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Clifford Stoll
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Cuckoo's Egg Mass Market Paperback – November 1, 1990

by Clifford Stoll (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,927 ratings
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Cliff Stoll was an astronomer turned systems manager at Lawrence Berkeley Lab when a 75-cent accounting error alerted him to the presence of an unauthorized users on his system. The hacker's code name was "Hunter"-- a mystery invader hiding inside a twisting electronic labyrinth, breaking into U.S. computer systems and stealing sensitive military and security information. Stoll began a one-man hunt of his own, spying on the spy-- and plunging into an incredible international probe that finally gained the attention of top U.S. counter-intelligence agents. The Cuckoo's Egg is his wild and suspenseful true story-- a year of deception, broken codes, satellites, missile bases and the ultimate sting operation-- and how one ingenious American trapped a spy ring paid in cash and cocaine, and reporting to the KGB.
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  1. Print length
    356 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Pocket
  4. Publication date
    November 1, 1990
  5. Dimensions
    4.25 x 1.25 x 7 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780671726881
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0671726881
  8. See all details
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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
2,927 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written. They appreciate the narrative and writing style. The book provides an informative history lesson on cybersecurity and cyberdefense. Readers appreciate the accurate technical content and deductive reasoning, which are easy to understand.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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ReadabilityStory qualityWriting qualityHistoryTechnical contentEase of understandingPacingDated content
229 customers mention "Readability"229 positive0 negative

Customers find the book engaging and enjoyable to read. They describe it as an interesting read with fun references that bring back memories of how networks worked. The book can be enjoyed by tech-savvy and non-technical readers alike, making it a must-read for IT professionals.

"...It's a thrilling, insightful, and thought-provoking read that has stayed with me long after I turned the final page...." Read more

"...the depiction of the government's response to the situation is interesting and informative...." Read more

"...’s not as much literary flair as say Hemmingway, but it’s a very good read nonetheless and he writes well and keeps you interested to the end." Read more

"...terms, but as others have pointed out the book itself reads like a spy novel of sorts, and there's also quite a bit of humor thrown in, so it's..." Read more

168 customers mention "Story quality"160 positive8 negative

Customers find the story engaging and realistic. They describe it as an engrossing detective tale about how criminals were tracked down. The book is described as informative and easy to follow, with technical details included. Readers appreciate the well-written narrative that expresses hackers' destiny well.

"...I haven't been this captivated by a book in years. Stoll's masterful storytelling and the profound implications of his discoveries make "The Cuckoo..." Read more

"...But some fundamental principles still apply and the story itself is interesting because the author Cliff Stoll captured tremendous detail about his..." Read more

"This account of early-days Internet forensics was fascinating, and explained for me why password hygiene is so important...." Read more

"...viruses or worms to read this highly entertaining and groundbreaking story of a man on the pioneering edge of computer hacking...." Read more

107 customers mention "Writing quality"101 positive6 negative

Customers find the book's writing style engaging and informative. They describe it as readable and amusing, written in first-person with portions of the author's personal life. The author explains concepts in layman terms and blends technical details with human drama, making it a fast-paced and engrossing read.

"...The book masterfully blends technical details with human drama, offering a glimpse into the anxieties and excitement of a rapidly evolving..." Read more

"...story itself is interesting because the author Cliff Stoll captured tremendous detail about his attempt to trace down the hackers...." Read more

"...you'll enjoy the book because, not only does the author explain concepts in layman terms, but as others have pointed out the book itself reads..." Read more

"...For me, Cliff's writing style really made the book interesting...." Read more

70 customers mention "History"66 positive4 negative

Customers find the book informative about cybersecurity and cyberdefense. They say it provides an important history lesson for those unfamiliar with system security while keeping technosavy readers engaged. Readers also mention it's a great view into society and technology in the early 90s.

"...is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of computing, cybersecurity, or simply a good old-fashioned mystery...." Read more

"...of the government's response to the situation is interesting and informative...." Read more

"...He mixes in some human interest elements and tells a good story...." Read more

"...time putting this book down and highly recommend it as an important history lesson to all within the computer security or information technology..." Read more

28 customers mention "Technical content"21 positive7 negative

Customers find the book's technical content interesting and relevant. They appreciate the accurate technical approach and lack of jargon that makes it accessible for non-technical readers. The book covers the technology of the era without being bogged down with too much unexplained jargon. It is accessible to both geeks and non-geeks alike, and provides an interesting glimpse into red tape and serious computing.

"...operating systems, programming logic and other computer activities with a minimum of confusion...." Read more

"...The book was written in a way that makes it accessible to non-technical people, but still interesting to those of us who are technical...." Read more

"...Why not 5 stars then? Almost no book is perfect. Some of the chapters contains somewhat too much text and held up the story a little...." Read more

"...It also includes the people side of things and the bureaucracy that you often come across while doing your job and the payoff of being diligent." Read more

21 customers mention "Ease of understanding"21 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to understand and fun to read. They appreciate how the author explains technical concepts in an accessible way. The narrative is simple and engaging, making it hard to put down.

"...does an excellent job at explaining networks, operating systems, programming logic and other computer activities with a minimum of confusion...." Read more

"...explains all of the technology that he speaks about in very easy to understand terms, and uses a lot of good analogies...." Read more

"...Stoll has a gift for making even complex computer and physics easy to understand...." Read more

"Simply written, easy to follow and remember every part of the story and technical terms are explained in a way that is understandable for anyone...." Read more

35 customers mention "Pacing"19 positive16 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's pacing. Some find it engaging and fast-paced, keeping them hooked until the end. Others feel it gets repetitive at times, making some chapters boring to read.

"...it’s a very good read nonetheless and he writes well and keeps you interested to the end." Read more

"...He also tends to be a bit repetitive in his discussions and his repeating of his philosophies...." Read more

"...I enjoyed the book, and read it pretty quickly - in just a few days...." Read more

"...This made some chapters boring to read, or I just felt boring since I wanted to know what would happen with the hacker..." Read more

26 customers mention "Dated content"9 positive17 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the dated content. Some find the technical material relevant today and an interesting primer on technology. Others say the story is dated but the lessons are still valid.

"...Although the story is somewhat dated, starting in the late 80’s, there are still many lessons to be learned from it today...." Read more

"...Stoll's masterful storytelling and the profound implications of his discoveries make "The Cuckoo's Egg" a truly unforgettable reading experience." Read more

"...and I'm just sorry it took me so long to stumble upon it...technology outdated now, but story still works." Read more

"...It is a great starting point although methods are dated. An engaging page turner...." Read more

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Stinky Greg
    5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding Book!
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Clifford Stoll's "The Cuckoo's Egg" isn't just a cybersecurity thriller; it's a captivating journey into the dawn of the internet, a time of dial-up connections and nascent networks. Stoll, a meticulous astronomer, stumbled upon a minor accounting discrepancy that led him down a rabbit hole of international intrigue.

    What follows is a thrilling cat-and-mouse game as Stoll, armed with little more than his wits and a deep understanding of Unix systems, tracks a sophisticated hacker across continents. The book masterfully blends technical details with human drama, offering a glimpse into the anxieties and excitement of a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

    Stoll's writing is both accessible and insightful. He explains complex technical concepts with clarity, making them understandable even for non-technical readers. But more than just a technical manual, "The Cuckoo's Egg" is a poignant reflection on the changing nature of privacy, the power of information, and the interconnectedness of our world.

    This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of computing, cybersecurity, or simply a good old-fashioned mystery. It's a thrilling, insightful, and thought-provoking read that has stayed with me long after I turned the final page.

    I haven't been this captivated by a book in years. Stoll's masterful storytelling and the profound implications of his discoveries make "The Cuckoo's Egg" a truly unforgettable reading experience.
    One person found this helpful
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  • The Friendly Ranger
    5.0 out of 5 stars Blast From The Past!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2014
    Verified Purchase
    I read this book when it was first published but lost my copy somewhere along the way. I recently picked up another copy to see if it would stand the test of time. I wondered if the technological developments of the past couple decades would turn this book into a dull history lesson or if it would still capture my attention. I found it every bit as fascinating and probably more so now that I'm older and have a different perspective.

    At the time the events depicted in this book were taking place, I was starting my career as an IT professional. My first assignment involved supporting a Bellcore (Bell Labs) developed application running on AT&T Unix (sorry Cliff, I'm a "heathen" though I appreciate BSD too!). I got to experience working with DEC PDP-11/70s, 11/34s, VAX 8650s, Decwriters, and RP06/RP8x DASD. Some of that stuff was considered dated at the time and by today's standards they are prehistoric. So, I can relate to Cliff's experience, except for the part of having to track down an international spy, LOL. I missed out on that, thank goodness!

    I look at this book differently now than I did in 1989. Even if the reader doesn't care about the origins of the Internet or the finer points of Unix system administration and telecommunications, the depiction of the government's response to the situation is interesting and informative. Of note is the revelation that a particular agency was aware of existing security vulnerabilities but did nothing to address them because they were likely exploiting the vulnerabilities themselves.

    This time around, I had more interest in the personal drama surrounding the incident. I could more easily identify with, and laugh at, some of the crazy personalities involved. And, I could empathize with Cliff over the disruption it was causing in his personal life. I also appreciate Cliff's commentary on the philosophy and ethics of computing and how a few bad apples can spoil it for everyone. These concepts are still relevant today despite advancements in technology. After all, the weakest link in the system is the same today as it was back then.

    I would recommend this book to anyone getting started in Information Technology and to old school Unix guys and gals who have ever fixed a paper jam on a Decwriter.
    21 people found this helpful
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  • JK
    4.0 out of 5 stars Retro hacker tale from the late 80s - and a good story
    Reviewed in the United States on January 27, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    I first read this when the tech was more fresh in the 90s (it’s written about a 1986-1987 timeframe of computing and networks). But some fundamental principles still apply and the story itself is interesting because the author Cliff Stoll captured tremendous detail about his attempt to trace down the hackers. He mixes in some human interest elements and tells a good story. As he wasn’t an author by trade at the time of the writing, it reads a little more like someone telling you a story and there’s not as much literary flair as say Hemmingway, but it’s a very good read nonetheless and he writes well and keeps you interested to the end.
    2 people found this helpful
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  • ArtFan
    5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent, and entertaining light read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 12, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    A great read. If you're a Unix sysadmin, like myself, you will recognize and emphathize with a lot of the concepts. If you've been doing sysadmin work for more than a decade, like myself, then you'll remember the old technologies as described in this book - the modems, the bulliten boards, the days before "ssh" ... If you're a new-school sysadmin, then you will be suprised to see a lot of things haven't changed in the world of Unix: telnet is still around, the "root" account is still around. The foundations of Unix were laid in the early 1970s. The events of this book took place in the 1980s. And many of the command line tools are still in use today.

    Anyway, a lot of sysadmins learn their trade because they are thrown into the fire without any prior experience, as happened to the author of this book, and it's entertaining to see him, a computer novice, teach himself what he needed to know to track down a hacker and to educate the U.S. military people in the process. I also found it interesting that, despite the fact that the author was basically a liberal, "anti-establishment", ex-hippie, he nonetheless felt such a sense of pride in his computer network that he was offended that a hacker should be in there mucking around, and this feeling of "ownership" and "responsibility" for his network spurred him on to try to catch the guy.

    If you don't know anything about computers, you'll enjoy the book because, not only does the author explain concepts in layman terms, but as others have pointed out the book itself reads like a spy novel of sorts, and there's also quite a bit of humor thrown in, so it's quite entertaining overall.
    43 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Davor
    5.0 out of 5 stars A must read
    Reviewed in Canada on July 29, 2024
    Verified Purchase
    Outdated, but a great read.
    Report
  • Diego
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great book
    Reviewed in Mexico on October 8, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    A great book that tells a real story of the beginning of cyber security forensics
    Report
  • शुभम चौहान
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great condition of the used book
    Reviewed in India on June 4, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    The media could not be loaded.
    If not for the yellowish tint on the pages i would've confused it for new.
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    शुभम चौहान
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great condition of the used book
    Reviewed in India on June 4, 2023
    If not for the yellowish tint on the pages i would've confused it for new.
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  • Mostly Harmless
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read, from 1986 but even more relevant today.
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    It's the account of a mid eighties astronomer who gets a junior job in the IT department of Berkley. Just to give him something to do they ask him to look into a 75 cent discrepancy in the billing for computer time. He gets obsessed with this and it ends up a year long mission involving every three letter agency you've ever heard of, and a bunch you haven't, and capturing a German hacker selling secrets to the KGB.

    From the very early days of the internet, long before the world wide web, when nobody took IT security seriously, all those TLA were fighting each other and passing the buck and hackers were learning to exploit weaknesses and lax security. A fascinating read. Enough technical detail to let you know what is happening but simple enough for any layman to understand.
    And a warning about lax security procedures that are even more relevant today now that everything is online.
    Report
  • Dirk W.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Tolles Buch, macht Spaß zu lesen
    Reviewed in Germany on March 30, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Tolles Buch, macht Spaß zu lesen. Als IT'ler empfinde ich es als sehr angenehm, dass hier keine übertriebenen Hacks passieren, sondern eine reale Geschichte spannend aber unaufgeregt wiedergegeben wird. Mir hat der Blick in die Vergangenheit des Internets und gerade auch die kleine Einsicht in die astronomische Forschung, in der ja viele Ideen der Computergeschichte ihren Anfang hatten, gut gefallen.
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