Cuckoo's Egg
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4.7 • 126 Ratings
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- $13.99
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
Before the Internet became widely known as a global tool for terrorists, one perceptive U.S. citizen recognized its ominous potential. Armed with clear evidence of computer espionage, he began a highly personal quest to expose a hidden network of spies that threatened national security. But would the authorities back him up? Cliff Stoll's dramatic firsthand account is "a computer-age detective story, instantly fascinating [and] astonishingly gripping" (Smithsonian).
Cliff Stoll was an astronomer turned systems manager at Lawrence Berkeley Lab when a 75-cent accounting error alerted him to the presence of an unauthorized user on his system. The hacker's code name was "Hunter"—a mysterious invader who managed to break into U.S. computer systems and steal sensitive military and security information. Stoll began a one-man hunt of his own: spying on the spy. It was a dangerous game of deception, broken codes, satellites, and missile bases—a one-man sting operation that finally gained the attention of the CIA . . . and ultimately trapped an international spy ring fueled by cash, cocaine, and the KGB.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A 75-cent discrepancy in billing for computer time led Stoll, an astrophysicist working as a systems manager at a California laboratory, on a quest that reads with the tension and excitement of a fictional thriller. Painstakingly he tracked down a hacker who was attempting to access American computer networks, in particular those involved with national security, and actually reached into an estimated 30 of the 450 systems he attacked. Initially Stroll waged a lone battle, his employers begrudging him the time spent on his search and several government agencies refused to cooperate. But his diligence paid off and in due course it was learned that the hacker, 25-year-old Markus Hess of Hanover, Germany, was involved with a spy ring. Eight members were arrested by the West German authorities but all but one were eventually released. Although the book will be best appreciated by the computer literate, even illiterates should be able to follow the technical complexities with little difficulty. Literary Guild selection.
Customer Reviews
Best Spy Novel
Disclosure: I know Cliff Stoll, and he is indeed one of the rare people who lives to the fullest every moment of every day. He's a purest and a caring individual. While we haven't spoken in years, I look forward to the next time I get to.
For anyone caring to understand the beginning of the internet, the beginning of cyber-spying, the ineptitude of the federal government, the end of the cold war, the life of a university graduate student, and the inventiveness of a great mind, this book is for you. I don't think Cliff would consider himself an author first, although he has written a few books; rather, he simply tells the true story in crazy detail of how he single-handedly identified one of the first internet spies. You will NOT want to put this book down.
A classic!
Great read for anyone interested in the early days of hacking.
Love this book!
First read this book in grade school. I’ve read it probably more than a dozen times. It’s one of my all-time favorites. Thanks, Cliff!