I'm a Convicted Hacker and Ex Prisoner - Ask Me Anything

This seems like a cool thing to do that a lot of people are doing. I get asked questions constantly about the topic title, so to heck with it. Here goes.

Some background info on me:

I'm 29 years old.
I'm a software developer.
I work with Facebook as an Ethical Hacker.
I spent 12 months in prison.
Studied 2 years at uni (Software Engineering).

Ask me anything at all. I'll answer with complete honesty.

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Reply 1

Silver Arrows

I'll just say what everyone wants to know:

Did you get bummed by the bigger boys?

Reply 2

2ndClass

How easy is it to hack banks/bank accounts and get yourself a ton of money? Can you be traced easily?

Reply 3

cascadingstylez

Original post by Kilroy8

I'll just say what everyone wants to know:

Did you get bummed by the bigger boys?

No. Prison is nothing like films :tongue:

Reply 4

benplumley

Did the hack that got you put in prison have ethical intentions, or did you change sides as a result of prison?

Reply 5

cascadingstylez

Original post by 2ndClass

How easy is it to hack banks/bank accounts and get yourself a ton of money? Can you be traced easily?

Hacking into bank server can be sophisticated and time consuming. Phishing bank account details on the other hand is very easy. It's not something I have done, or would do.

Reply 6

cascadingstylez

Original post by benplumley

Did the hack that got you put in prison have ethical intentions, or did you change sides as a result of prison?

I've not changed sides, but I've changed the way I behave. I understand the implications of what I done and how I was wrong for doing what I did.

Reply 7

james22

What did you do to get prison time?

Reply 8

cascadingstylez

Original post by james22

What did you do to get prison time?

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/abortion-site-hacker-james-jeffery-jailed-7643734.html

Edit: I'm not proud of what I done. I'm honest though.

Reply 9

2ndClass

Original post by cascadingstylez

Hacking into bank server can be sophisticated and time consuming. Phishing bank account details on the other hand is very easy. It's not something I have done, or would do.

What is your next target? is Anonymous still relevant. Seems after the FBI started to clamp down a lot of you have gone into hiding.

Reply 10

cascadingstylez

Original post by 2ndClass

What is your next target? is Anonymous still relevant. Seems after the FBI started to clamp down a lot of you have gone into hiding.

I am no longer in contact with any member of Anonymous. I am no longer involved in unethical hacking. I have no targets.

Reply 11

Observatory

The Independent

The former software engineering student then boasted about his hacking feat on Twitter.

You targeted a lightly defended site, then got caught by openly confessing in writing after drawing maximum attention to your actions. You're not very smart. How much is Facebook paying you and how do I apply?

Reply 12

cascadingstylez

Original post by Observatory

I was grassed up actually. The media wasn't allowed to report that because the grass was an FBI informant, although The Register did http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/08/23/lulzsec_sabu_freedom/

I can not disclose how much I earn. I started by finding and reporting vulnerabilities to Facebook. You get paid for that too. See here: https://www.facebook.com/whitehat

ETHICAL hacker?

What is prison like?

{QUOTE=Pennyarcade]You're a ****ing moron for bragging about it on twitter rofl

I wasn't thinking rationally at the time. I was severely depressed, self harming, drinking daily. Lesson learnt the hard way I guess.

Original post by Dr.Ugs

ETHICAL hacker?

Hacking with permission basically.

Reply 16

xsindy

On a scale of 1-10, how big of a troll are you? :biggrin:

PS. NOT implying that you're trolling using this thread!

Reply 17

cascadingstylez

Original post by The_Dragonborn

What is prison like?

Difficult at first. Being ripped out of life and locked away for 23 hours a day was a struggle. I got through it by reading a lot of books. I read the entire Lee Child collection in prison. Once I got a job in prison time went pretty fast. Being moved to an open prison made it easier as I was able to work outside the prison for 12 hours a day.

The hardest thing in prison was missing my family, and girlfriend.

Apart from that though prison got easier, met some great people, and learnt a lot about myself.

Reply 18

genuinelydense

Regardless of whether it was the right thing do or not, the whole thing is supercool--when it by my turn to be called a 'wiz kid' in a nationwide newspaper? :shrug: