Samy Kamkar is one of the most innovative and notorious computer hackers in the United States. He’s also a well-known whistleblower. If you want to learn how Samy hacks everything from online dating to car alarms, this episode is for you.
He is best known for creating the fastest spreading virus of all time, a MySpace worm named “Samy.” He got raided by the United States Secret Service for that one. More recently, he’s created SkyJack, a custom drone that hacks into any nearby drones, allowing him (or any operator) to control a swarm of devices; and Evercookie, which appeared in top-secret NSA documents revealed by Edward Snowden. He also discovered illicit mobile phone tracking by Apple iPhone, Google Android and Microsoft Windows Phone mobile devices.
His research and findings led to a series of class-action lawsuits against these companies and a privacy hearing on Capitol Hill.
To see Samy help me hack my online dating, click here for the “Dating Game” episode of my new TV show.
But to get us started, here is an epic, wine-fueled conversation with Samy about all things hacking-related…
You can find the transcript of Part 1 of this episode here. You can find the transcript of Part 2 of this episode here. Transcripts of all episodes can be found here.
- Listen to this episode on iTunes.
- Stream by clicking here.
- Download as an MP3 by right-clicking here and choosing “save as”.
As a bonus, here are other podcast episodes from experts who appear in The Tim Ferriss Experiment: Josh Waitzkin (Chess Prodigy + Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu), Neil Strauss (The Game), and Ed Cooke (Memory Champion).
Don’t miss Samy’s site, his outstanding YouTube channel, and his Twitter.
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This episode is also brought to you by 99Designs, the world’s largest marketplace of graphic designers. Did you know I used 99Designs to rapid prototype the cover for The 4-Hour Body? Here are some of the impressive results.
QUESTION(S) OF THE DAY: What precautions have you taken to protect yourself in a digital world? Please share in the comments here.
Last, if you haven’t yet seen The Tim Ferriss Experiment, please check it out! It’s currently the #1 TV show season on iTunes and Apple TV, beating out Game of Thrones, Downton Abbey, and Mad Men (!). See what the buzz is about.
Enjoy!