aftermath of Undercover Operations: Trust Issues in the Hacker Community
01:03:59 The Prolific Hacker and His Malicious Streak
01:05:36 Transitioning to Al-Qaeda Investigations
01:07:11 Undercover Operations: Peeling the Onion
01:09:00 The Stress of Undercover Work
01:11:18 Building Trust in Dangerous Environments
01:12:29 Psychological Profiles and Undercover Success
01:14:07 Mentorship and Learning the Art of Undercover
01:16:33 The Complexity of Undercover Operations
01:18:27 Conversion to Islam: A Strategic Move
01:20:10 The Beauty and Perversion of Religion
01:22:30 The Impact of the Al-Qaeda Operation
01:23:06 Post-Al-Qaeda Operations and Safety Moves
01:25:02 The Tactical Operations Center
01:29:39 Training for Modern Undercover Operations
01:32:22 Operational Amnesia in the FBI
01:35:08 The Black Bag Program: Breaking In
01:39:09 Prioritizing Major Cases
01:42:29 The Thrill of Covert Operations
01:43:11 Transitioning to Supervisory Roles
01:49:12 Leaving the Bureau: A Personal Decision
01:50:46 Consulting and New Ventures
01:53:04 Virtual Safe House: A Community Initiative
01:56:44 The Evolution of Cybercrime
01:58:11 The Motivation Behind Sharing Experiences
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From being the first to infiltrate hacking groups to going undercover in an Al Qaeda cell, Terry Rankhorn’s career shaped some of the FBI’s most critical moments in modern history. As a Supervisory Special Agent, he led covert entry teams across cyber, physical, and electronic access on some of the government’s most classified missions.
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Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro, Undercover Ops & High-Stakes Hacking
00:06:00 From Rural Tennessee to FBI Legend
00:12:00 Tales from a Misfit Childhood
00:18:00 Mischief, Pranks, and Ethical Awakening
00:24:00 Why He Chose the Navy
00:30:00 Boot Camp Culture Shock & Mental Reset
00:36:00 Submarine School and Life Underwater
00:42:00 USS Honolulu: Elite Culture & Leadership
00:48:00 Commander's Intent & Periscope Pride
00:54:00 Deployments, Sacrifices & Camaraderie
01:00:00 Transition to Civilian Life & Reverse Engineering
01:06:00 Rediscovering the FBI Dream
01:12:00 FBI Application, Testing & Getting In
01:18:00 New Agent Training: Pain, Tests & Brotherhood
01:24:00 Injuries, Graduation & Swearing In
01:30:00 Meeting Amanda & Shared Military Background
01:36:00 Military Veterans in the FBI Today
01:42:00 Quantico's Legacy & FBI Academy History
01:48:00 Culture Clash in Training Styles
01:54:00 Reflections on Achievement & Fulfillment
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The History of Cybersecurity Told by Those Who Hacked It
Skyper, aka Eduart Steiner (not his real name), was the editor of Phrack Magazine between 2001 - 2006 (#57-#63), is a member of TESO and THC, and runs Segfault.net: free disposable root shells to fellow ‘activists.
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Chapters
00:00 Cold Open
2:42 A Cold War Household
10:45 No Toy Survives Curiosity
14:57 A Whole New World
20:18 One Box, Two Box, Red Box, Blue Box
29:38 Point of View
37:13 EFnet-ville
42:01 TESO
45:54 The OpenSSH Exploit
53:16 Criminals vs Criminals
56:21 Hacker Consortium
01:00:36 Script Kiddie Wars
01:03:55 THC & Phrack
01:08:51 Cannibalism
01:11:54 Scanning the Internet
01:15:54 From Nothing to Something
01:18:47 Cracking A/51
01:22:33 Detained at Heathrow Airport
01:28:17 IT Security, Revisited
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Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet”, this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.
#hacking #cybersecurity
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The History of Cybersecurity Told by Those Who Hacked It
Kingpin, aka Joe Grand, was the youngest member of the world's most well-known benevolent hacker group (L0pht Heavy Industries) who testified before the United States Congress, changed the hardware hacking landscape, brought electronics to #badgelife, and achieved mainstream popularity on national television.
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
02:41 Kingpin's Origin Story
10:30 George Happy W. Bush
15:57 Spring Break Woes at Dr. Death's
26:25 Turning the Corner...
31:43 L0pht Heavy Industries
46:58 L0pht Version 2
59:43 The United States Senate Testimony
01:15:25 atstake and Corporate America
01:24:38 Grand Idea Studio
01:28:22 Training and Evangelism
01:34:26 DefCon Badges
01:39:52 Prototype This!
01:46:12 Trezor Wallet Hacking
01:52:28 Cold Wallet
01:56:40 Neurodiversity and Mental Health
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Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet”, this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.
#hacking #cybersecurity
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The History of Cybersecurity Told by Those Who Hacked It
sangfroid, aka Ralph Logan, stumbled across the cDc, crossed paths with L0pht Industries, joined the emerging w00w00 group, and helped jockey The Honeynet Project before springboarding into a formidable cybersecurity career.
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Chapters
0:00 Cold Open
02:45 Texas Roots
07:12 Critical Care Burn Out
13:55 cDc on BBS
16:50 The Command & Conquer Job
21:30 2600
24:00 Shell Offshore
28:00 L0pht Introductions
31:59 Setting the Career Path
36:00 Boston
40:30 w00w00
47:00 Guardent, @stake, and Foundstone
56:30 The Business of Cybersecurity
01:03:05 Honeynet Project
01:06:45 Entrepreneurship
01:11:00 [redacted]
01:13:50 The Fake Music Festival
01:20:30 Warlocks Love
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Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet”, this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.
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The History of Cybersecurity Told by Those Who Hacked It
The long-awaited debut of WWSUL Episode 1 is live. In this episode, we interview Digital Jesus , a member of Phonemasters, a hacking group hunted by the FBI across Texas, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Colorado, California, Oregon, New York, Florida, Canada, Switzerland, and Italy.
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
02:48 Matt's Beginnings
10:47 The First Computer
18:00 Discovering Internet Relay Chat (IRC)
27:21 The First Disclosure
31:54 Early Days of Phonemasters
36:56 Pre-releasing CallerID
42:46 FBI vs Phonemasters
58:46 Phone Taps
01:02:09 Consulting
01:06:23 MaxVision
01:16:52 Western Integrated Networks
01:21:16 Growing the Family
01:24:03 Owning Up to Mistakes
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Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet”, this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.
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Where Warlocks Stay Up Late is an interview series dedicated to documenting the history of cybersecurity. Inspired by the seminal book “Where Wizards Stay Up Late: The Origins of the Internet”, this interview series aims to capture the stories, insights, and legacies of the pioneering figures who shaped the field of cybersecurity from its inception to the present day.
