Takedown: The Pursuit and Capture of Kevin Mitnick, America's Most Wanted Computer Outlaw - By the Man Who Did It

by Tsutomu Shimomura, John Markoff

The dramatic true story of the capture of the world's most wanted cyberthief by brilliant computer expert Tsutomu Shimomura, describes Kevin Mitnick's long computer crime spree, which involved millions of dollars in credit card numbers and corporate trade secrets. Reprint. NYT.

Genres: Nonfiction, Computers, Hackers, History, Crime, Technology, True Crime

336 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

Reviews

[C M · Rating 1 out of 5]

MY ACURA
MY HOT GIRLFRIEND
ME
ME
ME ME ME ME
I
ME ME
MY MY MIIIINE

90% of the author patting himself on the back for being such an awesome human being, 10% interesting story about Mitnick's capture.

[Courtney · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is 50% name dropping, 50% dumbed down analogies about computer technology, and 50% why Shimomura is the smartest guy in the room.

Shimomura admits that Mitnick was not a technologically amazing hacker. Most of Mitnick's successes came from social engineering. And the "hunt" itself basically amounted to following bread crumbs.

[Nick Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

hehehe, so very self-serving. shimomura ought have focused more on his skillful work and less on his snowboarding and big pimpin'. what a douchebag.

[Doug · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because I'm a computer professional, and I was a big fan of the movie. But the book suffers from Tsutomu's lack of objectivity.

The story of the *movie* is: Silicon Valley hotshot learns deep and valuable life lessons while getting taken down a peg by a greasy computer genius.

The story of the *book* is: Poor Tsutomu. Even after co-opting the entire California academic computing community (without pay), the lowlife shittiness of Kevin Mitnick somehow allows him to evade capture. The FBI is too stupid to help.

Another thing that the movie has over the book: Skeet Ulrich.

A good, solid half of the book is made up of ultra-detailed descriptions of various security analysts carpooling in various cars on their way to various defunct California restaurants. I really don't care.

Oh, and we're supposed to sympathize with him as his young, athletic good looks lure a young woman into several beds and hot tubs while she struggles with her relationship with a much older man.

...But it was cool to hear about VMS and tarballs from back in the day.

[SallyStenger]

I decided to read this book after having read a book called Ghost in the Wires, written by Kevin Mitnick, the notorious computer hacker who was apprehended in 1995. Takedown recounts the story from the point of view of Tsutomu Shimomura (with John Markoff). He is the computer expert who was hacked by Mitnick and succeeded in tracking him down, in conjunction with the FBI. The book is a little bit like the Cuckoo's Egg. I didn't feel it was quite as good as either Ghost in the Wires or the Cuckoo's Egg, but it was still pretty interesting. After Mitnick's having escaped apprehension for a number of years, Shimomura was able to track him down in a fairly short period of time. Shimomura was hacked on Christmas Day 1994 and less than two months later, February 14, 1995, Mitnick was apprehended. The FBI is presented as being something of a slowpoke. I think one weakness of the book is its handling of Shimomura's romantic relationship. The author tells just enough to be tantalizing and little enough so that it is confusing. I feel it was rather distracting from the main story.

[NobodySpecial · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the Dutch version of Takedown. Although it is an interesting story about the hunt for Kevin Mitnick, I was more interested in the technical aspects of the story then the writing. This may never become a classic or a top-10 book for me, but regarding hacking, social engineering and security related issues, this is a pretty okay book. Though I must say that I will still prefer The Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll!

[Ken · Rating 1 out of 5]

Man, what a crappy book. For one, I was rooting for Mitnick. And Shimomura comes across as such a self-aggrandizing douchebag. I hated him throghout the book. Stoll's "Cuckoo's Egg" is much better, even though he too comes across as rather pleased with himself and you don't get to hear the other side.

[Joe White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review Takedown 8/11/14

Tsutomu Shimomura
4 stars; with serious reservations

If you can make it through the first half of this book, then the end does become more of a suspenseful thriller based loosely on facts. Tsutomu's arrogance and his revelations regarding personal preferences in food and recreation require a reader attention work-around. The issues with Julia and John Gilmore were a grating waste of paper. She must have brought something to the table for Tsutomu, but the reader may be shouting “move on” and lets skip this nonsense. I was thinking in more harsh terms.

Although the book is 20 + years old, it delineates communication and privacy issues that have only recently become of paramount concern to some users of today's communications and file storage
systems.

Tsutomu seemed ok with the NSA having the ability to inspect communication and storage systems. I think he may have understated their desire to inspect every aspect of peoples lives. The rest of the bureaucratic landscape of the general business world, the FBI, and the legal system gets a well rewarded scornful mention.

Documented security weaknesses in nearly every system that existed then, can only make the reader appreciate that security today doesn't stand a chance, and is probably no more than a reactive patch to serious issues in design which still haven't been addressed in the last 25 years.

[David · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shimomura has a huge ego. It's plastered all over this book. You will never again see the term "ankle-biter" this many times in print (unless somebody publishes something called "Ankle-Bite!: An Ankle-Biter's Tale of Ankle-Biting").

If anyone reads this book, please count the number of times "ankle-biter" is used and give us the tally. Inquiring minds want to know!

[Adam Lippman · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book when it came out, and just ordered another copy to read it again. it was action packed and techy! i'm also going to read kevin's own account, ghost in the wires!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book for someone seeking a real-life story regarding hacking and cyber security in a plain-spoken manner. It's weighed down with quite a few unnecessary details about what Tsutomu and his team experienced during the track down of Kevin Mitnick, but still interesting and a decent presentation of technical details for those without advanced technical knowledge.

[Detlef · Rating 1 out of 5]

A big fan of Kevin Mitnick, I wanted to read all I could, even the hyperbole. This book and film contained so many errors among the few facts they mustered that were true, most of this account has been utterly refuted by the FBI and Kevin himself.

[Muramura · Rating 1 out of 5]

Shimomura is just another egoistic duch. He thinks too great of himself as he went to Princeton, CALTECH, but that's because of his dad, not because of his own skill set and this book is a clean signature for it. Period.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Movie was better then book.

[StrangeAeons · Rating 3 out of 5]

Worth a curiosity read as a flipside to Mitnick's own "Ghost in the Wires".

Am I in the minority in thinking that both Shimomura and Mitnick are operating on the same self-aggrandizing level?

[Harris Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

"In the crypto world, this is great news I want to share. Last year, I fell victim to a scam disguised as a safe investment option. I have invested in crypto trading platforms for about 10yrs thinking I was ensuring myself a retirement income, only to find that all my assets were either frozen, I believed my assets were secure — until I discovered that my BTC funds had been frozen and withdrawals were impossible. It was a devastating moment when I realized I had been scammed, and I thought my Bitcoin was gone forever, Everything changed when a close friend recommended the Capital Crypto Recover Service. Their professionalism, expertise, and dedication enabled me to recover my lost Bitcoin funds back — more than €560.000 DEM to my BTC wallet. What once felt impossible became a reality thanks to their support. If you have lost Bitcoin through scams, hacking, failed withdrawals, or similar challenges, don’t lose hope. I strongly recommend Capital Crypto Recover Service to anyone seeking a reliable and effective solution for recovering any wallet assets. They have a proven track record of successful reputation in recovering lost password assets for their clients and can help you navigate the process of recovering your funds. Don’t let scammers get away with your hard-earned money – contact Email: Recoverycapital@fastservice.com
Phone CALL/Text Number: +1 (336) 390-6684 Contact: Capitalcryptorecover@zohomail.com
Website: https://recovercapital.wixsite.com/ca...

[Jeffery Vargas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hello to everyone, I'm Jefferey Vargas from Malta. My girlfriend ended our relationship for seemingly no reason and I came to understand that my financial struggles may have contributed to this, as a healthy relationship is difficult without money and aside from God, having more money is often seen as vital. For spellcasting, Lord Meduza is the right person to turn to. My girlfriend left me for another man due to my financial situation, but after connecting with Lord Meduza, he created a spell that not only brought my girlfriend back but also made me a lottery winner of €116 million by providing me with the 6 lucky numbers. Everything feels almost unreal but I assure you this is genuine and it's occurring. My life is incredibly beautiful and I owe my deepest appreciation to Lord Meduza as his efforts are the epitome of excellence.. I strongly encourage everyone to reach him for help via email: lordmeduzatemple@hotmail.com or you WhatsApp this number +1 807 907 2687.

[Elizab · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease four years ago. For over two years, I relied on Levodopa and several other medications, but unfortunately, the symptoms kept getting worse. The tremors became more noticeable, and my balance and mobility started to decline quickly. Last year, out of desperation and hope, I decided to try a herbal treatment program from NaturePath Herbal Clinic.
Honestly, I was skeptical at first, but within a few months of starting the treatment, I began to notice real changes. My movements became smoother, the tremors subsided, and I felt steadier on my feet. Incredibly, I also regained much of my energy and confidence. It’s been a life-changing experience I feel more like myself again, better than I’ve felt in years.If you or a loved one is struggling with Parkinson’s disease, I truly recommend looking into their natural approach. You can visit their website at www.naturepathherbalclinic.com. info@naturepathherbalclinic.com

[R. Scott Reath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable read if the author's ego can be overlooked at certain points. Still, the story is nothing less than gripping, informative and accurate. These lesser known crimes and trials were only discussed in hacker quarterlies like "2600". Of course, that's the frequency used for a child's whistle to fool payphone signal checks to ensure calls were paid for, but you likely already knew that. Let's get back to the book, there is some pontificating and self aggrandizing here, but it didn't ruin the overall product. There was a co-author to keep things balanced and interesting. Those early days of high level hacking were riveting, and Mitnick was a world-class practitioner. This book fills historical gaps in cybersecurity between when judges didn't understand and the reason for encryption today. It was a must read for me.

[Robert OKeefe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Struggled to the one-third mark of this 494-page book and gave up. The actual details of the initial hack into the author's computer systems and how he figured it out so he could plug it, isn't too bad. But the book is padded with so much aggrandizing of the author's personal life, that the main story gets lost. The reader knows Shimomura is brilliant and a cool dude because he proclaims it constantly. I expected a real-life, high-tech mystery, not a minute-by-minute account of the author's ski trips, including meals and the funky places he likes to stop at. The amount of non-important details and self-indulgences pile higher and higher until I decided I had better things to read with my time.

[Lizzy Johnson]

If you discovered you have been scammed the best way to get your money back is by contacting a recovery organization for help. Not many or all has the ability to help recover lost funds.
As we know every real thing on the internet has scammers hiding behind it to scam people.
i was a victim of scam and from what i experience in my search for help i would recommend you visit SHIELDSTRIDEHUB for help. They helped me recover my lost funds and am sure they can do the same for you.
[www] SHIELDSTRIDEHUB [COM]

[Juan Jesús · Rating 5 out of 5]

Esta novela como tal no es muy buena, el protagonista es un yo_yo para todo, yo se esto, yo hice aquello, etc. Y claro que tiene todo el merito de ubicarlo y soportar la burocracia para que le hicieran justicia. Pero lo interesante de esta obra es nos concientiza en el mundo de esas personas que dominan los codigos, los sistemas operativos, las redes y el Internet que son los hackers. Si lo que se describe en esta obra se podía hacer en los 90, en este 2020 se debe de haber multiplicado mucho mas, aunque tambien la seguridad se ha incrementado los ataques se siguen llevando a cabo y ahora somos mas concientes. Aunque no todos los hackers son malos hay que no confiarse y cambiar nuestras costumbres en línea y si te llega un correo de alguien desconocido, mejor no lo habras. A mi me gustó, si le entiendes un poco a la tecnología se va a hacer un poco mas digerible el libro. Recomendado.

[Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

An ok book about the hunt for Kevin Mitnick the legendary computer hacker. It follows the quest of one of the people who was hacked to get justice for the intrusion of his computer system. The book shows the FBI’s non knowledge of computer crimes and their reluctance to get involved at times. It is told strictly from Shimomura’s viewpoint and can be a bit tedious and slow moving at times.

[Mervi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of course the technology described is by now outdated, and the depth of technical details may not be interesting to everybody. It still describes the fixation Shimomura had for catching Mitnick. I'm not sure describing his not-so-usual relationship with a shared girlfriend adds to the central story, but it does demonstrate the variety in human behaviour. But how does he remember every meal he had during the operation? And why do we readers need to know? Maybe it again just demonstrates the variety of ways human brains are wired.

[Shane Larson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating story of the capture of the legendary Kevin Mitnik, basically the guy who put the term hacking into our modern vernacular. It took someone else with uncommon expertise with computers to help the FBI with this case. Kevin should’ve just left this guy’s personal server alone.

[Salim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprised that a journalist appears as co-author; the narrative has less focus than Mitnick’s own book, and is not especially flattering to any of the characters. The story itself is very interesting

[Deirdre · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book both very enlightening and entertaining. It's the first book I had ever read about computer hackers.

[David Antón Álvarez · Rating 4 out of 5]

No es para todo el mundo, te tiene que interesar el mundo de la informática y estar dispuesto a leer largas descripciones técnicas

[Johan · Rating 1 out of 5]

could not finish it. The story just does not resonate with me and is not interesting to read.

[Shy Writer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed the cat and mouse game very much..