What a lovingly written, beautiful obituary. If you’re reading this and didn’t click through yet, some highlights to help nudge you:
Kevin David Mitnick, 59, died peacefully on Sunday, July 16, 2023, after valiantly battling pancreatic cancer for more than a year. Kevin is survived by his beloved wife, Kimberley Mitnick, who remained by his side throughout their 14-month ordeal. Kimberley is pregnant with their first child. Kevin was ecstatic about this new chapter in his and Kimberley’s life together, which has now been sadly cut short.
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Kevin attracted attention and support from unlikely sources. The bus driver who saw young Kevin memorize the bus schedules, punch cards and punch tool systems so he could ride the buses all day for free testified as a character witness for Kevin during his federal trial. The federal prosecutor offered his testimony that Kevin never tried to take one dime from any of his “victims.” The probation officer assigned to monitor Kevin after prison gave Kevin permission to write his first book on a laptop when he was not yet supposed to have access to computers. Shawn Nunley, the star witness in the FBI’s case against Kevin, became so disillusioned with the government’s treatment of Kevin that he contacted Kevin’s defense team, helped garner Kevin’s release, and became one of Kevin’s dearest friends. Kevin had an irresistible way of converting foes to friends and keeping them as friends forever.
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Kevin was a gentleman: well-mannered and respectful, astoundingly generous with those he loved. He had a unique and unforgettable laugh - a delightful, loud, booming one - which he unleashed unexpectedly and often, frequently accompanied by a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He saw the funny side of his compulsive perfectionism and work ethic, and enjoyed laughing at his own expense - a rare quality among the best of us.
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He had so much living left to do. And we know, with broken hearts, that there will never ever be anyone like him again. We will miss him for the rest of our days, hear his voice in our minds, and look forward to reconnecting with him in whatever version of the ‘beyond’ we each believe in. To imagine that Kev could be there to greet us, likely playing a prank, or inviting us to share an extraordinary meal and conversation, will be heaven indeed. We are each so deeply grateful for the time we had with this truly great man.
We celebrate that a part of Kevin will live on with the upcoming birth of his and Kimberley’s child. We can only hope that the child knows, as he or she grows, that around the world, the many friends of his father will be holding them in their hearts.
I can’t imagine the loss and devastation his pregnant widow feels, but I’m so glad that she and their child will be surrounded by so many people who dearly loved him.
Kevin had an irresistible way of converting foes to friends and keeping them as friends forever.
Truly - what a loss to the entirety of humanity. What a gem of a human.
Loved his book Ghost in the Wires. Sad day in the computing world.
I appreciate that his obit outlines how exasperating Kevin was. But ultimately he did a lot of good even if he did get a bit of a god complex from his notoriety. No matter how you slice it, 59 is too young, and Kevin was far from enough of a jerk to deserve that fate. I hope his family can mourn and find peace. See you on the flip side, Kevin.
My company had worked closely with KnowBe4 for ages and I remember reading so much about him as a kid. I remember the FREE KEVIN stickers. What a bummer. RIP.
I saw him give a presentation 14 years ago about security. His primary emphasis was how much of hacking is composed of social engineering. He showed off different techniques that were state of the art for 2010. RIP