Until 1995, when he was jailed for five years in a US federal prison, Kevin Mitnick was at the top of the FBI's "most wanted" list, yet he had killed no one, had no links with the Mafia, had never dealt in drugs, committed serial rape or held up a bank.. . .
Until 1995, when he was jailed for five years in a US federal prison, Kevin Mitnick was at the top of the FBI's "most wanted" list, yet he had killed no one, had no links with the Mafia, had never dealt in drugs, committed serial rape or held up a bank.

Yet he struck fear into the heart of the US Government and corporate America. He was, and remains, America's most notorious cyber criminal, a hacker of great skill who, according to the evidence against him, penetrated some of the most sensitive databases in the world, stole software worth millions of dollars and cost the US Government a fortune before he was caught.

Today, Mr Mitnick is the poacher turned gamekeeper.

Released from prison in January, 2000, he is still banned from using a computer, logging into the Internet, using e-mail or a mobile phone, a prohibition due to be lifted on January 20, 2003 unless, as his supporters suspect it may, the US Government presses further charges against him.