The Barnaby Jack Few Knew: Celebrated Hacker Saw Spotlight as 'Necessary Evil'

[InfoSec News <alerts () infosecnews org>]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-23/the-barnaby-jack-few-knew-celebrated-hacker-saw-spotlight-as-necessary-evil-.html

By Jordan Robertson
Bloomberg.com
July 23, 2014

When celebrated computer hacker Barnaby Jack died suddenly a year ago at 
the age of 35, headlines around the world touted the Steve Jobs-style 
pizazz he brought to cyber-security conferences and his show-stopping 
stunts such as breaking into ATMs and pacemakers. In hacker circles, he 
was known as the life of the party.

But recent interviews with Jack's family and longtime friends portray a 
much different person, one who was uncomfortable with being in the 
spotlight at the annual Black Hat and DefCon conventions, events that will 
miss his showmanship when they begin next week in Las Vegas.

Little is known about the circumstances around Jack's final days. A 
five-month investigation by the San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office 
found that Jack's death on July 25, 2013 was the result of an overdose of 
cocaine, heroin, and allergy and anxiety medications.

What is clear is that he had conflicted feelings about fame and the 
heightened expectations that come with breakout success. "White hats" like 
Jack play a critical role in uncovering security flaws early so they can 
be fixed before real damage occurs. Yet few possess the combination of 
attributes that made Jack a star: charisma, cleverness, strong technical 
skills and a marketing instinct that appeals to the mainstream.

[...]



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