Best hack?

[FOX-]

Alright, I'm new here, so let me start off by asking a question.

What was the best hack of all time? I want ot hear about some deep magic. I am not talking about the one that was most publicised, and I do not want to hear about whatshisname that went by Mafiaboy, or any other little script kiddies. And this is not the thread to talk about what you saw in a movie. Serious answers only. I know, alot of rules, but I'm trying to filter out the BS.

[CP99]

I think the guy who hacked his lawnmower to do 75 mph was pretty great.

[Floydr47]

The guy who hacked himself and deleted his own hard drive gets my vote.....

[CP99]

The guy who hacked himself and deleted his own hard drive gets my vote.....

HAH, i read that, funnyest damn thing ever read that week, woulda been nice to have a better translation eh?

[TheCotMan]

What was the best hack of all time?

That is tough. If you limit it to Personal Computers, I would have to say that the Dirty-Room/Clean-Room attack on IBM-PC BIOS to make IBM Clones possible and create competition in the marketplace for cheaper personal computers, was pretty big. It was a hack in the world of Reverse Engineering [1][2], and a hack in the Legal System, and a hack in the Business World, and without it, we would probably not see the same kind of system compatability for PCs.

The effect of this in business, our legal system, and computers is still felt today. That is pretty big!

There are so many really big, and good hacks that I could probably think of a few that are even better than the above if I thought about it more.

[CP99]

Id also have to say, Oldschool phone phreaking. Back in the day anything was posible.

[astcell]

The besthack has probaly not yet been discovered. Even Kevin Mitnick was unknown at one time.

I think if Stanley Rifkin had kept his mouth shut, he'd have been the best. (Google for Cuckoo's Egg)

[Second]

I recently read "The Art of Deception". I thought it was good, some cool stories in there.

[theCount]

Best non-computer hack

I'd say the best hack of all time is when Jasper Maskelyne "moved" Alexandria and "hid" the Suex Canal in World War 2, as well as turning a thousand tanks into lorries, and 2000 lorries into tanks before the battle of El Alamein.

I think that is the epitome of ingenuity.

[bascule]

Two things come to mind.

In the traditional usage, I'd say Unix is probably the greatest hack ever.

In the contemporary usage, I'd have to say the CIA supplying faulty chips to target a Soviet gas pipeline is likely the greatest...

[KeLviN]

Alright, I'm new here, so let me start off by asking a question.

What was the best hack of all time? I want ot hear about some deep magic.

I H4x0r3d your mom... does that count?

[Dr. Z2A]

The Paris Hilton thing was pretty 1337.

But I have to say that a guy putting linux on his toaster was even 1337er that that. I'd post a link but I don't have it.

[astcell]

Would this guy count?

Here is a little clip...


World's biggest hacker held
By Rob Singh, Evening Standard
8 June 2005

A London man described as the "world's biggest computer hacker" has been arrested.

Gary McKinnon, 39, was seized by the Met's extradition unit at his Wood Green home.

The unemployed former computer engineer is accused of causing the US government $1billion of damage by breaking into its most secure computers at the Pentagon and Nasa. He is likely to be extradited to America to face eight counts of computer crime in 14 states and could be jailed for 70 years.


Anyone recognize him?

[theCount]

I do think he has a striking resemblance with Aphex Twin.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4071708.stm for more news on the boy, with links to articles just after his indictment in 2002.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4072938.stm for "an insight into the mindset of a hacker," apparently.

[Voltage Spike]

I do think he has a striking resemblance with Aphex Twin.

I'm glad you said something. My first reaction was that Richard James had moved on from driving Abrams tanks to cracking government computers ... although I'm sure the results would be quite entertaining while remaining rather subdued.