[comp.dcom.telecom] Speaking of Security Codes

jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu (John G Dobnick) (02/25/90)

John Higdon says:

>                                  ... the silliness of relying on
> two-digit "security" code to protect ...

I recently received a Panasonic (Matsushita) Easa-Phone Auto-logic
answering machine (the KX-T1470 model).  It allows remote access to
all its functions (including "room monitor"!), but has only a 2-digit
"security code".  Now, being in the computer game, it is obvious to me
that two-character passwords are less than sufficient.  However, what
really concerns me is that there seems to be no way to disable this
remote access.

My question to you good folks on this list is: Can remote access be
totally supressed on this beastie?  I see no way to do so.  If this
_is_ mentioned in the manual, it isn't obvious to me.

Thank you,

John G Dobnick
Computing Services Division @ University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee
INTERNET: jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu
UUCP: uunet!uwm!csd4.csd.uwm.edu!jgd

"Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation,
and is thus a source of civilized delight."  -- William Safire

john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) (02/27/90)

John G Dobnick <jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> writes:

> My question to you good folks on this list is: Can remote access be
> totally supressed on this beastie?  I see no way to do so.  If this
> _is_ mentioned in the manual, it isn't obvious to me.

There is no way, short of tampering with the unit's firmware, to
defeat the remote feature. This is a major shortcoming with this
otherwise good product. The only suggestion would be to change the
code daily :-)


        John Higdon         |   P. O. Box 7648   |   +1 408 723 1395
    john@bovine.ati.com     | San Jose, CA 95150 |       M o o !

onymouse@ames.arc.nasa.gov (John Debert) (02/28/90)

In article <4416@accuvax.nwu.edu>, john@bovine.ati.com (John Higdon) says:
X-Telecom-Digest: Volume 10, Issue 129, Message 6 of 9
 
> John G Dobnick <jgd@csd4.csd.uwm.edu> writes:
 
>> My question to you good folks on this list is: Can remote access be
>> totally supressed on this beastie?  I see no way to do so.  If this
>> _is_ mentioned in the manual, it isn't obvious to me.
 
> There is no way, short of tampering with the unit's firmware, to
> defeat the remote feature. This is a major shortcoming with this
> otherwise good product. The only suggestion would be to change the
> code daily :-)

This is reference to an answering machine, no?

One way is to open it up and remove the tone decoder chip - whichever
one is used in your particular machine.

I've noted a comment in misc.security about the ability to make an
answering machine make "untraceable" calls. I tried this on my machine
without success. It mutes all DTMF tones.


jd
onymouse@netcom.UUCP