In 2013, Michael from Germany bought bitcoins but lost his wallet password, now worth $3 million. He sought the help of hacker Joe Grand but to no avail. However, Grand, along with software hacker Bruno, discovered a vulnerability in the Roboform password generator that allowed them to manipulate time to recover the password. Despite facing challenges, they eventually cracked the password, and Michael received $1.6 million in bitcoins.
Joe Grand, known as Kingpin, teaches hacking and helps individuals like Michael recover lost passwords or damaged digital devices with cryptocurrencies. Despite the success in Michael’s case, Grand emphasizes the importance of software security and urges companies to report and fix vulnerabilities promptly. His expertise in password recovery has led to numerous messages from scam victims seeking his help.
Grand’s passion for hacking and solving challenges, not monetary gain, drives his work. He stresses the need for constant password renewal, even sharing that he has 935 passwords himself. He warns against scammers impersonating him online and encourages companies to address security issues proactively.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAÍS USA Edition