01 Could Moral Hacking Gone Flawed In 1999: French Software program Engineer Seems Again
in Blogs
This week in cybersecurity from the editors at Cybercrime Journal
Sausalito, Calif. – Could. 1, 2026
– Hearken to the podcast
1 / 4-century outdated article in The Wall Avenue Journal reported in 1998 that Serge Humpich, a 37-year-old (on the time) programmer approached the French affiliation of bank-card issuers with the information that he had cracked the mathematical algorithm that had served as the primary line of protection in opposition to fraud for the higher a part of a decade.
Humpich thought that the group’s 175 monetary establishments, which in 2000 had nearly 38 million playing cards in circulation, can be grateful to him for declaring the vulnerability of their system. By way of an middleman, he proposed a contract that valued these companies at 200 million French francs (30.5 million euros).
However issues didn’t work out so merely. The bank-card group referred to as the police, who started intercepting Mr. Humpich’s communications. They detained him in Sep. 1998, after a particular crew descended on the big farmhouse in Tournan the place Mr. Humpich lived alone.
In Feb. 1999, Humpich received a 10-month suspended sentence for piracy and “fraudulent system entry.” Alongside the best way, he misplaced his job writing software program for monetary merchants; he stated that his employer received chilly toes about having a headline-making hacker on his payroll.
And that wasn’t the tip of it. In Mar. 2000, the key bank-card algorithm appeared anonymously posted on a French cryptology Web bulletin board. The storm ignited once more, with the safety of the nation’s electronic-payment system referred to as into query. And so the understated Mr. Humpich was thrown again into the highlight.
In a brand new Cybercrime Journal Podcast episode, Humpich joins host Heather Engel to talk about his expertise, the moral hacking panorama over 25 years later, and extra.
Hearken to the Podcast Episode
Cybercrime Journal is Web page ONE for Cybersecurity. Go to any of our sections to learn the newest:
SCAM. The most recent schemes, frauds, and social engineering assaults being launched on customers globally.
NEWS. Breaking protection on cyberattacks and information breaches, and the newest privateness and safety tales.
HACK. One other group will get hacked on daily basis. We let you know who, what, the place, when, and why.
VC. Cybersecurity enterprise capital deal circulation with the newest funding exercise from numerous sources all over the world.
M&A. Cybersecurity mergers and acquisitions together with large tech, pure cyber, product distributors {and professional} companies.
BLOG. What’s taking place at Cybercrime Journal. Plus the tales that don’t make headlines (however perhaps they need to).
PRESS. Cybersecurity trade information and press releases in actual time from the editors at Enterprise Wire.
PODCAST. New episodes each day on the Cybercrime Journal Podcast characteristic victims, legislation enforcement, distributors, and cybersecurity specialists.
RADIO. Tune into WCYB Digital Radio at Cybercrime.Radio, the primary and solely round the clock web radio station dedicated to cybersecurity.
Contact us to ship story ideas, suggestions and solutions, and for sponsorship alternatives and customized media productions.
