KIIS-FM

In 1990, Los Angeles' KIIS-FM was a well-liked radio station known for its weekly contest, "Win a Porsche by Friday." Being the 102nd caller was all that was required to win the prize, a Porsche 944 S2. People in LA would use auto-dialers and other ploys to try to win contests that were only run on landlines during the heyday of those in America.

It may sound like a safe system, but that wasn't the case—at least not in 1990, when computers were still in their relative infancy. Kevin Poulsen, a 24-year-old college dropout, and a handful of his buddies hacked and jammed all 25 phone lines of the radio station on June 1, 1999, making him the 102nd caller. They waited until the 101st call before starting their attack. Although he did receive the automobile, law enforcement officials quickly learned about the breach.

Kevin was skilled at controlling switching networks and had carried out prior attacks on several telephone companies' systems, including the one used by KIIS-FM. After the hack, Kevin did manage to escape for a while, but he was ultimately apprehended in April 1991 and given a five-year prison sentence.

• Year: 1990
  
• Damage: X