To the government, Kevin Mitnick was "the most wanted computer criminal in United States history." To the data-shuffling dimwits at AT&T, he's just a confused and annoying customer, who is totally making things up about his phone being hacked.

Since royally screwing up the 3G network used by iPhone owners wasn't embarrassing enough, the wireless carrier had to have a public falling out with Mitnick over the security of his AT&T account. The company will only let Mitnick use an eight-digit, all-numeric password to log in online, and aspiring uber-hackers — wanting to prove themselves against the master — have cracked in, obtained his call logs, billing address and last four social-security-number digits, and posted them to the Web, The Register reports.

AT&T's response? "We investigated Mr. Mitnick's claims and determined they were without any foundation," it told the Register, and invited him to take his business elsewhere. Is it any wonder online spooks just adore these guys?

(Pic: Mitnick on release from federal prison, 2000, Getty Images.)