I've sort of followed the adventures of Mitnick since I became interested in computers but this book makes it all very plain for everyone to see. Sure, knowing the computer operating systems and how things work are important for the hacker but the most important factor by far is the ability to do a little social engineering and convince people it is necessary to give you information and access. Mitnick was the champ of this type of confidence game that did wonders for his reputation and got him into many systems thought to be secure. He even "social engineered" other hackers. In the end, he served quite a bit of prison time for his crimes, most of which were harmless. He never stole money, just information/programs and never really did anything with his booty, it was just a prize. He kind of got railroaded and now he is a legitimate security consultant. His hacking "hobby" brought security issues to the forefront but you have to wonder how many places are still vulnerable to the guy who acts like an internal employee and asks for a favor.
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