We are talking about Serhiy Tkachenko, known under the pseudonym "Flycracker", one of the most famous Ukrainian hackers.
639 
We are talking about Kevin Poulsen, known as “Dark Dante”, who was a legendary hacker of the 1980s and 1990s. She describes his famous phone hacks, including rigging a radio contest where he won a Porsche 944 S2.
Kevin Lee Poulsen, born November 30, 1965 in Pasadena, California, is a remarkable figure who has gone from hacker and computer fraudster to famous investigative journalist. His life is full of dramatic turns – from the most high-profile hack of the 1990s to leading reports in the field of cyber security. This is the story of Poulsen’s transformation from illustrating his talent to becoming a driving force for positive change in journalism and technology.
On June 1, 1990, Poulsen carried out one of the most infamous hacks of his career that still resonates today. Using his technical skills, he hacked the phone lines of Los Angeles radio station KIIS-FM to secure victory in a radio contest, guaranteeing himself the prize as the 102nd caller. His hack allowed him to win the grand prize of a Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet. Such an event immediately attracted the attention of the FBI and caused a large-scale investigation.
After being pursued by the FBI, Poulsen went underground and was declared a wanted man. The investigation turned up more evidence of his criminal activities: when he stopped paying rent on the warehouse, the company that provided the space cleaned it out, finding computer equipment that was later turned over to the FBI. His case became so famous that Poulsen’s photo was featured on the NBC program “Unsolved Mysteries.” In a strange coincidence, right after that the 1-800 phone lines mysteriously went down, which only increased the interest in his case.
After 18 months of harassment, Poulsen was arrested in April 1991. In June 1994, he pleaded guilty to multiple counts of wire fraud, conspiracy, and wiretapping. He was sentenced to five years in federal prison and was also banned from using computers and the Internet for three years after his release. This sentence was the first such injunction in US history. In 2004, under probation, Poulsen was granted limited Internet access with conditions of constant monitoring.
After serving his sentence, Poulsen decided to radically change his life. His criminal past left its mark, but he was determined to use his talent for legitimate activities. He chose the path of an investigative journalist, devoting himself to the topics of security, hacking and technology. In 2000, he joined the California-based research firm SecurityFocus as editorial director. Under his leadership, SecurityFocus quickly gained recognition in the security news industry and was acquired by Symantec in 2002. His reports, often covered by the national press, became sensational and increased the credibility of the source.
In 2006, Poulsen conducted a study that had significant social impact. Using the MySpace platform, he was able to identify 744 registered sex offenders who had accounts on the site. Thanks to this information, one of them, Andrew Lubrano, was arrested and MySpace was forced to tighten its security policies. This investigation enhanced his reputation as a journalist who uses his knowledge for the good of society.
In June 2010, Poulsen continued his work on high-profile investigations by releasing an exclusive story on the arrest of Chelsea Manning, a service member who leaked classified documents to WikiLeaks. He released tapes of Manning’s conversations with notorious hacker Adrian Lamo, shedding light on one of the most important government leaks in recent history.
In June 2019, Poulsen was involved in a controversial situation when he was accused of “doxing” Sean Brooks, a supporter of Donald Trump. In an article for The Daily Beast, he revealed the identity of Brooks, suspecting him of creating a fake video about US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. This case caused a wave of discussion about the ethical limits in the disclosure of personal data in the media.
One of Poulsen’s most significant projects was the development of SecureDrop, an open source system for secure communication between journalists and sources. Together with Aaron Schwartz and James Dolan, he created this platform called DeadDrop. After Schwartz’s tragic death in 2013, Poulsen launched the first instance of SecureDrop at The New Yorker, and later turned over management of the platform to the Freedom of the Press Foundation. Today, SecureDrop is used by dozens of leading news publications, such as The New Yorker and the Washington Post, to protect the anonymity of sources.
Kevin Poulsen’s story demonstrates how talent can be used to create meaningful positive change, even after serious mistakes in the past. His experience reflects the difficult path from a hacker to a journalist who had to overcome many obstacles to prove his worth as a professional. His work in WIRED and SecurityFocus publications, development of SecureDrop is a manifestation of his dedication to the fight for truth and security in the information space.
His life is an example of how, even in the darkest of times, you can find opportunities for rehabilitation and make a meaningful contribution to society by using technical skills to protect privacy and truth in journalism
639 
619 
650