Pressganged into overhauling a computerised billing system at Berkeley, Astronomer Cliff Stohl discovered various anomalies which led him to further discover that the University's computers were being hacked by a foreign agent based in Germany. The hacker was using his illicit access to the University's computers as a platform for illegal intrusions into sensitive military computer systems in the USA.

Hacking was seemingly almost unknown at the time and, in essence, nobody in authority really took Stohl seriously when he began to report what was going on.

Recounted in a loose and easygoing style the book is a surprsingly gripping detective story as Stohl almost singelhandedly tracks and battles the determined hacker. We painlessly pick up a basic familiarity with Unix operating systems as we go along.

We learn that computer security was disturbingly lax at the time which was a time of dial-up modems and all manner of now obsolete technologies. These echoes of a bygone era are fascinating in themselves.

The details of Stohl's domestic life are perhaps unnecessary but these do contribute a sense of the man and his social environment which is not unwlecome.

The style of the book, and its tale of early cyber-espionage, are jauntily amateurish - Stohl comes across as a likeable and liberal minded protegé of the Berkeley ethos of the period.

Overall, it's an entertaining yarn which has no pretensions towards literary excellence and provides a relaxing and enjoyable reading experience.

This was a fun read. As an IT professional, especially years down the road, it’s interesting to look back at the roots of many of the issues we deal with today. But mostly it’s just an interesting story of a guy using whatever meager tools he could scrape together to stop someone invading his territory. I can’t say whether a non–IT-type would enjoy it, but I suspect they might. His cheeky tone helps, though I’m sure it would have grown old if the book had been much longer.

There’s a great insight near the end, by the way, about the ways that computer hacking has damaged our individual autonomy—precisely the thing most hackers claim they’re trying to defend, in their righteously defensive moments. Stoll’s insights on this actually stand the test of time—they’re at least as true now as they were when he wrote this book. ( )

Worth reading!

Very good. Even years later this book is thought provoking. In addition, it gives a historical view of computing at beginning of the widespread use of the Internet. ( )

An interesting story but about 150 pages too long for this non-computer guy. I am a proud owner of one of Stoll's Klein bottles. ( )

I found this to be an enjoyable true story of tracking a hacker in the early days if the Internet, setting up alarms, putting in traps, and working with numerous agencies and telcos. It was a bit drawn out at times but I still enjoyed it. Good storytelling from a first person perspective of the hunt. ( )