The hacker who humiliated spyware makers and was never caught

Phineas Fisher is a hacker who over a decade has become a legend in the cybersecurity world. They have attacked several spyware makers, including Gamma Group (FinFisher) and Hacking Team, and have never been caught.

Phineas first emerged in 2014, hacking Gamma Group and leaking their data, including mobile spyware and a price list. A year later, they executed a much larger breach of Hacking Team, obtaining over 400 GB of data—source code, emails, contracts, and customer lists. This leak enabled journalists to uncover scandals in Ecuador, Mexico, and Panama. Years later, Hacking Team's CEO was forced to sell the company for one euro.

Phineas went on to hack the Catalonia police union and Turkey's ruling party, motivated by solidarity with the Rojava region in Syria. They also breached Cayman National Bank's Isle of Man branch and revealed that they had been hacking banks for years to fund donations. Phineas announced a "Hacktivist Bug Bounty Program" rewarding hackers who expose illegal activities by companies.

Despite investigations, Phineas's identity remains a mystery. They have denied being a Russian spy, and their first language is neither English nor Spanish. Phineas admits to spreading misinformation about their identity. They are still alive and have been in contact with a journalist in recent years, but their social media accounts are deleted.