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The KGB, the Computer, and Me.

Name: The KGB, the Computer, and Me.
Description: 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.

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3 HN users recommended this documentary3 months2021–2024 score 3

Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

Mentioned alongside The Cuckoo's Egg as the screen version of an early computer-security detective story.

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.

“Then check out the old Nova documentary about the story” (HN, 2024)

3 recommendations · 2 citations · Documentaries

Security & hacking History of computing Documentaries & storytelling Documentaries Systems, Networks & Security

5 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@cartoonworld Jun 2021 Recommends

on HN thread 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!

Television adaptation of Cliff Stoll's story.

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@ndsipa_pomu Mar 2023 Recommends

on HN thread 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.

1990 documentary featuring Cliff Stoll.

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@sys32768 Mar 2024 Recommends

on HN thread 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]

Old Nova documentary of the Cuckoo's Egg story.

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Citations, criticism and jokes

@meatsock Aug 2022 Cites it

on HN thread 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]

Re-enactment of the Cuckoo's Egg story.

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@zoenolan Sep 2022 Cites it

on HN thread 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]

NOVA episode based on the book.

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