Floppyshop 2/Floppyshop - 2.zip/Floppyshop - 2.iso/diskmags/0022-3.564/dmg-0139/news.txt/hacking.asc

Text File | 1997-04-16 | 7KB | 120 lines

--SitComm-May-1990--------------------------------------------------------------

      SiTComm Magazine would like to point out that the views of the
      writer of this article do not neccesarily reflect the views of
      the magazine.

      Hacking By Marcion

      "...To cut and clear (a way, path, etc) as through undergrowth".

      So runs the Collins Dictionary definition for  the  word  'hack'.
      Those who are familiar, either to a lesser or greater extent with
      this ever-increasing activity -  made possible by computer, modem
      and telephone,  may  well  feel  this  adequately  describes  the
      activity or purpose of hacking.

      Why 'hack' ? Firstly many do it for  the  challenge  of  invading
      unknown territory which  is  prohibited  to  them.  Despite  this
      violation,  they enjoy the protection of  simply  being  able  to
      'drop carrier' if things go awry. Secondly, it can have financial
      benefits, ie. using the account of a Multi-National to make calls
      abroad that would usually be impossible for  the  average  modem-
      user.  Whilst some might deem this as theft, the fact remains the
      account-holder can firstly afford it, and secondly can only  have
      it in the first place by commercial exploitation; therefore  when
      this occurs, the hacker is simply retrieving what does not belong
      to the account holder in the first place.   This may be seen as a
      rather imperfect way of achieving this, but no one would  suggest
      we live in a perfect world in the first place.

      However, the most popular reason for this activity appears  to be
      for perusing information that  is  otherwise  unavailable to  the
      "general public". As time goes on, it is becoming more obvious to
      even the most 'security conscious' person that the United Kingdom
      is fast becoming a country of secrets, restricted information and
      "access denied". An article appeared in the Observer not long ago
      pointing out that in the last five years  Britain  had  become  a
      country that was more secretive than many Eastern Bloc countries;
      some therefore see hacking as a means to undo  the  very suspect,
      if not dishonest, lengths that various agencies and bodies go  to
      in compiling confidential (and often incorrect) information about
      people and then carefully ensuring no one can access this  unless
      they have some spurious government power to do so, or more often,
      have the money to buy it. The newspapers abound with accounts  of
      the misery caused to so many in trying to obtain information held
      by various authorities about themselves.

      There have in fact been several incidents where hackers have left
      warning messages to say they  have  penetrated  the  system,  but
      these have been ignored, eg. one person hacked inside a  Building
      Society system, then happily travelled around its  databases  and
      then, very charitably, left messages at  various  points  telling
      the Society he had successfully penetrated  the  system.  A  week
      later he called back  only to find the messages had not been read
      and nothing had been changed. It seems that with the epidemic  of
      secrecy attacking this country at present,  complacency  comes  a
      close second. Hacking must be seen in the light of current trends
      and attitudes and behavioural patterns. It is a reaction, and   a
      wholly legitimate, reaction against  depersonalisation  and   the
      loss of freedom and personal initiative. A refusal to "comply and
      submit" without protest.

      There are very few  very  occasions  when  hacking  has  actually
      effected physical damage. Invariably those who hack  simply  wish
      to see if they can beat the system, almost as if in an  Adventure
      game.  They  may  also  want  to  travel  though  the  vaults  of
      information hidden away from prying eyes, which in reality should
      be available to the very people about whom they relate.

      The Member of  Parliament,  Emma  Nicholson,  has  recently  made
      stenuous efforts to curtail and criminalise hacking although  the
      subject has only  attracted  extraordinary  sensationalism    and
      inaccurate reporting by the ever news-hungry news  media.  It  is
      interesting to note  that  Ms  Nicholson,  so  dedicated  to  the
      prohibition of hacking is also a keen  supporter  of  the  Embryo
      legislation. Yes, the one that  will  allows  our  fellow  infant
      humans to be experimented upon and then  flushed  down the labor-
      atory sink together with the  garbage. Admittedly, some might not
      see the connection, nor the parallel,   but I find  it  more than
      interesting that the same person who is so keen to stop one  type
      of  freedom  also supports the destruction of another. In reality
      the whole question revolves around the rights  of the individual.
      This is closely allied with the changes at present  occurring  in
      this country where more restrictions are continually and consist-
      -ently laid down to squash people to stereotypical forms. In sum,
      the weak just go 'under' and the remainder become unthinking  in-
      sensitive 'cardboard' people who cannot see or think further than
      their bank balance. People who choose not to conform, or even God
      forbid, challenge the system - and hacking is one example of such
      "anti-social" behaviour - simply must be criminalised.  All  such
      people, whether labelled 'dangerous deviants',   revolutionaries.
      non-conformists, are all fighting a system that  is   obsessively
      intent on reducing people to non-thinking unimaginative robots.

      This is no endeavour to 'politicise' the matter but rather arises
      from a study of behaviour in 1990. Those who hack must have their
      wrists slapped as they are not obeying 'the rules'and their  very
      activity shows they have not succumbed to State brain-washing  to
      obey the rules.  Returning to the quotation supplied at the  very
      beginning; hackers are part of a group who are "cutting  a   way"
      through an undergrowth of distortion, deception, secrecy, restri-
      -cted power, disproprtionate power and wealth,  and greed. To put
      it crudely, hacking is sticking up 2 fingers at the power barons,
      and only a fool would say that is a bad thing to do.

      As this "democratic country" (!!!) of ours sees yet more and more
      laws restricting various activities of the individual, albeit  it
      causes no harm to anyone, it is up to those who  are  enlightened
      enough to see the way things are  going, to  'stand  up  and  be
      counted' and combat this. The State's anti-hacking  hysteria   is
      just another means of  suppressing  individuality, expression and
      freedom, only and simply to protect excessive profits  and  those
      who seek to control our lives. A curse on both their houses.

                                                               Marcion.

                                ~~~OOOO~~~