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Article: 70181 in news.answers Path: Dortmund.Germany.EU.net!Germany.EU.net!EU.net!newsfeed.internetmci.com!news.kei.com!news.texas.net!newsfeed.concentric.net!news From: fts@cris.com (Chester J. Karma, esq.) Newsgroups: alt.hackers.groups,news.answers Subject: ALT.HACKERS.GROUPS FAQ 0.30 - NEW VERSION! Date: Sun, 05 May 1996 04:07:37 GMT Organization: FtS / iLP Productions Lines: 584 Approved: fts@cris.com (Chester J. Karma, esq.) Message-ID: <318c28f1.22625553@news.cris.com> Reply-To: fts@cris.com NNTP-Posting-Host: cnc045179.concentric.net Keywords: FAQ X-Newsreader: Forte Agent .99d/32.182 Archive-name: alt.hackers.groups-faq/part1 Posting-frequency: Whenever I feel like it Last-modified: 1996/05/04 __ ___ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ /_/ / / /_/ /_/ / /_ /_ /_/ /_ / /_/ / / / / /_/ /_ / / /_ / o / / / / /_ / \ /_ / \ __/ o /_/ / \ /_/ /_/ / __/ (alt.hackers.groups) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Version 0.30 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Maintained by Chester J. Karma, esq. <fts@cris.com> Last Updated: May 4, 1996 All parts of this FAQ are protected by United States Federal Copyright Laws, and appropriate regulations worldwide. All parts of this FAQ are Copyright 1995-1996, Tim Fries, unless otherwise attributed to a specific author. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 1 : The FAQ [1-1] Disclaimer and Other Garbage *1-2* Where can I get the FAQ? [1-3] What does FAQ stand for? *1-4* How do I submit to the FAQ? [1-5] How do I read the FAQ? *1-6* I disagree with the FAQ. What do I do? Section 2 : The Newsgroup and it's Readers [2-1] What is alt.hackers.groups? *2-2* What is alt.hackers.groups for? [2-2-1] Who should post to alt.hackers.groups? *2-2-2* Who shouldn't post to alt.hackers.groups? [2-3] Who reads alt.hackers.groups? <2-3-1> Chester Karma (fts@cris.com) <2-3-2> Transient Grindage (sciri@redbox.newhackcity.net) [2-3-3] Molitoph (molitoph@micron.net) <2-3-4> Glen Merrick (gmarik@zot.io.org) *2-3-5* Eddie Buckley (eddie@mi.net) <2-4> What are some related resources on the Internet? [2-5] How come no one replies to my posts? *2-6* The alt.hackers.groups charter <2-7> Alt.hackers.groups' standing on PGP Section 3 : Hacking and Cracking [3-1] What is hacking? [3-2] What is cracking? [3-3] Where can I learn to hack? *3-4* Does anybody have a hack/crack for (insert-name-here)? [3-4-1] How can I change my grades? [3-4-2] Where can I find AOHELL? *3-4-3* How can I get back at my enemy? *Section 4 : The Hacker's Ethic* ========================================================================== SECTION 1 -- THE FAQ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-1] - Disclaimer and Other Garbage All information within this FAQ is presented AS-IS, with no warranty, written or expressed. You are solely responsible for consequences of your actions as a result of reading this FAQ (or lack of reading this FAQ). Reading this FAQ will not necessarily guarantee you will not be flamed for posting to alt.hackers.groups, even though you may follow all the guidelines within to the letter. If you get flamed, don't feel too bad. :) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-2] - Where can I get the FAQ? Usually, the best place to get the FAQ for alt.hackers.groups is in the newsgroup itself. I always post new versions of the FAQ right after they are finished, and I try to periodically post the FAQ there and to news.answers. It's also available from my home page, at http://www.cris.com/~fts or at http://netnow.micron.net/~molitoph. Muchos thankos go out to Molitoph for HTMLitizing the FAQ. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-3] - What does FAQ stand for? FAQ stands for "Frequently Asked Questions", and depending on your origin, is pronounced "fack", "Fah-Que" or "faak". Fortunately, little things like pronounciation get lost along the way. ;) The purpose of this document is to remove simple and annoying questions for alt.hackers.groups. Here you can find the answers to many questions without wasting other users' time by asking them. The other purpose of this document is to provide a base for the charter of alt.hackers.groups... the rules the group follows. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-4] - How do I submit to the FAQ? If you have a submission for the FAQ, either E-Mail to me at fts@cris.com, or post it in alt.hackers.groups with a subject beginning with "ADMIN:". The latter is preferred, because other people can add their input on the matter as well. When submitting an addition to the FAQ, be sure to recommend a place in the FAQ for it to be included. When submitting a change to existing material, be sure you mention which version of the FAQ you are changing. (This is 0.30). PGP-encrypted FAQ suggestions will not be considered. If submissions are deemed worthy of addition to the FAQ, they are added to the appropriate place and you're given credit for the submission. I also read over the newsgroup and I add questions and answers to the FAQ as the questions asked in the group change. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-5] - How do I read the FAQ? The FAQ is organized in question and answer format (go figure). Questions are grouped by type and their relationships to each other. In the table of contents, new/updated questions are marked with asterisks surrounding the section (e.g., *1-5*). Questions updated in the last version of the FAQ are surrounded with less- and greater-than signs (e.g., <1-5>). Unchanged questions are surrounded by brackets (e.g., [1-5]). Only changes in content are marked with these markers, spelling and grammar fixes are not. (This system of marking questions was borrowed from The Official DOOM FAQ.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [1-6] - I disagree with the FAQ. What do I do? The FAQ is a statement of what the common rules of alt.hackers.groups is at the current time. If you disagree with any section or definition in the FAQ, please e-mail me with your concern. If I feel a change is justified, one will be made. However, if I decide against a change, you should take your concern to the group (respectfully) for public perusal. Begin your subject line with "ADMIN:" and give the suggested change in the message body, along with your reasoning. If the prominent opinion of the group is that the change should be made, it will be (no matter how much I personally disagree with it). BE SURE THAT YOU CHALLENGE THE FAQ IN THE CORRECT MANNER. Most readers won't pay attention to contentions presented with the "Damn-What-An-Asshole" ideals, in fact that type of attitude may hurt your chances for group approval. Also I may not correctly attribute a FAQ challenge debate unless the subject header begins with "ADMIN:" ========================================================================== SECTION 2 - THE NEWSGROUP AND IT'S READERS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-1] - What is alt.hackers.groups? Alt.hackers.groups is a newsgroup on the Usenet, where users can post public messages for anyone who decides to read the specific group. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-2] - What is alt.hackers.groups for? Alt.hackers.groups was created to facilitate discussion for and about the various underground organizations in existance. Groups such as the infamous LoD and the up-and-coming FtS are prime examples of who this group was created for. However, this underground culture prefers NOT to discuss in public forums, so alt.hackers.groups exists basically for technical DISCUSSION of hacking (not cracking) related topics. Included in this are computers, telephones, electronics, etc. Alt.hackers.groups is NOT for weenies who have just got their first computer who want to hack because they just saw the movie "Wargames", "Sneakers" or "Hackers". Alt.hackers.groups is NOT for weenies who are looking for the hottest WaReZ, or the latest crack for Doom. We don't deal with that sort of thing in alt.hackers.groups. Alt.hackers.groups is NOT for binaries or sizable source. Any message not readily in English is not allowed. (Sparcing SHORT bits of code in with a post is allowed, but a post comprised totally of code or binary is NOT.) [2-2-1] - Who should post to alt.hackers.groups? Alt.hackers.groups is a public newsgroup, so I can't place restrictions on who can post outside of what the charter allows. However, if you are a member of an underground group, or at least someone slightly knowledgable in the art of hacking, you're more than welcome to grace alt.hackers.groups with your presence. If you have moderate-to-expert knowledge in the field you're posting about, feel free to post. [2-2-2] - Who shouldn't post to alt.hackers.groups? Don't post to alt.hackers.groups for the sake of posting a message on the Internet to satisfy yourself and/or your friends. Alt.test serves this purpose nicely. Posting a "Test message" is discouraged, however it is understood that every once in a while, a situation may exist where checking the news server is needed, and using alt.test may be a hassle... this is tolerated, but only in EXTREME moderation. Don't post to alt.hackers.groups if you have no idea what you're talking about. Alt.hackers.groups is not for novices. Don't post to alt.hackers.groups if you want a copy of the latest "Hacker's Handbook" or any other 'Me Too' troll. Don't post illicit cancel cmsgs to alt.hackers.groups. If a post is bad, then by all means cancel away, but if you want to cancel a post because you personally disagree with the poster, you're breaking the hacker's ethic. (Note that I will cancel messages that are in violation of this FAQ myself, but sometimes I don't get around to them fast enough.) Alt.hackers.groups is not for program cracks or WaReZ. Alt.hackers.groups is not for people who make fake AOL accounts and spam the net. If you have that much free time on your hands, you really need to get a life. It's so damn easy to make fake AOL accounts, you're not proving anything to anybody with them. Alt.hackers.groups is not for unsolicited commercial advertising. Reference to a commercial product is only allowed if it is in response to a question about the product. Most of all, alt.hackers.groups isn't for clueless vigilantes who take it upon themselves to move into a group and disobey its conventions, much less conventions of the entire Usenet. In short, if you don't like the way we run things here, then go somewhere else. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-3] - Who reads alt.hackers.groups? The same people who post, generally... plus some lurkers. Lurkers aren't bad people.. consider them posters who don't make fools of themselves because they learn the group before they post. Be warned, like any group with the word "hackers" in it's title, some government agents are probably watching and taking very careful notes. Be warned and don't incriminate yourself. Some examples of people who make GOOD posts to alt.hackers.groups: [2-3-1] - Chester Karma <fts@cris.com> I maintain the FAQ and enforce the rules for the most part. I do a lot of cancel messages, just run a DejaNews query on me and you'll see em all. I've probably got an unfair advantage being as how I'm not going to break my own rules (that would be dumb-and-a-half). As far as keeping things in check, the other posters listed here have just about equal say in the way things run. [2-3-2] - Transient Grindage <sciri@redbox.newhackcity.net> This guy had a GOOD way to circumvent call-back security, which earned him immortality in this FAQ. He's also proven to me that people read this FAQ by the amount of mail he's gotten from lamers asking him how to hack. He said that he just forwards the mail to other users at NewHackCity and they all have a laugh or two. The sciri account has been removed from New Hack City, as you'll see if you finger him... and you'll probably never know what happened to him. :) [2-3-3] - Molitoph <molitoph@micron.net> He's been hanging around a.h.g almost as long as the group has been around, and he's been making good contributions, so I finally decided it's about time he got some recognition. He's close to what I envision as the perfect a.h.g reader.. he posts some questions, some answers, and defends the Hacker's Ethic. [2-3-4] - Glen Merrick <gmarik@zot.io.org> Glen is currently taking CNE classes, and is quite knowledgable about Novell networks (and other random topics). He's a good, honest, legit hacker... I wish more of you out there were like him. [2-3-5] - Eddie Buckley <eddie@mi.net> What else can I say that I haven't already? Eddie's been around the group for a while and hasn't once made a post that I would consider off-topic. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-4] - What are some related resources on the Internet? The following is a list of related resources available on the Internet. This list is by no means complete, and please send any other suggestions you have to me. http://www.cris.com/~fts My home page. I keep the latest version of this FAQ there. http://www.newhackcity.net Great domain. You have to check it out yourself. http://www.l0pht.com Like New Hack City, except L0pht is more complete. http://netnow.micron.net/~molitoph Molitoph's home page. Has some interesting links on it. http://www.2600.com 2600's web site. I may not agree 100% with everything published in 2600, but it IS a good source of info. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-5] - How come no one replies to my posts? Not every post gets replies. If your post is off-topic for the group (i.e., against the Hacker's Ethic), either I or another reader of the group will cancel the message. If I cancel a message, I will notify you by E-Mail with the post and the reason it was cancelled. Another reason no one may be replying is because no one HAS a reply for the post. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-6] - The alt.hackers.groups charter [This is a temporary charter. The actual full charter is currently being created and reviewed by the posters listed in 2-3-*] ALT.HACKERS.GROUPS exists for the discussion of all sorts of legal hacking. The group is 'unmoderated', in effect that posts do not go through a moderator before being posted. The group is moderated however by it's readers. This charter allows cancellation of any message posted to the group that is a violation of this charter and the group FAQ as a whole. Proper procedure for a cancellation is that the appropriate control message is issued, and a copy of the original message including full headers is e-mailed back to the poster with a reason for the cancellation. If this is not possible, the message is simply cancelled without warning. A reader should be familiar with the group, this charter, and the FAQ before cancelling any messages. In cases where repeated inappropriate messages are posted, a program may be run which will automatically cancel further offending messages from the poster. The period of this auto cancel run is determined by the posters to the group. The group, it's readers and it's posters do not assume any responsiblity for the content of the traffic of the group outside of the guidelines in this charter and the FAQ. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [2-7] - Alt.hackers.groups' standing on PGP PGP is cryptography software written by Phil Zimmerman. It provides a secure way of encrypting and verifying messages using insecure channels. If you don't understand PGP, don't worry about it, you probably don't need the security it provides anyway. The alt.hackers.groups policy on PGP is that public messages are posted unencrypted. Messages posted encrypted will be cancelled without being decrypted. (Posting a message encrypted is stupid anyway.) If you strongly feel it is necessary, you may append a PGP signature to sensitive posts. This will be tolerated in extreme moderation only. A better idea is to say "signature available at http://www.site.com/sig.html for perusal". A one-line PGP fingerprint is tolerated in a .sig file. It is unintrusive and doesn't take much bandwidth. Posting your PGP public key is not allowed. Any message containing a PGP public key will be cancelled. If it is in a .sig, one warning may be given for future posts. Instead of actually including the key, use a line like "PGP Public Key available at http://www.site.com/key.html". ========================================================================== SECTION 3 - HACKING AND CRACKING ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [3-1] - What is hacking? Webster's Third New International Dictionary doesn't have a suitable defination for the word "hack" as it's used in this sense, so I'll try to write up my own definition: hack \'hak\ n 1. An unusual and/or creative solution to an unintended problem. hack \"\ v 1. The act of attempting to create a hack. Basically, hacking is the act of trying to fix something that isn't working the way it's supposed to in an unusual way. Say for example you're using Linux, and the SVGALIB doesn't work right with your SVGA card (although it SHOULD). By editing the SVGALIB to make it work, you have created a hack. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [3-2] - What is cracking? Hacking is almost the same as cracking, but notice the difference in my definition: crack \`crak\ n 1. An unusual and/or creative workaround for an intentional boundary. In my opinion (and probably most other people's), the difference between a hack and a crack is that with a hack, you're finding a better or different way to accomplish something you SHOULD be able to do, and with a crack, you're finding a way to do something you SHOULDN'T be doing. Using a program to remove copy-protection from a piece of software is using a crack, since the copy-protection is an intentional boundary which you shouldn't be crossing. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [3-3] - Where can I learn to hack? Being a hacker is not just a name you call yourself. Hackers are different from non-hackers in the fact that hackers generally are more intelligent, inquisitive, and creative. You can't just LEARN to become a hacker, depending on your personality, either you are one or you aren't. There really is no middle ground, and if you're not one, you can't learn to be one. There are numerous "hacking guides" floating out there, and many people have read them, but the fact that you've read every guide to hacking does not make you a hacker. There is no replacement for experience, and there is no replacement for the ingenuity it takes to create an original hack of your own. If you think you have the skills it takes to be a hacker and you want to learn, the BEST way to learn is to read every manual you can, because they supply a lot of useful knowledge that you might not figure out otherwise, and you have to experiment with systems. Hands-on work is the number one way to gain knowledge and experience. If a manual says that a piece of software will work with certain hardware and it doesn't, the only way to hack around it is to fool with the software and hardware yourself. Asking others "Can you teach me how to hack?" is like asking Micheal Jordan "Can you teach me to be a professional basketball player?" .... it just can't be done. There is too much left to underlying skill that can't be taught. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- [3-4] - Does anybody have a hack/crack for (insert-name-here)? This is probably the most asked question that doesn't belong in alt.hackers.groups. The newsgroups alt.cracks and alt.2600 more suit this type of question. Alt.hackers.groups is more for established hackers, not people looking for help. [3-4-1] - How can I change my grades? Changing your grades is a lot harder than it looks in the movie "Wargames". First of all, you may have seen "WarGames", but you also need to remember: the people who administer computers that contain grades have ALSO seen it, and have added security accordingly. Second: Grade systems are different everywhere. You can't simply ask "how can I change my grades?" and expect to get a step-by-step answer. Systems differ greatly if it's a high school or college/university.. they differ if the system is a VAX or some sort of UNIX box... they differ depending on how many students are kept in the system. The variations are endless. Third: Changing your grades is illegal and stupid. If you're in a college/university, you could be expelled and even jailed for doing it. High school punishments aren't much lighter. Changing anything on a system like that is more than likely logged, and logs are harder to edit than you think. Also, YOUR grades are connected to YOUR name. This is probably the de facto number one reason they shouldn't be messed with. The paper trail leads DIRECTLY to you because YOUR name is the one on the grades. And, as corny as it may sound, you're only cheating yourself. You have your classes for a reason... if you skirt through a UNIX basics class and some day get a job as a Sysadmin, you're going to be lost... and NO one will have any sympathy for you. Fourth: Changing your grades violates the hacker's ethic. [3-4-2] - Where can I find AOHELL? This is not an appropriate question for alt.hackers.groups, but it's addressed here since it's asked quite often in the group. To find AOHELL, use a web search engine and search for "AOHELL". (That was difficult.) [3-4-3] - How can I get back at my enemy? This is not an appropriate question for alt.hackers.groups, but it's been asked a couple times, so the canned response is provided here. Alt.hackers.groups does not deal in any sort of "revenge" (it violates the Hacker's Ethic). Alt.revenge is for this purpose. ========================================================================== SECTION 4 - THE HACKER'S ETHIC ---------------------------------------------------------------------- (I'm open for additions to this.. just mail me and I'll consider them) 1. A hacker does not use viruses. Viruses are for pre-pubescent weenies who think trashing a system makes them look "cool". A hacker generally has nothing to do with viruses, and hackers generally frown upon people who brag about their virus collections. The ONLY reason a hacker will work with viruses is for prevention of them, or if the code is to be adapted to a useful purpose (such as updating a program automatically over a network). 2. A hacker does not hack for personal gain other than knowledge of the system. Our telephone system would not be as sturdy as it is today had it not been for real hackers like Cap'n Crunch who actually called telephone companies and explained problems in their systems. 3. A hacker does not modify anything except in a couple instances: 1) A hacker may modify system logs to make sure their access is unnoticed. 2) A hacker may edit user files to ensure future access. 3) A hacker may fix something that is broken. 4. A hacker disseminates knowledge, so everyone knows about security holes, and everyone can work towards FIXING them... not EXPLOITING them. (Although a hacker also realizes there are dregs in society that will try to exploit these holes for personal gain) 5. A hacker will help someone who has helped themselves. If someone has made an honest effort to learn something but cannot, a hacker throws in a helping hand. A hacker may decide not to help someone who leeches for information without even trying the work to learn it otherwise. 6. Although a hacker may break "legal" laws, a hacker does not break "ethical" laws. A hacker may enter a system illegally, but will only work for the system's benefit, and will not read information that is not needed. 7. A hacker pays for commercial software, and does not touch WaReZ, and does not associate with WaReZ d00dZ. Hackers look down upon WaReZ d00dZ as insecure little delinquents who can't get an honest job to afford commercial software. 8. A hacker believes that information should be free, but a hacker also respects a decision to keep information private when the information is not their intellectual property to be making a judgement on whether it should be free or not. ========================================================================== This is the end of the alt.hackers.groups FAQ, version 0.30 Submissions and comments can go to fts@cris.com Info about cracking your ISP can be obtained from root@warez.phantom.com