Cult of the Dead Cow
Ratings4
Average rating3.3
The shocking untold story of the elite secret society of hackers fighting to protect our privacy, our freedom -- even democracy itself.
"Cult of the Dead Cow is the tale of the oldest, most respected, and most famous American hacking group of all time. Though until now it has remained mostly anonymous, its members invented the concept of hacktivism, released the top tool for testing password security, and created what was for years the best technique for controlling computers from afar, forcing giant companies to work harder to protect customers. They contributed to the development of Tor, the most important privacy tool on the net, and helped build cyberweapons that advanced US security without injuring anyone. With its origins in the earliest days of the Internet, the cDc is full of oddball characters--activists, artists, and musicians--some of whom went on to advise presidents, cabinet members, and CEOs, who now walk the corridors of power in Washington and Silicon Valley. Today, the group and its followers are battling electoral misinformation, making personal data safer, and organizing to keep technology a force for good instead of for surveillance and oppression. Cult of the Dead Cow describes how, at a time when governments, corporations, and criminals hold immense power, a small band of tech iconoclasts is on our side fighting back"--Dust jacket flap.
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Fascinating insights into the origins and evolution of the CDC. I remember reading some of their txt files back in the days of BBS. The modern history of ethical hacking/hactivism and the impacts of hacking on the geopolitical world are very revealing. From the geek hall of fame, to congress. The good guys, the bad guys and the plain silliness of it all.
Executive Summary: I've had this book on my radar for a bit. I was in the mood for some non-fiction was able to pick this up from the library. I thought it was interesting at times but not as good as some of the other books about the early days of hacking that I've read. 3.5 stars.Full ReviewI got my first computer in the late 80s, but didn't get my first modem until the mid 90s. I played around a bit on bulletin boards, but missed a lot of the heyday that lead to development of formation of the cDc.I don't recall where I first encountered the cDc in my early internet travels. I never used any of their tools. I think I might have read a few of their t-files, but it was so long ago now that I can't really be sure. I was kind of curious to see what sort of things this book would cover. Turns out not a lot. You get some heavily curated history, but not any real juicy stories.Unlike most other books I've read on this subject, much of the content comes directly from the people involved, rather than some kind of investigative journalist. That has led to some interesting anecdotes and inside knowledge, but can make the book feel a bit biased at times. I found it a bit remenecist of Kevin Mitnick's book [b:Ghost in the Wires: My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker 10256723 Ghost in the Wires My Adventures as the World's Most Wanted Hacker Kevin D. Mitnick https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1344265017l/10256723.SY75.jpg 15156997] where you sometimes had to take things with a bit of skepticism.That said as someone who loves reading on the early days of the internet and hacker culture, this was a pretty enjoyable read overall. I wish we had gotten some more detail, but unlike Mr. Mitnick some of those details could lead to legal issues rather than recounting history they'd already served jail time for.As a side note the author recommended the 8-part documentary series from 2005: BBS which includes some interviews with cDc members, (in particular during episode 6), and I probably found that even more enjoyable than this book.
A phenomenal history of quaint early hackerdom as the internet grew up, up until and including modern hacker warfare and Russian election interference. For someone like me who grew up with all this it's a great trip down memory lane.
