The Man Who Hacked America
The Man Who Showed America Stars in Broad Daylight
A single man made a superpower like America see stars in broad daylight. In 2013, he stole over one million top-secret U.S. government documents and exposed them to the world. Since then—over the past 11 years—he has remained America’s most wanted criminal.
Yet despite the massive damage he caused to the U.S. government, today he is seen as a hero around the world.
But why?
How did he steal the top-secret documents from the world’s most secure agency?
Why did he leak them?
And how has he managed to stay out of America's grasp all these years?
The Leak That Shocked the World
It all began on the morning of June 6, 2013, when The Guardian and The Washington Post published a series of explosive reports. These stories were based on leaked NSA (National Security Agency) documents.
These documents didn’t just shock Americans—they stunned the entire world.
They revealed that the U.S. government had been secretly spying on every mobile user, without their knowledge.
The reports exposed a top-secret NSA surveillance program called PRISM—which allowed the government to access the personal data of millions, including Verizon customers.
The documents also revealed NSA hacking into Chinese military computers, tapping the phone of Angela Merkel (then Chancellor of Germany), and how Britain’s GCHQ (Government Communications HQ) was also running a surveillance program on its own citizens.
One leaked conversation showed NSA and GCHQ officials discussing how they could manipulate public perception through propaganda.
The Whistleblower
At first, no one knew who had leaked the documents or whether they were even real.
But just three days later, a man stepped forward and took full responsibility:
Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old high school dropout.
He began his career in the U.S. military, but after being discharged, he worked as a security guard at the University of Maryland in 2005.
Though not academically strong, Snowden had exceptional computer skills, which landed him a job at the CIA. After a few years, in 2009, he was hired by Dell, which at the time had a contract to upgrade NSA computer systems.
His role evolved from supervisor to cyber strategist—becoming a prized asset to both the CIA and NSA.
So what made him turn from loyal strategist to America’s “traitor”?
The Turning Point
While working on NSA systems, Snowden discovered that the agency had the ability to access the personal data of any mobile user, even those not suspected of crimes.
Initially, he assumed the records he was seeing were of international criminals—but they were actually innocent American citizens.
At the same time, a U.S. Congressional hearing on intelligence was broadcast on national TV.
Senator Ron Wyden asked NSA Director James Clapper if the agency collected data on Americans.
Clapper replied:
“No, we only focus on foreign intelligence.”
Snowden was watching and was shocked to see his own director lie so blatantly on live television.
He became furious.
Just three days later, he quit his job at Dell (where he was earning over $200,000 annually) and joined Booz Allen Hamilton, a contractor for the U.S. military, CIA, and NSA.
Here too, he was assigned to an NSA project.
How He Pulled It Off
The NSA said Snowden stole so many files that they still can’t estimate the full number—though it's believed to be over 2 million.
But how did he manage to copy top-secret data without getting caught?
Surprisingly, he didn’t use any complex hacking tools—just a simple USB flash drive.
Even though USBs are banned in such high-security environments, Snowden exploited multiple factors:
- Location Advantage:
He was based in Hawaii, 5,000 miles away from NSA HQ in Maryland. By the time he started work in Hawaii, the main office was closed—giving him extra freedom.
- Access Loopholes:
His thin-client system to access HQ servers was outdated and lacked modern safeguards.
- Admin Privileges:
Snowden was the system administrator with high-level security clearance—giving him access to virtually everything.
Without raising any alarms, Snowden copied over 2 million files in just four weeks.
The Escape
Once his plan was complete, Snowden took sick leave, hid the USB drive from security, and flew from Hawaii to Hong Kong.
When he didn’t return for days and couldn’t be contacted, the NSA grew suspicious and began a search.
Meanwhile in Hong Kong, Snowden met with trusted journalists, gave them the documents—and the next day, the leaks exploded into global headlines.
The Fallout
Snowden’s revelations triggered global debates about surveillance, privacy, and government overreach.
He was charged with:
- Theft of government property
- Unauthorized communication of national defense information
- Willful communication of classified intelligence to unauthorized persons
The U.S. demanded that Hong Kong extradite Snowden, but he had already fled to Russia.
There, he was granted asylum, and in September 2022, he became a Russian citizen.
The Legacy
Snowden later revealed more—such as "Nose Smurf," a tool that lets intelligence agencies access your phone’s microphone remotely and listen to nearby conversations.
Some people still see Edward Snowden as a traitor,
while others call him a hero who exposed the NSA’s true face to the world.
About the Creator
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