This is a classic computer security tale. The first time I read it, I was a novice programmer and knew absolutely nothing about security, so I found the hinjinks thrilling. Years later, and knowing (dare I say) a thing or two, the idea of someone trying admin passwords against everything they can find connected to the network is the type of thing everyone can expect to see in a log file from time to time, and providers most certainly don't leave default admin passwords (if you enable password login at all!) So it's more a historical artifact of an era just before the internet had fully connecte every network, and when big institutional computers where still exciting compared to PCs or Phones. As a record of that era, especially one founded on contemporary notes rather than fond recollection, is a very nice.

The bulk of the book is about making phone traces, logging activity, and the technical details of the chase. The author's initial suspicion of intelligence types slowly changes as he becomes a security researcher himself, and it's a neat introspective journey. We also get small snapshots of the culture of the era and the area which add some human touches to an otherwise very technical story.