The Art of Deception

It's just cool when someone's personality shines through in their writing. Kevin Mitnick is the kind of guy who, I imagine, never gave a rat's ass about anyone or anything before he got caught, and didn't really change that much after he spent time in prison. I think he's grown and become perhaps a bit more tactful about the way he uses his mighty power and influence, but at the core he's a punk. Pissed off, arrogant, and powerful. Which is that's why I relate to him and seriously connected with this book. When you are aware of how easy it is to obtain power over someone simply by misguiding their understanding of who you are, you are in a position of relative power. And what's to say how you will use it or for what purpose. And if you are lucky (cursed?) enough to discover it at a young age, what's going to keep you from abusing it? You know, before your sensibilities are tempered a bit by the consequences of your actions... Anyway, this book lit me up. I was pissed, worried, empowered, and thrilled to read it.

Sorry to go into so much commentary without a description of the book itself. The Art of Deception is a series of "case studies" which are used to illustrate the massive vulnerability in our security systems that has nothing to do with the technology involved. Human gullibility and deceptive criminals. The studies are real (they have to be), frightening, sobering and really fun to read.


The Art of Deception: Controlling the Human Element of Security

Rating for The Art of Deception: 6 / 10