--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then again, my case was all about the…" description: "\"Then again, my case was all about the misappropriation of source code because I wanted to become the best hacker in the world and I enjoyed beating the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/kevin-mitnick-3026_best_then-again-my-case-was-all-about-the-mis_1488374.png" --- # Then again, my case was all about the misappropriation of… ![“Then again, my case was all about the misappropriation of source code because I wanted to become the best hacker in the world and I enjoyed beating the security mechanisms.” quote by Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/kevin-mitnick-3026_best_then-again-my-case-was-all-about-the-mis_1488374.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/kevin-mitnick-3026_best_then-again-my-case-was-all-about-the-mis_1488374.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/51c/kevin-mitnick-3026_best_then-again-my-case-was-all-about-the-mis_1488374.png) > “Then again, my case was all about the misappropriation of source code because I wanted to become the best hacker in the world and I enjoyed beating the security mechanisms.” [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker confesses that hacking appealed because it allowed mastery over security systems and the thrill of outsmarting them. **In simple terms:** Hacking was driven by desire to master and outwit security. Key Takeaway Channel curiosity into ethical cybersecurity. Themes technology ethics curiosity risk Mood cautious reflective Type technical motivational When to use this quote - penetration testing - security training - ethical hacking - software development Key Concepts information security psychology of hacking Questions to Reflect On - What motivates ethical hacking? - How can curiosity be directed positively? A Different Perspective Illicit hacking causes harm and legal consequences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-hacker-5437617/) [Case](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/case/) [Case Misappropriation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/case-misappropriation-5437619/) [Cybersecurity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cybersecurity/) [Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) [Hacker World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker-world-5437618/) [Misappropriation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misappropriation-5437620/) [Misappropriation Source](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misappropriation-source-5437621/) [Programming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/programming/) [Security](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/security/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [At the end of the day, my goal was to be the best hacker.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/at-the-end-of-the-day-my-goal-was-to-be-the-best-hacker/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I've been charged with misappropriation of funds or misuse of two types of funds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-shui-bian/i-ve-been-charged-with-misappropriation-of-funds-or-misuse-of-two/) [Chen Shui-bian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-shui-bian/) > [Most of the computer compromises that we hear about use a technique called spear phishing, which allows an attacker access to a key person's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/most-of-the-computer-compromises-that-we-hear-about-use-a-technique/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I believe in having each device secured and monitoring each device, rather than just monitoring holistically on the network, and then responding in short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-believe-in-having-each-device-secured-and-monitoring-each-device/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I don't know the capabilities of our enemies. But I found it quite easy to circumvent security at certain phone companies throughout the United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-don-t-know-the-capabilities-of-our-enemies-but-i-found-it-quite/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Somebody could send you an office document or a PDF file, and as soon as you open it, it's a booby trap and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/somebody-could-send-you-an-office-document-or-a-pdf-file-and-as-soon/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The government does things like insisting that all encryption programs should have a back door. But surely no one is stupid enough to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-government-does-things-like-insisting-that-all-encryption/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The explosion of companies deploying wireless networks insecurely is creating vulnerabilities, as they think it's limited to the office - then they have Johnny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-explosion-of-companies-deploying-wireless-networks-insecurely-is/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [New security loopholes are constantly popping up because of wireless networking. The cat-and-mouse game between hackers and system administrators is still in full swing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/new-security-loopholes-are-constantly-popping-up-because-of-wireless/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I characterize myself as a retired hacker. I'm applying what I know to improve security at companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-characterize-myself-as-a-retired-hacker-i-m-applying-what-i-know-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I think malware is a significant threat because the mitigation, like antivirus software, hasn't evolved to a point to really mitigate the risk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-think-malware-is-a-significant-threat-because-the-mitigation-like/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When an attacker fails with one person, they often go to another person. The key is to report the attack to other departments. Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/when-an-attacker-fails-with-one-person-they-often-go-to-another/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## More by Kevin Mitnick > [The human. Now you know all about your target](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-human-now-you-know-all-about-your-target/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Back up everything! You are not invulnerable. Catastrophic data loss can happen to you - one worm or Trojan is all it takes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/back-up-everything-you-are-not-invulnerable-catastrophic-data-loss/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [When an attacker fails with one person, they often go to another person. The key is to report the attack to other departments. Workers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/when-an-attacker-fails-with-one-person-they-often-go-to-another/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I think malware is a significant threat because the mitigation, like antivirus software, hasn't evolved to a point to really mitigate the risk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-think-malware-is-a-significant-threat-because-the-mitigation-like/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [Usually companies hire me, and they know full well who I am, and that's one of the reasons they want to hire me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/usually-companies-hire-me-and-they-know-full-well-who-i-am-and-that-s/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [A lot of companies are clueless, because they spend most or all of their security budget on high-tech security like fire walls and biometric…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/a-lot-of-companies-are-clueless-because-they-spend-most-or-all-of/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I characterize myself as a retired hacker. I'm applying what I know to improve security at companies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-characterize-myself-as-a-retired-hacker-i-m-applying-what-i-know-to/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [No company that I ever hacked into reported any damages, which they were required to do for significant losses. Sun didn't stop using Solaris…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/no-company-that-i-ever-hacked-into-reported-any-damages-which-they/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [New security loopholes are constantly popping up because of wireless networking. The cat-and-mouse game between hackers and system administrators is still in full swing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/new-security-loopholes-are-constantly-popping-up-because-of-wireless/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The explosion of companies deploying wireless networks insecurely is creating vulnerabilities, as they think it's limited to the office - then they have Johnny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-explosion-of-companies-deploying-wireless-networks-insecurely-is/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [The government does things like insisting that all encryption programs should have a back door. But surely no one is stupid enough to think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/the-government-does-things-like-insisting-that-all-encryption/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I get hired to hack into computers now and sometimes it's actually easier than it was years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-get-hired-to-hack-into-computers-now-and-sometimes-it-s-actually/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) [Explore all 142 Kevin Mitnick quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) ## More Best quotes > [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... 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