New Episode of Darknet Diaries: EP 155: Kingpin

In this captivating episode of Darknet Diaries, Jack Rhysider interviews renowned hacker Joe Grand to explore his fascinating journey and significant contributions to the world of cybersecurity and hacking. Joe Grand, also known as Kingpin, is a hardware hacker who has always been drawn to exploring and understanding technological systems. His journey begins in the 80s with the Atari, then evolves to computers and modems, leading him to join hacker groups like Renegade Legion. Joe shares his early hacking experiences, including exploring telephone systems and unauthorized access to credit databases. These activities led to his arrest, an event that changed his perspective but did not alter his hacker spirit. He then joins L0pht Heavy Industries, a hacker space in Boston, where he collaborates with other hackers to discover vulnerabilities and develop security tools. L0pht becomes a company and even testifies before the U.S. Senate on Internet security flaws, highlighting the importance of embracing hackers to improve security. Joe also discusses his involvement in creating electronic badges for the Defcon conference, an innovation that transformed hacker conferences by integrating interactive electronic devices. This initiative inspired the Badgelife community, where participants create and exchange their own electronic badges. Joe also hosted the show Prototype This! on Discovery Channel, where he built extravagant prototypes, an experience that allowed him to share his passion for engineering with a wider audience. The episode also addresses Joe's personal challenges, including his diagnosis of clinical depression and autism spectrum disorder, which helped him better understand his behaviors and thoughts. These revelations helped him accept who he is and work on his personal challenges. Joe also shares his experience hacking a Trezor hardware wallet to recover cryptocurrencies, a complex task that required fault injection and a deep understanding of electronics. This experience led to a viral video on YouTube but also to impostors using his name to scam people. Joe Grand embodies the hacker spirit, always curious and ready to push the boundaries of technological systems. His journey shows how a passion for hacking can lead to significant innovations and valuable contributions to the cybersecurity community.