© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Talk Show
Up To Date

Advice For May Gardening In Kansas City, And The Social Science Of Hacking

By Steve Kraske,
Luke X. Martin
Published May 4, 2017 at 1:54 PM CDT
Jalisco Campus Party
/
Flickr - CC
After figuring out a teacher's password with a program he created in high school, Kevin Mitnick knew hacking was his calling. But there's more to hacking than simply understanding computers, says Mitnick. It's about understanding people.

Are all those April showers making your May flowers feel a little soggy? Today, we get tips for late-spring gardening from the Kansas City Community Gardens. Also, we speak with Kevin Mitnick about how hackers can use digital know-how and social engineering to work their way into your computer. Mitnick gave up hacking after a five-year stint in prison for computer-related crimes. Now he helps companies and governments secure their own digital networks.

The Linda Hall Library hosts "The Art of Invisibility: Kevin Mitnick in Conversation with Jeff Lanza" at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 4. The event is sold out but a stream of the event is available. Go to LindaHall.org for more information.

Kansas City Community Gardens hosts an information session and fundraiser on Saturday, June 10, at Bier Station in Kansas City, Missouri. Check KCCG.org soon for more information.

Tags
Up To Date Talk ShowComputer SciencecomputersGardeningSpringplantseconomyurbanurban farmsurban agriculturehackersdata
Steve Kraske
When I host Up To Date each morning at 9, my aim is to engage the community in conversations about the Kansas City area’s challenges, hopes and opportunities. I try to ask the questions that listeners want answered about the day’s most pressing issues and provide a place for residents to engage directly with newsmakers. Reach me at steve@kcur.org or on Twitter @stevekraske.
See stories by Steve Kraske
Luke X. Martin
As culture editor, I help you embrace what makes Kansas City fun and vibrant, whether it’s a championship sports franchise or a little-known wonder. I work with reporters to ensure KCUR stories on art, culture, and race fully reflect our diverse home so readers and listeners can take full advantage of what the metro has to offer. Email me at luke@kcur.org.
See stories by Luke X. Martin