Fosdick: A 27-Year-Old Hacker's Insights on Hacking and Data

Fosdick, who goes by various names online, is a 27-year-old hacker who works as a programming engineer. He began hacking at age 10 after his father, a prominent judicial official in the East Coast city where he grew up, bought him . . . Fosdick, who goes by various names online, is a 27-year-old hacker who works as a programming engineer. He began hacking at age 10 after his father, a prominent judicial official in the East Coast city where he grew up, bought him his first computer. Within five months of receiving it, Fosdick hacked into a bank. From there he progressed to phone companies, utilities, and government systems. Most of the time, he says, he just looks at data, but he has occasionally altered it. He usually downloads whatever files interest him, then sifts through the info while sipping coffee at Starbucks. We spoke to him via IRC about his activities. We are withholding his real name at his request.

PCW: When you hacked into the bank at age 10, what did you do?

Fosdick: I mostly looked around at FedEx transfers, wire transfers, bank account information. I didn't want to screw anything up. The thought, of course, entered my mind to change data, but I couldn't have if I wanted to back then--it was an operating system I wasn't familiar with ... just a jumble of impressive-looking numbers.

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