In 1987 and 1988, Mitnick was obsessed with obtaining a copy of Digital's VMS minicomputer operating system, and was trying to do so by gaining entry to the company's corporate computer network, known as Easynet. Police could not stop Mitnick and his friend because they had no idea where the attacks were coming from. This is because, Mitnick had cleverly manipulated the telephone network to disguise the modem calls. Mitnick was caught only when his friend DiCicco confessed to his boss about his illegal involvement with Mitnick.
Mitnick was charged in 1992 with a violation of his supervision. He went underground again and cracked computers belonging to such mobile phones and computer maker such as Motorola, Fujitsu and Sun Microsystems. The FBI captured him on Feb. 15, 1995, when computer security expert Tsutomu Shimomura suffered an attack on his machine and responded by tracking Mitnick to his hideout in Raleigh, N.C.
Mitnick was released from prison three days ago on Mar 21, 2000.
