Jonathan James

Jonathan Joseph James ranked 2nd in the list of famous hackers. He (December 12, 1983 – May 18, 2008) was an American hacker (a gray hat ethical hacker) who was the first child in the United States to be incarcerated for cybercrime. At the time of the first offense, the South Florida native was 15 years old, and at the time of his sentencing, he was 16 years old. On May 18, 2008, he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at his Pinecrest, Florida home. Jonathan James, sometimes known as "c0mrade," has a heartbreaking story to tell. He began hacking at an early age, managed to break into multiple commercial and government networks while still a kid, and was sentenced to prison as a result.

What Did He Do?

After hacking into NASA's network and downloading enough source code (worth $1.7 million at the time), James was able to figure out how the International Space Station worked. NASA's network had to be shut down for three weeks while the hack was investigated, costing an additional $41,000.

Where Is He Now?

Several high-profile firms were targeted by hostile network assaults in 2007. Despite his denials, James was suspected and under investigation. James committed suicide in 2008, believing he would be found guilty of crimes he had not committed.

• Born: December 12, 1983
• Died: May 18, 2008 (aged 24)Pinecrest, Florida, U.S.