Year 1983: Kevin Mitnick Gets Arrested For Illegally Accessing The ARPANET

Introduction

Kevin Mitnick’s unparalleled hacking skills has cemented his status as one of the greatest hackers of all time, making him a focal point of our hacking series and sparking a wealth of captivating tales about his life. A legend in the hacking world, Mitnick earned the infamous title of “America’s Most Wanted Computer Outlaw” through his daring exploits in cybersecurity. In previous installments of our series, we have explored his remarkable yet notorious achievements in this field. Today, we will dig deep into the hacking incident that ultimately landed him behind bars. Get ready for an eye-opening journey through the life of a true cyber rebel!

Kevin Mitnick Hacks the ARPANET

In our previous blogs, we have talked in-depth about Kevin Mitnick’s remarkable feat in 1979 when he successfully breached the Digital Equipment Corporation’s (DEC) Ark System. At just 16 years old, hacking into such a prestigious corporation’s system was an exceptional achievement. Remarkably, Mitnick’s intentions were not malicious. He executed this plan simply because his friends challenged him to. His intentions were driven more by the thrill of the chase than any ulterior motives. The execution of the hack went smoothly until one friend’s girlfriend revealed their actions. Despite the potentially serious consequences of their breach, Mitnick, being a juvenile at the time, escaped any legal repercussions. However, this incident marked the end of his immunity based on age, as subsequent events would demonstrate.

Given Mitnick’s early inclination towards hacking and infiltrating computer networks, it’s unsurprising that he found it challenging to resist engaging in computer-related mischief. By 1983, Mitnick found himself enrolled at the University of South Carolina. During this time, ARPANET, the precursor to the modern Internet, was a hot topic and also a prime target for individuals like Mitnick. Honestly, if I had been a hacker, ARPANET would have been on my target list too! But jokes apart, ARPANET was one of the era’s most prominent technological advancements. With its significance in military, corporate, and academic circles, it drew the attention of hackers seeking to test their skills and explore its vulnerabilities. 

Mitnick, being one of those hackers, illegally accessed the ARPANET by hacking into one of the Pentagon’s computers. For those unfamiliar, the Pentagon serves as the headquarters of the U.S. Department of Defence. Now can you imagine why entering into the Pentagon’s system was such a big deal? The Pentagon’s systems did not have some usual employee or client files. It contained comprehensive information on the operations and personnel of the Department of Defence, making it one of the most protected systems of its time. Despite the protection, Mitnick managed to enter into the network using a computer at his university.

The Fallout of Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick’s intrusion into the Pentagon’s system was detected by a system administrator, who alerted the authorities immediately. Their investigation into the matter led them to Kevin Mitnick and he was arrested inside the campus. Later on, he was found guilty as charged and served his first sentence for a cybercrime. He then spent six months in a young adult detention centre.

The breach highlighted the poor security measures being taken at the Pentagon. Hence, in response, the authorities at the Pentagon implemented enhanced security measures to protect their systems and the ARPANET, so that history does not repeat itself. This episode also served as a wake-up call for military and government agencies to bolster their cybersecurity protocols. At the time of the breach, the systems were new and so was the ARPANET. People were just starting to familiarize themselves with the new technology when this incident took place. But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining. Here the silver lining was that major corporations and agencies learnt valuable lessons from this breach, leading to strict measures being implemented to protect their networks.