My wife Deb and I are heartbroken to share the sad news that our old friend Jason Snitker AKA Parmaster has passed away.

Par was one of the sharpest and most elusive minds of the early underground hacking scene. As chronicled in “Underground”, he spent years navigating the emerging digital frontier, connecting with hackers internationally and repeatedly staying ahead of the United States Secret Service during a prolonged investigation in the early 1990s.

His story in “Underground” includes the Citibank investigation that helped trigger the pursuit, as well as his time in custody at Rikers Island, where he found himself playing Dungeons & Dragons.

Par’s life reflected both the intensity of the early hacking world and the very real consequences that came with it. He was part of a generation that explored the edges of a new technological landscape before most of the world even understood it existed.

There will be an online memorial gathering on Feb 28. More details to follow.

The old-school hacking community has lost a true original. Rest in peace, Par. If anyone has stories or memories, please share them here.

In order to collect a bug bounty, a researcher was required to sign an NDA to not discuss the vulnerability.

https://zuernerd.github.io/blog/2026/01/29/molekule-re.html

ATM Jackpotting, still alive in 2025

Two attackers physically popped ATMs, plugged in a laptop, dropped malware, and forced machines to dump all cash.

This isn’t an isolated case. DOJ has charged dozens tied to multi-state jackpotting rings, including members of Tren de Aragua. Same playbook, scaled.

Props where due: this entire class of attacks was dragged into the open by Barnaby Jack, who live-demoed ATM jackpotting at Black Hat in 2010 and literally coined the term. He showed that ATMs were just poorly defended computers with cash attached.

I'm heartbroken to share that my friend of 30 years, Arthur Phillip Delchi, @Delchi, DJ Delchi, FIRST REGENT OF GOTHAM—has left us.

A founding force behind DEF CON’s Hackers with Disabilities village, a L0pht regular who DJed our wildest parties (two of those moments captured below), and an early researcher tearing apart IoT and other devices for the sheer love of understanding how things break.

He was just as legendary in the NYC goth scene: From the earliest days spinning ethereal sets at Parallax, Long Black Veil, Sanctum at CBGB’s Basement, and his own Bitter Paradise at Downtime… to guest spots at Absolution, Albion, The Bank, Webster Hall, and beyond… to carrying the dark flame to Vegas in recent years—Delchi was a pillar of the night.

He lived in the pages too, as “The Voltoids Guy” in Voltaire’s Oh My Goth and “Lord Delchi” in GloomCookie, before becoming a comic creator himself with his comic Noduttu.

Rest easy, old friend. The dance floor, the lab, and the shadows won’t be the same without you.

Hail and farewell, traveler.