We live in a world where virtually everything is controlled by computers. This is why developers around the world are continuously trying to improve the security and make systems impregnable. But no matter how advanced the security systems become, there will always be people trying to break into them and some of them will eventually succeed. Hackers and computers go a long way back together. Here is a roundup of the most infamous hackers of all time.
1.Gary McKinnon
Between February 2001 and March 2002, Scottish hacker Gary McKinnon hacked into around hundred American Military systems while trying to unearth information about UFOs. McKinnon claims that he was able to access images of potential alien space crafts during his hacks, although his internet connection was too slow to actually download the photograph. He was arrested and a procedure for his extradition was initiated. But he was able to elude it after a decade long legal battle in the UK.
2.John McAfee
John McAfee is an American programmer and developer of first commercial anti-virus program- McAfee Antivirus. His wealth peaked to $100 million before it was reduced significantly by Global Economic Crisis of 2007 following which he moved to Belize to research on all natural antibiotics. But following a dispute with the Belizean authorities, McAfee hacked into Belizean Government System to get back at them and found evidence of politicians involved in various illicit crimes like drug running, corruption, money laundering etc. He then fled to Guatemala and finally returned to the Us in 2013.
3.Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak is an American inventor, programmer and technology entrepreneur who cofounded Apple Inc. Steve himself admitted to have done hacking for joke or ethical purposes like security testing. While he never hacked a computer with malicious intentions, he was in fact expelled from the University of California for gaining access to the college systems. His other hacking activities include the invention of Blue Box Devices which enabled him and his friends to get free long distance phone calls which he once used to call the Pope.
4.Kristina Svechinskaya
Kristina, apart from her extra ordinary good looks, gained attention for being a part of a Russian hacking module who defaulted some of the biggest banks in the world. Kristina and her accomplices targeted thousands of bank accounts in Britain and the US to skim around $3 million using a Zeus Trojan Horse. She was caught and charged for the crime. But despite getting 40 years in prison, she was surprisingly released and put on a watch list.
5.The Anonymous
Anonymous is the name of a decentralized hacktivist group famous for carrying out hackings in support of some social and political events. They use a Guy Fawkes mask as an icon for their group. It originated in 2003 0n the image bound 4chan. the Anonymous collective became increasingly associated with collaborative hacktivism on a number of issues internationally and soon transformed itself into an online vigilante service seeking justice on the web. The group has been associated with many high profile hackings such as Church of Scientology, PayPal etc. the group uses a very catchy tagline- “We are Anonymous. We are Legion. We do not forgive. We do not forget. Expect us.”
So these were the “guys and girls” we thought were the 5 most infamous hackers of all time. Do you agree? Did we miss someone? Let us know through your comments. You can also check top 10 hacker movie list to fill your thirst for excitement here.