I recommend "Catch Me If You Can," the new Spielberg-DiCapprio-Hanks
movie about Frank W. Abignale, Jr., a true story of how Abignale ran
away from home around 1964, forged checks, posed as an airline copilot,
then as a doctor, then as a lawyer, while honing his craft in forging
and identity faking.
I never saw "Takedown," the seldom-scene movie about Mitnick, Gilmore,
etc., but I doubt it was as good in the "social engineering" side of
hacking as "Catch Me" is.
Some excellent sets, costumes, and period stuff from the 1960s.
Abignale consults now for check makers, credit card companies, the FBI
and other government agencies, and seems to be the leading authority in
forgery. An interview he did a year or two ago with an Australian radio
station--findable on the Web, as I found it--is great. He describes
modern technology and how it actually makes what he did as a teenager a
lot easier today (in some ways, less so in others).
HBO has a "Making Of" short piece, with behind the scenes camera shots,
interviews with the parties involved, including Abignale, and lots of
additional information. I TIVOed it.
(The next time a CP meeting/party is at my house, someone remind me and
I'll put it on. Along with "A Beautiful Mind," also of interest to us.)
--Tim May, Citizen-unit of of the once free United States
" The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the
blood of patriots & tyrants. "--Thomas Jefferson, 1787
- Re: Recommended: "Catch Me If You Can," a film Tim May
- Re: Recommended: "Catch Me If You Can," a ... Michael Cardenas