--- title: "NEW CARTOON: How Kevin Mitnick Stole the Source Code for the Best Cell Phone of 1992" description: "NEW CARTOON: How Kevin Mitnick Stole the Source Code for the Best Cell Phone of 1992" image: https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/hubfs/Images/Events/In%20The%20News/christina-wocintechchat-com-glRqyWJgUeY-unsplash.jpg --- # NEW CARTOON: How Kevin Mitnick Stole the Source Code for the Best Cell Phone of 1992 [Social Engineering](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/social-engineering), [Speaking Engagements](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/speaking-engagements), [Gmihh](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/gmihh), [Government Surveillance](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/government-surveillance), [Tar](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/tar), [Cyber Security](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/cyber-security), [Denver](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/denver), [Gzip](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/gzip), [Hackers](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/hackers), [Hacking](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/hacking), [Infosec](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/infosec), [Linux](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/linux), [Source Code](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/source-code), [Cell Phone](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/cell-phone), [Hacking History](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/hacking-history), [Identifying Data](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/identifying-data), [Kevin Mitnick](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/kevin-mitnick), [Motorola Microtac Ultralite](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/tag/motorola-microtac-ultralite) [ Mitnick Security| ](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/author/mitnick-security) 11.14.2018| 1 MIN READ TIME While on the run from the feds, Kevin Mitnick stole the source code of the Motorola MicroTAC Ultralite, the most advanced cellphone at the time, with a few phone calls. n 1992, Kevin Mitnick was on the run from the cops, one of the most wanted men in the United States, and certainly the most wanted hacker. He was living in Denver under a pseudonym, and was very worried about government surveillance. To avoid it, he thought it’d be a good idea to hack the Motorola MicroTAC Ultralite, the iPhone X of the 1990s. His plan was to try changing the identifying data on the phone, or even turn off the ability for cellphone towers to connect to it and, thus, give the cops his location. That’s when he made “the stupid and regrettable decision” to go after the phone’s source code. The rest, as they say, is history—hacking history to be precise. We sat down with Mitnick, who told us how he stole the source that source code just using social engineering over the phone for the latest episode of Greatest Moments in Hacking History, our series on the most famous and influential hacks in the history of information security. ### Watch the episode here. Source: [MOTHERBOARD](http://https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/mbye44/kevin-mitnick-hack-motorola-source-code) # Related Resources [![](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Screen%20Shot%202020-08-14%20at%203.48.55%20PM.png?width=350&name=Screen%20Shot%202020-08-14%20at%203.48.55%20PM.png) by Mitnick Security | 08.16.2019 | 1 min #### Advice from Kevin Mitnick Featured in the Wall Street Journal Op-Ed Kevin Mitnick was interviewed by Mr. Maniloff who is an attorney at White and Williams LLP in Philadelphia and an adjunct professor at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law. 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Grimes, Chief Hacking Officer, Data-driven Defense Evangelist, Security Awareness Training, Knowbe4, Simulated Phishing Platform, 2Fa Solution, Kevin Mitnick ](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/12-ways-to-defeat-two-factor-authentication) [![](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Images/Events/In%20The%20News/simon-abrams-k_T9Zj3SE8k-unsplash.jpg?width=350&name=simon-abrams-k_T9Zj3SE8k-unsplash.jpg) by Mitnick Security | 11.26.2018 | 1 min #### We Need to Talk About NIST’s Dropped Password Management Recommendations Passwords and their protection are among the most fundamental, essential aspects of enterprise data security. They also make up the bane of most users’ relationships with their enterprise devices, res... Continue Reading Speaking Engagements, 2Fa, Biometric Security, Two-factor Authentication, Fraud Prevention, Password, Password Management, Kevin Mitnick Security Awareness Training, Multifactor Authentication (Mfa, Password Reuse, Kevin Mitnick ](https://www.mitnicksecurity.com/in-the-news/we-need-to-talk-about-nists-dropped-password-management-recommendations)