Review by RichM

Kevin Poulsen has worked tirelessly to become a respected expert in the information security field and is a senior editor for Wired Magazine. Kevin edits the Threat Level Blog covering various topics mostly intersecting between law enforcement and hacking, but there are other relevant posts like the latest goings on with Wikileaks. The now white hat was not always on the straight and narrow and made a name for himself as his alter ego, “Dark Dante.”

The legend of his “exploits” is well known and has him counted amongst America's most infamous hackers. Dark Dante's most impressive hack was when he used his phreaking skills to win a Porsche 944. He rigged the phone lines of an LA radio station, guaranteeing he would be their 102nd caller! Kevin Poulsen and Max Butler, the person on whom the book is based, have many similarities. Both are very skilled and have a natural ability, but while one was able to find legitimate work after a conviction, the other was not. It is because of Kevin's past that he can bring to life such a fascinating topic. Most mainstream reporters would (at best) turn this story into a 5-page magazine article, whereas Mr. Poulsen has created a suspenseful page-turner in Kingpin: How One Hacker Took Over the Billion-Dollar Cybercrime Underground.