Customer Reviews

Hacker Cracker: A Journey from the Mean Streets of Brooklyn to the Frontiers of Cyberspace

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

A few weeks ago, I was sitting in a cafe at large bookstore in lower Manhattan sipping latte and looking over a stack of FreeBSD and Linux books when I heard a voice say "Are you into BSD?" I looked up at the young man and replied yes. I have been working with computers since 1982 and I wasn't sure how much
this person knew, but we started talking about FreeBSD and OpenBSD and the security problems with the new Linux distributions. I have lots of gray hair and I was blown away by how much this guy knew about BSD and computer security.

It was late in the evening and they announced the store was closing for the night. As we walked out, we shook hands, and he said his name was Ejovi and he had just published a book called "Hacker Cracker." I thought to myself, "Sure... but he does know a lot. Maybe he did write a book." After I got home I searched for the book on Amazon, and sure enough, Ejovi had put out a book. Of course, I ordered it immediately and as soon as it arrived I read it non-stop. The book is an interesting adventure about how a kid from a bad area of New York City manages to stay out of trouble and learn some valuable computer skills. In fact, most of his computer education is learned by experience. He talks about using "sniffers" to get passwords and how he broke into several large networks, but he doesn't give specifics about how he did it. As another reviewer mentioned, many names are blacked out, which may let the reader doubt that these events might not have happened. If I had not met Ejovi, I might not have believed him, but I did spend time talking to him and he does know a lot about Unix and security.

I found the book interesting, but I am not sure if I would recommend it to someone with only a casual knowledge of computers. He does mention a lot of computer terms and Unix commands (like "init 5") and although there is a glossary at the back of the book, I think the typical computer user might have trouble figuring it out. Still, it's a great book for anyone who works in computer networking and security.

This is an autobiography, not a book about hacking. Taken in that light, the book provides a rare glimpse into the life of someone who was able to literally fight his way out of the slums of Brooklyn. What is interesting is that hacking was one of the vehicles that helped him rise above his surroundings. Hacking is just one of the challenges that Ejovi takes on in order to escape his otherwise desperate life.
My review is not completely fair, because I know Ejovi. Before I read the book I knew very little about his past experiences. I was amazed by his courage in telling this story. Although blacking out the name of one of the victims of his exploits is not a technique I would have chosen, I can understand that some institutions would be too sensitive to even hint at.
I grew up in Queens, where I was mugged a few times for being a skinny, white kid. I ended up in computer security for its intellectual challenge. I think Ejovi was given many opportunities to become like the thugs that beat me up, but he arrived at computer security for similar reasons to mine. He just started from a much tougher beginning.
If you are looking for a book about international cybercrime or as an encyclopedia of exploits, then this isn't the book. If you want a book that describes the life of a person who ends up in the hacking community and several other places along the way, then this book is a good choice.

Ejovi Nuwere is dangling outside a two-story building, gripped by the hand of his weeping teacher. A moment before he had jumped off the edge and now, hanging there, he belatedly decides that living on the edge is preferable to the air.

Hacker Cracker is the story of Ejovi Nuwere's life on the edge, or many edges: His world of drugs, gangs, and depression; the murky world of computer hackers; and his current life as a computer security expert.

This is an immensely satisfying story about an American life -- not hacking or computers.

We get a look at what happens when any person -- yes, even a young black kid from Bed Stuy -- becomes an expert at something the world needs, in this case, computer security. We see how excellence leads to opportunity. We see how a strong family has given a boy the tools he needs to become a man.

Ejovi and co-author David Chanoff do not reflect much on Ejovi's experiences and perhaps that is good. Ejovi Nuwere is still in his 20s and maybe it is too early to analyze. Yet, it is impossible not to wonder what he makes of all that has happened to him.

This book makes you want to have coffee with Ejovi and meet his grandmother, uncle, and stepfather. Just to hear what they have to say.

I liked Ejovi throughout the whole book, but I came to admire him after I read the last chapter, about his experiences at the World Trade Center on September 11. In this chapter, at last he gives us what we hope to learn from him -- and what we hope HE will learn. The end is a most satisfying beginning for Ejovi Nuwere's life on the edge.

After reading "Masters Of Deception" several times before leaving it at Logan Airport, I had a strong feeling that it was to be the best "hacking" story I would ever read. Flash to a few years later...

I recieve an autographed copy of "Hacker Cracker" for Christmas. I was intrigued at first (being that much of my adolescence was spent on a computer) but also a bit skeptical.

To my knowledge, Ejovi wasn't a famous hacker - in fact - I had no clue who he was. But I began reading almost immediately after unwrapping it.

The first 100 pages (including the prologue which is featured on the back of the book), I was even more skeptical about the life Ejovi claimed to have lived. Fights, never knowing his father, his mother in and out of prisons and her drug use which led to her contracting HIV. But after that, my doubt began to diminish. Accurate portrayals of psych ward life, his first brush with hacking which was on AOL (a scene I knew better than anyone) seemed on point with descriptions of Phishing as well as the original "Warez" private rooms.

Ejovi progresses in his knowledge of UNIX systems such as FreeBSD and Solaris, and begins to break into systems which unintentionally lands him jobs and sparks a career in computer security.

He meets all sorts of people in this field along the way, and eventually becomes a part of the supposedly elite group w00w00 (whos members include Napster (MP3 file sharing program fame) and attrition.org's Jericho (his site being famous for archiving defaced webpages).

His martial arts career as well as his acting career are noted in his book, but not to a real great extent, but rather a diversion from all the hack talk. He even has a chapter of commentary on the events of 9/11.

All and all, I would recommend this book to people interested in technology. That is almost (but not in all cases) a pre-requisite for being able to enjoy this book to the fullest. Otherwise you will find yourself dying of boredom reading through a large chunk of this book.

It's easy to read, but well-written and may open your eyes to a different world... whether it is BedStuy or the world that hackers live in. Or both.

Most of the people who've read this book can't relate to the technical content. I'm a few years older than the author, but I can relate to his die hard passion for technology and his sincere interest in understanding how things work.

If you read the entire book you'll also notice that the author is helping you get started in the world of hacking. If you can't relate to the technical aspect of this book, it probably is going to bore you to death.

This is a book you should read if you're interested in understanding the hacker methodology and how it developed pre - dot.com years. The book also helps you get an understanding of the types of hackers and their skill sets...

Ejovi Nuwere is about 20 years old, and he has done a lot of hacking, kick boxing, and just surviving in that time, all well recounted in a very readable and exciting tale. You can get a real feel for what this extraordinary young man is like by reading his book. The hacking techniques were not clearly explained, however, only in a very basic descriptive way. Most annoying was that the name of the "victim" of one of his most serious explorations into someone else's system has been edited out. It takes all the punch and adreneline out of that chapter when you have no idea who or what he is talking about, since every mention of the system's owner, or even the industry, is a black splotch.

I only gave it four stars instead of five because I thought it ended rather abruptly. We are brought up to date on where he is now, but I would have liked a less precipitous ending, perhaps some quick analysis about the current state of computer security, and what his hopes or fears are for the future. He is clearly an expert and some commentary about his industry would have provided some important insights.

I look forward to following Ejovi's career successes and his contribution to the computer security industry.

I loved this book but viewed it more as a coming of age tale than a hacker's manual. It's about growing from a mixed up, sometimes shallow, youth into a man, with all the adventures that entails. The reader can actually see the protagonist growing, step by step, hit or miss, toward honor and maturity. It's fascinating! Why does one person succeed while another fails?
The title, "Hacker Cracker", is confusing however. Hacking is just a small part of Mr. Nuwere's adventures. And I do agree that the blacking out of text in one section is frustrating (They could have thought of some other way to get around the problem.)
I still think the book is well worth reading. It's one of the most interesting books I've read this year, and I read alot.

Hacker Cracker. Just the name caught my eye and so I bought it thinking it would be a similar to Masters of Deception or Mitnick story, but it wasn't. The entire book is just Mr. Nuwere recounting his exploits from America Online to large corporations, throwing in a good bit about the mean streets of New York, and rounding out (literally) with some non-relevant martial arts. After reading it I was really let down. I was looking for something a little more definitive about computer security, the evolution of it from the time he was a kid to now, etc. Sad to say Masters of Deception was a better book than this but nothing will ever come close to the writing talent, intrigue, and plain storytelling than Cliff Stoll's book the Cuckoo's Egg. Maybe in twenty years if Mr. Nuwere wrote another book and explained what he's learned after spending some time OUT of the mean streets then perhaps it'd be a better book. Right now it's just a feel good made for TV movie.

A co-worker recommeded that I read this book, and, honestly, I did not have very high expectations. Much to my surprise, I found the book nearly impossible to put down. It is an intriguing tale of a boy who spends his days learning the ins and outs of "hacking". He is also forced to cope with the hardships of inner city life and with the fact that his mother is dying of AIDS. The book is hard to follow at times, especially for those who are not well-versed in computer terminology, but it still a worthwile read.

Outstanding first work from Ejovi Nuwere.

The title "Hacker Cracker" suggests a story about computer crime. Indeed, the book is much more than that. It's a story of growing up in a crime ridden neighborhood. It's about the confidence gained from martial arts. It's about a boy coming of age. And - also - it's about the underground hacker culture.

This really is an amazing work from such a young author, even with the help of a veteran contributor. The insights are keen, and the ability to weave lessons from San Shou boxing through computer hacking through the revelations of the horror of 9/11 reveal an outstanding intellect and wisdom beyond the author's 20 years.

The book is a quick read, and appropriate for a much broader audience than just folks interested in computers. All the technical terms are clearly explained in the text and a glossary, and there is no assumption of advanced knowledge of computers.

Buy the book, read it, and enjoy it!