Adrian Lamo

Born: 1981-02-20 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Boston-born security enthusiast Adrian Lamo has been alternately described as the most effective and controversial hacker of the 21st century, the "Bobby Fischer of hacking", and a common criminal. His alleged high-profile computer intrusions have been the subject of hundreds of news articles, television segments, and book citations. Spurred into an award-winning career in journalism and a reconsideration of his hacking ways by a 2003 arrest, Lamo has worked and collaborated with publications ranging from techcentric 2600 Magazine, Network World, and Mobile Magazine, to more egalitarian publications like The American River Current and XY Magazine. Lamo has also been a regular guest and creative consultant on TechTV's The Screen Savers, and his life is explored in an upcoming documentary film under the care of Kevin Spacey's independent film outfit, TriggerStreet. His intrusions historically carried a twist -- Lamo was never detected by the companies he compromised, instead electing to help them secure their systems free of charge, and then, with prior notice, air their misfortunes to the public. Critics have derided Lamo as publicity-motivated and have ascribed him a variety of ulterior motives, charges which he has consistently declined to respond to. Lamo has publicly stated that his criminal career is behind him, but his work in journalism has left him no fewer opportunities for adventure -- his interviews have run the gamut from John Ashcroft to the eco-terrorist Earth Liberation Front. Lamo has cut contact with the press since 2004, living a private life in far Northern California, with his elderly cat as a sidekick.