The Most Famous Hacker, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the hacker you think is the most famous!

Updated on Apr 24, 2024 08:17

In the digital age, the shadows of anonymous figures loom large as they skillfully navigate through the hidden layers of the internet. Acknowledging their existence and understanding their impacts can help in shaping policies and security measures that protect against cyber threats. Ranking the most influential hackers throws a spotlight on these enigmatic figures, enabling a better grasp of the landscapes they influence. This interactive ranking invites you to participate, casting your vote to influence the list that continually updates based on public opinion. By engaging with this activity, you contribute to a broader discourse about the importance of cybersecurity and the recognition of those who challenge it. Your vote helps to highlight key players in the world of hacking, encouraging a nuanced conversation about their roles and actions.

Who Is the Most Famous Hacker?

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66
votes
Luiz Eduardo · CC BY 2.0

Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick

Mitnick is considered one of the most famous hackers in history, having served five years in prison for various computer crimes. He is now a security consultant and author.
Kevin Mitnick is a former computer hacker known for his high-profile exploits in the 1980s and 1990s. He gained unauthorized access to numerous computer systems, including those of major corporations and government agencies.

Social engineering skills: Known for his expertise in manipulating people to gain access to secure systems

Phreaking: Proficient in manipulating telecommunication systems for unauthorized access

Computer intrusions: Skilled at exploiting vulnerabilities in computer networks to gain unauthorized control

Wiretapping: Knowledgeable in intercepting and eavesdropping on telecommunications

Fugitive status: Achieved international notoriety as a fugitive from law enforcement for several years
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38
votes
Wilsha · CC BY-SA 3.0

Gary McKinnon

Gary McKinnon

McKinnon is known for hacking into the US Department of Defense and NASA systems in 2001-2002. He was arrested in 2002 but fought extradition to the US for years.
Gary McKinnon is a known British hacker who gained notoriety for his infiltration of numerous United States government computer systems between 2001 and 2002. His actions caused significant disruption and raised concerns about the security of sensitive information.

Nationality: British

Period of Activity: 2001-2002

Target Systems: United States government computer systems

Impact: Significant disruption and security concerns

Motivation: Curiosity, searching for evidence of UFO cover-up
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23
votes
Matthew Griffiths · Public domain

Adrian Lamo

Adrian Lamo

Lamo was a notorious hacker who was known for hacking into the systems of major companies like The New York Times and Microsoft. He passed away in 2018.
Adrian Lamo is a well-known computer hacker and threat analyst. He gained notoriety for his involvement in several high-profile hacking incidents.

Alias: The Homeless Hacker

Year of Birth: 1981

Nationality: American

Famous Hacking Incidents: Infiltrated systems of Microsoft, Yahoo!, and The New York Times

Notable Actions: Turned in Chelsea Manning (formerly Bradley Manning) to authorities for leaking classified information
Adrian Lamo in other rankings
- Position 7 of 10 in Most famous Adrian
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14
votes
U.S. Secret Service/US Attorney for New Jersey · Public domain

Albert Gonzalez

Albert Gonzalez

Gonzalez was a notorious hacker who was responsible for stealing millions of credit card numbers from major companies like TJ Maxx and Heartland Payment Systems. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2010.
Albert Gonzalez is a notorious hacker known for his involvement in several high-profile cybercrime cases. He was responsible for leading a cybercriminal gang involved in stealing and selling millions of credit card numbers. Gonzalez became infamous for his involvement in the hacking of major companies, including TJX Companies, Heartland Payment Systems, and many others.

Alias: Segvec

Nationality: American

Birth Date: March 1981

Arrest Date: May 7, 2008

Arrest Location: Miami, Florida, USA
5

24
votes
Naranj8 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Jonathan James

Jonathan Joseph James

James was a hacker who was known for stealing software from NASA in 1999. He committed suicide in 2008 while under investigation for other hacking crimes.
Jonathan James is the online alias used by a notorious computer hacker.

Real Name: Jonathan Joseph James

Alias: Jonathan James

Nationality: American

Ethnicity: African-American

Years Active: 1999-2000
6

13
votes
Klpoulsen · CC BY-SA 3.0

Kevin Poulsen

Kevin Poulsen himself

Poulsen was a hacker who gained notoriety for hacking into phone lines in the 1980s. He now works as a journalist and is the editor of The Daily Beast's "The Cheat Sheet".
Kevin Poulsen is a reputable and well-known hacker in the cybersecurity community. He rose to fame during the 1990s for his hacking activities and subsequent legal consequences. Poulsen's hacking exploits often involved infiltrating and manipulating various computer systems and telecommunication networks.

Alias: Dark Dante

Notable Hacks: 1. Radio station KIIS-FM giveaway hack 2. FBI's most wanted computer systems breach 3. Investigation into Los Angeles phone lines 4. Winning a Porsche 944 S2 in a contest by hacking into the phone system

Legal Consequences: Poulsen was eventually apprehended by the FBI and served a prison sentence

Post-Hacking Career: After his release, Poulsen became a respected journalist focusing on cybersecurity and privacy

Current Occupation: Contributor to The Daily Beast and host of the podcast 'The Most Terrifying Podcast'
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6
votes
Trevor Blackwell · CC BY-SA 3.0

Robert Tappan Morris

Robert Tappan Morris

Morris was a hacker who created the first computer worm, which caused widespread damage to computer systems in 1988. He is now a professor at MIT.
Robert Tappan Morris is the name of a notorious computer worm that was created by Robert Tappan Morris in 1988. The worm, also known as the Morris Worm, was one of the first worms to gain widespread attention and cause significant damage on the internet. It exploited vulnerabilities in UNIX systems and spread across the network, causing system slowdowns and in some cases, crashes.

Type: Computer worm

Release Year: 1988

Platform: UNIX systems

Propagation Method: Exploiting vulnerabilities and exploiting weak passwords

Impact: System slowdowns, crashes, and network congestion
8

2
votes
LulzSec

LulzSec was a hacker group that gained notoriety in 2011 for hacking into the systems of major companies like Sony and Nintendo. The group disbanded later that year.
LulzSec, short for Lulz Security, was a notorious hacker group known for carrying out high-profile cyber attacks. The group gained significant media attention due to their brazen and often politically motivated actions, which they claimed were done purely for the laughs and amusement (lulz).

Formation: May 2011

Disbandment: June 2011

Motivation: Achieving amusement and causing chaos

Targets: Various high-profile government, corporate, and institutional websites

Methods: Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, website defacements, database breaches, data leaks
9

9
votes

Anonymous

Anonymous is a loosely organized hacker collective that has been responsible for numerous high-profile hacks over the years. The group's members are anonymous and its goals are often political in nature.
10

10
votes

The Shadow Brokers

The Shadow Brokers are a group of hackers who gained notoriety in 2016 when they released a trove of NSA hacking tools. The group's identity is unknown.

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Discussion

Ranking factors for famous hacker

Impact

The impact that their hacks have had on society and the internet. This includes the amount of damage caused, the number of systems affected, and the overall significance of the hack.
Notoriety

The level of fame or infamy garnered by the hacker as a result of their hacks. This includes how much media attention they have received and how widely known their name is.
Innovation

The level of creativity and ingenuity displayed by the hacker in their hacks. This includes the use of new techniques or technologies that have not been seen before.
Skill

The level of technical skill demonstrated by the hacker. This includes the ability to create sophisticated hacks and the ability to avoid detection by law enforcement.
Legal Consequences

The legal consequences faced by the hacker as a result of their hacks. This includes the severity of the punishment they received for their crimes.
Recency

The recentness of their last known hacking activity could also impact their ranking. More recent hackers may be more top of mind for individuals and therefore appear to be more famous.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most famous hacker. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or hacker is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1825 views
208 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each hacker once every 24 hours. The rank of each hacker is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most famous hacker

In today's digital age, hacking has become a prevalent and often controversial topic. With more and more individuals and organizations relying on technology, hackers have the power to cause both chaos and innovation. But who are the most famous hackers of all time? From the early days of phone phreaking to modern cybersecurity breaches, there have been a number of individuals who have made a name for themselves in the world of hacking. In this article, we'll explore the backgrounds and accomplishments of some of the most notorious and influential hackers in history.