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{{short description|American editor}}
'''Craig Neidorf''' (born [[1969]]), aka '''Knight Lightning''', was one of the two founding editors of ''[[Phrack]]'' Magazine, an online, text-based ezine that defined the [[Hacker (computer security)|hacker]] mentality of the mid to late 1980's.
[[File:PwnPhrack.jpg|thumb|''[[Phrack|Phrack World News]]'' front page]]


'''Craig Neidorf''' (born 1969), {{aka}} '''Knight Lightning''', is an American editor. He was one of the founding editors of ''[[Phrack]]'' Magazine, an [[Online magazine|ezine]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Goldstein |first=Emmanuel |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GEQlEx3XUWoC&dq=Craig+Neidorf&pg=PA494 |title=The Best of 2600, Collector's Edition: A Hacker Odyssey |date=2009-01-26 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-47469-3 |language=en |access-date=2024-03-15 |archive-date=2024-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315161025/https://books.google.com/books?id=GEQlEx3XUWoC&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PA494&dq=Craig+Neidorf&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Craig%20Neidorf&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>
Craig, along with Phrack co-founder '''Taran King''', came up with the concept of Phrack and published it for several years in the mid-80's. The Phrack newsletters were very informative and served as a bible to the hackers of the day.


In 1990, he was charged for fraud, though later the charges were dropped. The case was a catalyst in the founding of the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]]. Prophet, a witness, admitted that he had never known Neidorf to break in to any computer. Also that no one in the [[Legion of Doom (hacker group)|Legion of Doom]] considered Craig a hacker.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Sterling |first=Bruce |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NYXoDwAAQBAJ&dq=Craig+Neidorf&pg=PT148 |title=The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier |date=2020-08-11 |publisher=Open Road Media |isbn=978-1-5040-6309-8 |language=en |access-date=2024-03-15 |archive-date=2024-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315161026/https://books.google.com/books?id=NYXoDwAAQBAJ&newbks=0&printsec=frontcover&pg=PT148&dq=Craig+Neidorf&hl=en#v=onepage&q=Craig%20Neidorf&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref>
In [[1990]], Neidorf was facing 31 years in jail after being arrested and charged with receiving a document stolen from [[Bell South]], and with publicly distributing it online. Bell described the document, which described the inner workings of the [[Enhanced 911]] system, as being worth US$79,449<ref>[http://venus.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest/CUDS2/cud204.txt CuD Computer Underground Digest issue 2.04] file 4</ref> (a figure which included, among other things, the value of the [[VAX]] workstation on which the document had been typed). The charges were dropped when it was revealed that the document was not, as initially described, [[source code]], but rather a memorandum, and that more detailed documents could be ordered from Bell for $13.


== Biography ==
The case was a catalyst in the founding of the [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]].
{{Expand section|date=March 2024}}
Craig Neidorf studied at [[University of Missouri]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=1991-04-21 |title=In Defense of Hackers (Published 1991) |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/21/magazine/in-defense-of-hackers.html |access-date=2024-03-15 |language=en |archive-date=2022-01-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220110185925/https://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/21/magazine/in-defense-of-hackers.html |url-status=live |last1=Bromberg |first1=Craig }}</ref>


In 1985, Craig, along with [[Randy Tischler]] (aka Taran King), came up with the concept of ''Phrack'' and started publishing it since then.
==References==


In February 1990, Neidorf was arrested and was charged with fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property for stealing a confidential document, the E911 document, from the [[BellSouth|Bell South telephone company]] and with publicly distributing it in february 1989.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Enterprise |first=I. D. G. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2z_E3Xqrz1cC&dq=Craig+Neidorf&pg=PP10 |title=Computerworld |date=1990-07-30 |publisher=IDG Enterprise |language=en |access-date=2024-03-15 |archive-date=2024-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240315161032/https://books.google.co.in/books?id=2z_E3Xqrz1cC&pg=PP10&dq=Craig+Neidorf&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj8wuyyjPaEAxWbslYBHckHDvsQuwV6BAgEEAY#v=onepage&q=Craig%20Neidorf&f=false#v=onepage&q=Craig%20Neidorf&f=false |url-status=live }}</ref> BellSouth described the document, on the subject of the inner workings of the [[Enhanced 911]] system, as being worth US$79,449.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2011-07-20 |title= |url=http://venus.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest/CUDS2/cud204.txt |access-date=2024-03-15 |archive-date=2011-07-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720013626/http://venus.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest/CUDS2/cud204.txt |url-status=dead }}</ref>
{{Reflist}}


The case became a controversial issue for the digital underground and Neidorf's defence was organised, not funded, by the fledgling [[Electronic Frontier Foundation]]. On 27 July 1990, the fourth day of trial, the case was dismissed. The charges were dropped when it was revealed that the document was not a [[source code]] but rather a [[memorandum]] and that it could be ordered from BellSouth by phone for $13.50. The proceedings are formally known as ''[[United States v. Riggs]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2005-07-09 |title=Key hacker magazine faces closure |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4657265.stm |access-date=2024-03-15 |language=en-GB |archive-date=2020-03-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200301210156/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4657265.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Sterling, Bruce. ''[[The Hacker Crackdown]]: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier''. Bantam Books, [[1992]].


He was not found innocent though the trial was dropped. On September 9, 1991, he was granted motion for the "expungement and sealing" of his indictment record. Craig became determined to become a lawyer. In 2020, he was working as a researcher at Electronic Frontier Foundation.<ref name=":0" />
==External links==
*[http://www.totse.com/en/law/justice_for_all/cn_trial.html Transcript of the opening statements at Neidorf's trial]


==References==
{{US-compu-bio-stub}}
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080203234704/http://www.totse.com/en/law/justice_for_all/cn_trial.html Transcript of the opening statements at Neidorf's trial]


{{DEFAULTSORT:Neidorf, Craig}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Neidorf, Craig}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]

{{US-compu-bio-stub}}

Latest revision as of 06:34, 13 August 2024

Phrack World News front page

Craig Neidorf (born 1969), a.k.a. Knight Lightning, is an American editor. He was one of the founding editors of Phrack Magazine, an ezine.[1]

In 1990, he was charged for fraud, though later the charges were dropped. The case was a catalyst in the founding of the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Prophet, a witness, admitted that he had never known Neidorf to break in to any computer. Also that no one in the Legion of Doom considered Craig a hacker.[2]

Biography

[edit]

Craig Neidorf studied at University of Missouri.[3]

In 1985, Craig, along with Randy Tischler (aka Taran King), came up with the concept of Phrack and started publishing it since then.

In February 1990, Neidorf was arrested and was charged with fraud and interstate transportation of stolen property for stealing a confidential document, the E911 document, from the Bell South telephone company and with publicly distributing it in february 1989.[4] BellSouth described the document, on the subject of the inner workings of the Enhanced 911 system, as being worth US$79,449.[5]

The case became a controversial issue for the digital underground and Neidorf's defence was organised, not funded, by the fledgling Electronic Frontier Foundation. On 27 July 1990, the fourth day of trial, the case was dismissed. The charges were dropped when it was revealed that the document was not a source code but rather a memorandum and that it could be ordered from BellSouth by phone for $13.50. The proceedings are formally known as United States v. Riggs.[6]

He was not found innocent though the trial was dropped. On September 9, 1991, he was granted motion for the "expungement and sealing" of his indictment record. Craig became determined to become a lawyer. In 2020, he was working as a researcher at Electronic Frontier Foundation.[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Goldstein, Emmanuel (2009-01-26). The Best of 2600, Collector's Edition: A Hacker Odyssey. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-0-470-47469-3. Archived from the original on 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  2. ^ a b Sterling, Bruce (2020-08-11). The Hacker Crackdown: Law and Disorder on the Electronic Frontier. Open Road Media. ISBN 978-1-5040-6309-8. Archived from the original on 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  3. ^ Bromberg, Craig (1991-04-21). "In Defense of Hackers (Published 1991)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  4. ^ Enterprise, I. D. G. (1990-07-30). Computerworld. IDG Enterprise. Archived from the original on 2024-03-15. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
  5. ^ . 2011-07-20 https://web.archive.org/web/20110720013626/http://venus.soci.niu.edu/~cudigest/CUDS2/cud204.txt. Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2024-03-15. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ^ "Key hacker magazine faces closure". 2005-07-09. Archived from the original on 2020-03-01. Retrieved 2024-03-15.
[edit]