Full Breakdown
Kevin Mitnick’s Final Gift: A Porsche 911 to Former Novell Administrator Shawn Nunley
6/23/2026, 12:13:51 AM
Background & Context
Kevin Mitnick first gained notoriety in 1979 by copying an unreleased operating system from a software company’s server. In the early 1990s he targeted Novell, whose NetWare and GroupWise products powered many corporate networks. Novell network administrator Shawn Nunley later recalled that Mitnick was actively attempting to breach Novell’s network. Mitnick used war-dialing and a social-engineering call from a fabricated employee, “Gabe Nault,” who claimed to need emergency inbound modem access while vacationing in Vail. Nunley recorded the voicemail on a cassette; the tape later served as the primary evidence for the Justice Department’s case, which charged Mitnick with 14 felony wire-fraud counts.
Legal Outcome, Reconciliation, and Gift
After five years of trial delays, Mitnick entered a plea agreement and was released. He was barred for seven years from profiting from his legal story, a restriction intended to curb “profiteering by serial killers.” He then founded two security consulting firms, one still family-owned, and spent his career teaching organizations to defend against the intrusion tactics he once employed. Following his release, Mitnick called Nunley to apologize; their reconciliation, documented by *Wired*, grew into a friendship lasting a quarter-century. When Mitnick died of pancreatic cancer in 2023, he bequeathed Nunley a Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS—Nunley’s long-desired dream car. Nunley later said he had a wonderful time watching Mitnick mature and expressed deep sadness at his loss.
Criticism & Opposition
Online commentators argue Mitnick’s fame rests more on social engineering than on traditional hacking. The seven-year ban on selling his story reflects the legal system’s caution about allowing former cybercriminals to profit from past offenses.
Timeline
- 1979 – Mitnick copies an unreleased operating system from a software company.
- 1990s – War-dialing and a deceptive voicemail target Novell’s NetWare/GroupWise; Mitnick is arrested after a prolonged investigation.
- 2023 – Mitnick dies of pancreatic cancer and leaves Nunley a Porsche 911.
What’s Next
Nunley plans to keep the Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS for at least another quarter-century, a tangible reminder of a former adversary turned lasting friend.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Back in the 90s, Kevin was trying very hard to hack into Novell’s network,” — Shawn Nunley, former Novell network administrator
- “Late one night at home, I got a phone call from a Novell employee named Gabe Nault,” — Shawn Nunley
- “ When Mitnick was caught, that’s when Nunley learned that the voicemail was the only meaningful evidence that the Justice Department had against him.” — Shawn Nunley
- “I am truly sad he is gone as he was a big part of my life for the last quarter century.” — Shawn Nunley
