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ozhack08.txt
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1998-04-05
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83 lines
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HACKER HITS PROVIDER
By Hal Crawford - West Australian Aug 17
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A Perth internet service provider is thousands of dollars out of pocket after
falling prey to a computer hacker.
Service providers are a fast growing business community that connect computer
owners to the Internet Global computer network.
A hacker guessed a highlevel password to access the computers of TNET Computer
Solutions, a Midland based internet service provider with about 60 users on
August 6.
Using the highest possible access, known as "God Mode", the intruder went on a
two day spree that eneded in the destruction of most of TNET's data files.
The unwanted caller also managed to hack into Media Net, another Perth service
provider, but without managing to cause damage.
TNET manager Dean Hubbard said a hidden "Time Bomb" program began deleting
files on his system as soon as the intruder was detected.
He lost customer details temporarily and was forced to close his service for
about 4 days while he rebuilt his system - losing a $3000 contract.
He gave his customers free access until the end of the month to make up for the
inconvenience.
The hacker was able to get into the system because Mr Hubbard had left a
default user setup - which technicians use to test the systems intact.
Default setups have fairly standard passwords so guessing is not difficult.
It is believed the intruder was using a program called Cloak Me to disguise his
movements, as references to his presence were deleted.
"I first noticed something funny was going on when a user dialed out using our
modems," Mr Hubbard said.
"I was down at the Midland Markets doing an internet display when I noticed it
and tried to lock him out. However, he killed the socket on me so I had to race
back to the office."
When the hacker "killed the socket", Mr Hubbard was electronically locked out
of his own service.
When he got back to his machine he had to switch off the power to his modems to
close out the intruder.
It was then that files began being deleted.
Among the debris left on his computer, Mr Hubbard found a list of names and
passwords - evidence that other systems had been raided and the security of
their users comprimised.
Mark Scholman, manager of Media Net, said that his system had been breached
about the same time as TNET, though no damage had been caused because the
intruder had only general-user status and could not copy anything on to the
hard drive.
Mr Hubbard said he had traced some of the attacks to a dial-in modem at Edith
Cowan University.
Edith Cowam data security officer Andrew Backhouse said that this did not mean
a student was to blame. Unauthorised use of university computers might have
occured.
"I can assure you that if there is any involvement from our students or any of
our computing facilities, we will clamp right down on it," Mr Backhouse said.
Attacks on computer facilities such as those at TNET and Media Net are crimes
under both State and Federal legislation.
Under the Federal crimes Act, hindering the normal operations of a
communications carrier carries a maximum two-year jail sentence.
State legislation provides a maximum one year jail sentence or a fine of up
to $4000 for breaches of a system with restriced access.