jdj1574@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu (09/27/88)
Here is a text file about hackers that I pulled off a BBS, thought some people may be interested... There's already an intro by the person who posted it on the BBS (I don't know who) so I'll include that also... To the best of my knowledge this is accurate...Though, I am curious to check out the newsweek articles on this... *** NightHack: A Story about hackers. The Word HACKER has taken on a new meaning recently. It used to mean an avid computer user. But now it has taken to the likes (basically) of someone who uses his computer to steal, alter, or misuse online data that is not theirs. Below is a story obtained from a BBS and no author's name was given. But it is my inference from reading the story that it was written by Montana Wildhack, the Newsweek reporter who gained access to a hacking board, and then found himself being harrassed by hackers all over the country.. *** As you are surveying the dark and misty swamp you come accross what appears to be a small cave. You light a torch and enter. You have walked several hundred feet when you stumble into a bright blue portal... With a sudden burst of light and a loud explosion you are swept into... DRAGONFIRE...Press any key if you dare You have programmed your personal computer to dial into Dragonfire, a computer bulletin board in Gainesville, Texas. But before you get any information, Dragonfire demands your name, home city, and phone number. So, for tonights tour of the electronic wilderness you become Montana Wildhack of San Francisco. Dragonfire, Sherwood Forest (sic), Forbidden Zone, Blottoland, Plovernet, the Vault, Shadowland, PHBI and scores of other computer bulletin boards are hangouts of a new generation of vandals. The precious teenagers use their electronic skills to play hide-and-seek with computer and telephone security forces. Many computer bulletin boards are perfectly legitimate: they resemble electronic versions of the familiar cork boards in supermarkets and school corridors, listing services and providing informaton someon out there is bound to find useful. But this is a walk on the wild side, a trip into the world of underground bulletin boards dedicated to encouraging--and making--mischief. The Phone Number for these boards are as closely guarded as a psychiatrist's home telephone number. Some numbers are posted on undergrond boards; others are exchanged oer the telephone. A friendly hacker provided Dragonfire's number. Hook up and you see a broad choice of topics offered. For Phone Phreaks--who delight in stealing service from AT&T and other phone networks. Phreakenstein's Lair is a potpourri of phone numbers, access codes and technical informatin. For compter hackers -- who dial into ot her people's compuers -- Ranger's Ledge is chock full of phone numbers and passwords for government, university and corporate computers. Moving through Dragonfire's offerings, you can only marvel at how conversant these teenagers are with the technical eseterica o today's electronic age. Obviously they have spent a great deal of time studying compters, though their grammar and spelling indicate they havent been diligent in other subjects.You are constantly reminded of how young they are. "Well it's that time of year again. School is back in session so lt's get those high school computer phone numbers rolling in. Time to get straight As, have perfect attendance (except when you've been up all night hacking school passwords), and messing up your worst teacher's paycheck." Forbidden Zone, in Detroit, is offering ammunition for hacker civil war--tips on crashing the mot popular bulletin board software. There also are plans for building black, red and blue boxes to mimic operator tones and get free phone service. And there are the details for the "safest and best way to make use of nytroglycerine," compliments of Doctor Hex, who says he got it "from my chem teacher." Flip through the "pages." You have to wonder if this information is accurate. Can this really be the phone number and password for Taco Bell's computer? Do these kids really have the dial up numbers for dozens of university computers? The temptation is too much. You sign off and have yor compter dial the number for the Yale compter. Bingo--the words Yale University appear on your screen. You enter a password. A menu appears. You hang up in a sweat. You are now a hacker. Punch in another number and yor modem zips off the touch tones. Her comes the tedious side of all of this. Bulletin boards are popular. No vacancy in Bates Motel (named for Anthony Perkin's creepy motel in the movie "Psycho"); the line is busy. So are 221 B. Baker Street, PHBI, Shadowland, and The Vault, Caesar's Palace rings and connects. This is different breed of board. Caesar's Palace is a combinatin Phreak board and computer store in Miami. This is the place to learn ways to mess up a department store's anti-shoplifting system, or make free calls on telephones with locks on the dial. Pur capitalism accompanies such anarchy Caesar's Palace is offering good deals on Disk drives, software, compters and all sorts of hardware. Orders are placed through electronic mail messages. 'Tele-Trial': Bored by Caesar's Palace, you enter the number for Blottoland, the board operated by one of the nation's most notorious computer phreaks--King Blotto. This one has been busy all night, but it's now pretty late in Cleveland The phone rings and you connect. To get past the blank screen, type the second- ary password "S-L-I-M-E." King Blotto obliges, lisgint his rules: he must have your real name, phone number, address, occupation and interests. He will call and disclose the primary password, "if you belong on this board." If admitted, do not reveal the phone number or the secondary password," lest you face "tele-trial," the King warns as he dismisses you by hanging up. You expected heavy security, but this teenager's security is, as they say, awesome. Computers at the Defense Department and hundreds of businesses let you know when you've reached them. Here you need a password just to find out what system answered the phone. Then King Blotto asks questions--and hangs up. Professional computer-security experts could learn something from this kid. He knows that ever since the 414 compter hackers were arrested in August 1982, law-enforcement oficers have been searching for leads on compter bulletin boards. "Do you have any ties to or connectins with any law enforcement agency or any agency which would inform such a law enforcement agency of this bulletin board?" Such is the welcoming message from Plovernet, a Florida board known for its great hacker/phreak files. There amid a string of valid VISA and MasterCard numbers are dozens of compter phone numbers and passwords. Here you also learn what Blotto means by tele-trial. "As some of you may or may not know, a session of the conference court was held and the Wizard was found guilty of some miscellaneous charges, and sentenced to four months without bulletin boards." If Wizard calls system operators like King Blooto disconnect him. Paging through bulletin boards is a test of your patience. Each board has different commands. Few are easy to follow, leaving you to hunt and peck your way arond. So far you haven't had the nerve to type "C," which summons the system operator for a live, computer-to- computer conversation. The time, however, has come for you to ask a few questions o the "sysop." You dial a compter in Boston. It answers and you begin working your way throughout the menus. You scan a handful of dial-up numbers, including one for Arpanet, the Defense Department's research compter. Bravely tap C and in seconds the screen blanks and your cursor dances across the screen. Hello...What kind of compter do you have? Contact. The sysop is here. You exchange amenities and get "talking." How much hacking dos he do? Not much, too busy. Is he afraid of being busted, having his computer confiscated like the Los Angeles man facing criminal charges because his bulletin board contained a stole telephone credit card number? "Hmmm... No," he replies. Finally, he asks the dreaded question: "How old are you?" "How old are YOU," you reply, stalling "15," he types. Once you confess and he knows you're old enough to be his father, the conversation gets very serious. You fear each new question; he probably thinks you're a cop. But all he wants to know is your choice for president. The chat continues, until he asks, "What time is it there?" Just pst midnight, you reply. Expletive. "It's 3:08 here," Sysop types. "I must be going to sleep. I've got school tomorrow." The cursor dances "********* Thank you for calling" The Screen Goes blank. ******** That's the end of part I.. If you made it through that much, I take it your interested.. If anyone IS interested in hearing the ending and what happens to the author of this article, let me know.. Otherwise, if no one cares about this topic, I'll drop it.
zaphod@freja.dk (Ole D. M. Lennert) (10/10/88)
jdj1574@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu writes: [ stuff deleted ] >******** >That's the end of part I.. If you made it through that much, I take it your interested.. [ more deleted ] YES! ============================================================ Ole D. M. Lennert (zaphod@diku.dk) "He looked around the room in search of a large flightless bird." - Douglas Adams: Dirk Gently`s Holistic Detective Agency
elg@killer.DALLAS.TX.US (Eric Green) (10/14/88)
in article <4127@freja.dk>, zaphod@freja.dk (Ole D. M. Lennert) says: > jdj1574@uxf.cso.uiuc.edu writes: > > [ stuff deleted ] > >>******** >>That's the end of part I.. If you made it through that much, I take > it your interested.. [ more deleted ] > > YES! I'm sure that Newsweek would be interested, too, since you're violating their copyright (I can probably dig up my copy of the article with a bit of searching through my filing cabinet... maybe by next week?). Sorry about that, but since copyright is what puts food on a writer's or programmer's table... well, let's just say that USENET is not a place to engage in blatant violation of a law important to most USENETters. -- Eric Lee Green ..!{ames,decwrl,mit-eddie,osu-cis}!killer!elg Snail Mail P.O. Box 92191 Lafayette, LA 70509 It's understandable that Mike Dukakis thinks he can walk on water. He's used to walking on Boston harbor.