This article lists the top 9 most dangerous hackers in history. Here's a concise summary of each:
1. David Smith: Created the Melissa virus in 1999, which caused $80 million in damages.
2. Kevin Mitnick: Infamous hacker who stole millions of dollars' worth of information from companies like Motorola and IBM.
3. Sven Jaschan: Created the Sasser and Netsky viruses, which infected over 15 million computers.
4. Gary McKinnon: Hacked into NASA and Pentagon computers to search for evidence of extraterrestrial life.
5. Luz Security: A group of hackers who stole over a million Sony user accounts and accessed CIA and NASA systems.
6. Vladimir Levin: Stole over $10 million from Citibank in 1994.
7. King Vision: Stole over $86 million through a Trojan horse virus.
8. Albert Gonzalez: Stole over $130 million from bank accounts and sold the information on the dark web.
9. Astra (real name unknown): A 60-year-old mathematician who stole data on military weapons and aircraft from the French assault group and sold it to different countries, causing one of the largest data thefts in history.
These hackers have caused significant damage and disruption to individuals, companies, and governments, highlighting the importance of cybersecurity and the need for vigilance in the digital age.
Here are the key facts from the text:
1. David Smith created the Melissa macro virus in 1999.
2. The Melissa virus attacked Microsoft Office documents and spread to up to 150 people on a user's contact list.
3. The virus caused $80 million in damages.
4. Kevin Mitnick breached and stole information from Motorola, Nokia, IBM, and other telephone companies.
5. Mitnick used deception to gain access to systems, rather than force.
6. Sven Jaschan created viruses that infected over 15 million computers.
7. Jaschan's viruses were designed to eliminate other worms, but ended up causing 70% of all infections in 2004.
8. A $250,000 reward was offered for information about Jaschan.
9. Gary McKinnon and Matthew Bevan hacked into NASA and Pentagon computers to find evidence of alien life.
10. They succeeded in breaching security systems, but their actions could have led to a serious misunderstanding.
11. A group called Luz Security stole over 1 million accounts from Sony users in 2011.
12. They also breached the CIA's website and obtained personal data from NASA workers.
13. Vladimir Levin accessed the Citibank network and made transfers worth over $10 million in 1994.
14. Interpol located Levin and he was sentenced to 3 years in prison and fined $200,000.
15. King Vision, also known as the "Iceman," stole $86 million by creating a Trojan to access Citibank's network.
16. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison and fined almost $30 million.
17. Albert Gonzalez, also known as "soupnazi," stole over $130 million by accessing bank accounts and auctioning off the information.
18. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.
19. Astra, a 60-year-old mathematician from Greece, inserted himself into the French assault group and stole data on military weapons and aircraft.
20. He sold the data to different countries and was responsible for one of the largest data thefts in history, worth $360 million.