Clifford Stoll Marks 40 Years Since a 75-Cent Hacker Hunt

Clifford Stoll returned to one of the most unusual investigations in computer-security history at this year’s DEF CON, speaking four decades after the hacker hunt described in his nonfiction book, The Cuckoo’s Egg. According to Boing Boing, Stoll’s presentation in Las Vegas marked the 40th anniversary of the investigation. The episode is remembered for a 75-cent accounting discrepancy that helped draw attention to unauthorized computer activity and ultimately led to a hunt for hackers described by the outlet as KGB hackers. DEF CON has brought hackers, researchers, computer-security specialists and government intelligence employees together annually in Las Vegas since 1993. Stoll delivered an energetic talk at this year’s gathering, revisiting the case that became the subject of his book. The supplied report does not provide further details about the discrepancy, the investigation’s participants or the outcome of the hacker hunt.