Underground: Hacking, madness and obsession on the electronic frontier

The work examines the emergence of the computer underground through intertwined investigative profiles and narrative reconstruction, tracing technical exploits, the personalities and obsessions that drive them, and the social, legal, and ethical fallout. It combines first-person interviews, chronological accounts of notable intrusions, and accessible explanations of tools and vulnerabilities, while exploring themes of secrecy, community, and the tension between curiosity and criminality. The structure alternates immersive personal portraits with analytic chapters on security, law-enforcement responses, and cultural context, offering a layered portrait of a subculture that reshaped perceptions of technology and risk.