1. Kevin Mitnick: Known as one of the most notorious hackers, Mitnick gained unauthorized access to computer systems and stole sensitive information from various organizations.
2. Adrian Lamo: Lamo gained attention for hacking into high-profile systems, including Microsoft, Yahoo!, and The New York Times. He was known for his ethical hacking approach, reporting vulnerabilities to the affected organizations.
3. Gary McKinnon: McKinnon hacked into 97 U.S. military and NASA computers, claiming to search for evidence of UFOs and free energy technology. His actions caused significant disruption and led to a long legal battle between the UK and the U.S.
4. Jonathan James: At the age of 15, James became the first juvenile to be incarcerated for hacking. He gained unauthorized access to various systems, including NASA, stealing software and causing significant financial losses.
5. Albert Gonzalez: Gonzalez was involved in several high-profile hacking incidents, including the theft of millions of credit card numbers from major retailers. He led a criminal hacking group and was eventually arrested and sentenced to prison.
6. Anonymous: Anonymous is a loosely associated international collective of hackers and activists. They have been involved in various cyber-attacks, targeting governments, corporations, and organizations that they perceive as oppressive or corrupt.
7. Lizard Squad: Lizard Squad gained notoriety for launching distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks on various gaming networks, causing widespread disruption. They targeted platforms like Xbox Live and PlayStation Network.
8. Guccifer: Guccifer, whose real name is Marcel Lehel Lazar, gained fame for hacking into the email accounts of high-profile individuals, including politicians and celebrities. He leaked sensitive information and caused embarrassment to his victims.
9. The Chaos Computer Club: The Chaos Computer Club (CCC) is a German hacker collective known for its activism and technical expertise. They have been involved in various hacking activities, including exposing security vulnerabilities and advocating for digital rights.
10. Edward Snowden: While not a traditional hacker, Snowden is known for leaking classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA). His actions exposed widespread surveillance programs and sparked a global debate on privacy and government surveillance.