The KGB, the Computer, and Me.
Why Hacker News recommends it
Mentioned alongside The Cuckoo's Egg as the screen version of an early computer-security detective story.
What it is
A WGBH/NOVA re-enactment of Clifford Stoll's hunt for KGB-linked hacker Markus Hess, based on his book The Cuckoo's Egg. It starts from a 75-cent accounting discrepancy at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.
Recommended by 3 HN commenters across 3 different months, 2021 to 2024.
What Hacker News said
Recommends cartoonworld · 2021-06 · on “A foreign seller has hijacked my Amazon Klein bottle listing”
There was also a television adaptation, "The KGB, the Computer, and Me" produced by PBS Nova in like 1992, starring Clifford Stoll as Cliff Stoll! Here is a bootlegged youtube link--it's the best I've got. [this video] A legend!
Recommends ndsipa_pomu · 2023-03 · on “How a Berkeley Eccentric Beat the Russians – Then Made Useless, Wondrous Objects”
Haven't seen anyone mention the 1990 documentary: [this video] It's amazing to see how little he's changed.
Recommends sys32768 · 2024-03 · on “Cliff Stoll, the mad scientist who wrote the book on how to hunt hackers (2019)”
Definitely read his book The Cuckoo's Egg. Terrific story and prose. Then check out the old Nova documentary about the story: The KGB, The Computer, and Me: [this video]
Cites meatsock · 2022-08 · on “Cybersecurity in 1989: Looking back at “The Cuckoo's Egg” (2015)”
it is hard not to mention the fine WGBH produced re-enactment [1] version of this story any time this book is mentioned. there's also a german film from the POV of the other side of cliff's story [2] [1] [LINK] [1] [this video] [2] [LINK]
Cites zoenolan · 2022-09 · on “Ask HN: What book have you re-read 3x or more?”
The Cuckoo's Egg by Clifford Stoll [1] Pulling a small thread of trivial inconsistent accounting value to in the end exposing an international spy ring. I grew up in the cold war, so I have always been interested in what went on. First recommended by a lecturer at Uni. The book reads like a techno-thriller but happened. Full of technical detail, I learnt a lot about UNIX system when I first read the book. I would still say the book offers a great primer on computer security concepts and the logical processes people use to understand a systems. Always good to be reminded of that from time to time. NOVA made an episode based on the book [2] [1] [LINK] [2] [this video]