The Hacker Chronicles - A Tour of the Computer Underground

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Text File | 1992-03-03 | 14KB | 447 lines

*******BIOC Agent 003's course in****** * * * ========================== * * =BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS= * * ========================== * * PART II * *************************************** PREFACE: In part II, we will explore the various special Bell #'s, such as: CN/A, AT&T Newslines, loops, 99XX #'s, ANI, ringback, and a few others. AT&T NEWSLINES: --------------- Newslines are recordings that Bell employees call up to find out the latest info on stock, technology, etc. concerning the Bell System. Here are the #'s that are currently known to phreaks (at least me, anyway): 201-483-3800 NJ 513-421-9060 OH 203-771-4920 CT 516-234-9914 NY 212-393-2151 NY 518-471-2272 NY 213-621-4141 CA 617-955-1111 MA 213-829-0111 CA (GTE) 702-789-6711 NV 213-449-8830 CA 713-224-6116 TX 312-368-8000 IL 714-238-1111 CA 313-223-7223 MI 717-255-5555 PA 314-247-5511 MO 717-787-1031 PA 408-493-5000 CA 802-955-1111 VE 412-633-3333 PA 808-533-4426 HI 414-678-3511 WI 813-223-5666 FL 416-929-4323 ONT. 914-948-8100 NY 503-228-6271 OR 916-480-8000 CA ======= =LOOPS= ======= First of all, you must understand the concept of loops. I think that the best way that this is understood is the way that Phred Phreek explained it... "No self-respecting Phone Phreak can go through life without knowing what a loop is, how to use one, and the types that are available. The loop is a great alternative communication medium that has many potential uses that havent't even been tapped yet. In order to explain what a loop is, it would be helpful to visualize two phone numbers (lines) just floating around in the Telco central office (CO). Now, if you (and a friend perhaps) were to call these two numbers at the same time, POOOOPFFF!!!, you are now connected together. I hear what you're saying out there..., "Big deal" or "Why should Ma Bell collect here two MSU'S (message units) for one lousy phone call!?" Well... think again. Haven't you ever wanted someone to call you back but, were reluctant to give out your home phone number (like the last time you tried to get your friend's unlisted # from the business offfice)? Or how about a collect call to your friend waiting on a loop, who will gladly accept the charges? Or better yet, stumbling upon a loop that you discover that has multi-user capability (for those late-night conferences). Best of all is finding a non-supervised loop that doesn't charge any MSU's or tolls to one or both parties. Example: many moons ago, a loop affectionately known as 'the 332 Loop' was non-sup (ie, non- supervised) on the tone side. I had my friend in California dial the free (non-sup) side, (212) 332-9906 and I dialed the side that charged, 332-9900. As you can see, I was charged one MSU, and my friend was charged zilch, for as long as we wished to talk!!!" ***** Ahhh...have I perked your interest yet? If so, here is how to find a loop of you very own. First, do all of you loop searching at NIGHT! This is because the loops serve a genuine test function which Telco uses during the day. (We don't want to run into an irate lineman now, do we?) To find a loop, having 2 #'s is a definite plus. If not, have a friend to dial #'s at his location. Last resort, try dialing from two adjacent pay phones. Now get your trusty white pages (*), and turn to the page where it lists the # of MSU's from your exchange (or exchanges in your primary calling area) The idea is to find a loop that is within your primary calling area or is only 1 MSU in your area (call area A). This is so you don't go bankrupt trying to find a loop. Write down all of these exchanges and do a 99XX scan of those exchanges (99XX scanning will be discussed shortly). Before we get up to 99XX scanning, we will look at some other loop info: Loops are found pairs which are usually close to each other. For example, in NPA 212, where the infamous loops are found, there is a standard loop format: Manhattan & Bronx-------NNX-9977/9979 Brooklyn & Queens-------NNX-9900/9906 NNX is the exchange to be scanned. Here are some loops that have been found in NYC. These are used mostly by Phreaks and call-in lines for pirate radio stations: 212-220-9900/9906 212-283-9977/9979 212-352-9900/9906 212-365-9977/9979 212-529-9900/9906 212-562-9977/9979 212-982-9977/9979 212-986-9977/9979 The lower # is the tone side (singing switch). The higher # is always silent. The tone disappears on the lower # when somebody dials in the other side of the loop. If you are on the higher #, you'll have to listen to the clicks to see if somebody dialed-in. The NYC 982 & 986 loops are different from others. Usually when you park on a loop, you will hear who ever calls in on the other half. When they're done, the next caller (if any) will be queued in, one after another. On the NYC 982 & 986, you sometimes can't get any more callers in after the first. Furthermore, if you park one of these loops and there is nobody on the other end for more than 4 minutes, you may be automatically disconnected. These loops are good for back-up purposes when all other loops are busy. 99XX Scanning: -------------- Most every exchange in the Bell System has a wide variety of test #'s and other "goodies," such as loops. These "goodies" are usually found between 9900 and 9999 in your local exchange. If you have the time and initiative, scan your exchange and you may become lucky! Here are my findings in the 914-268: 9901 - Verification (recording of a/c and exchange) 9936 - Voice # to the Telco CO 9937 - Voice # to the Telco CO 9941 - Carrier 9960 - Osc. Tone (tone side loop) 9963 - Tone (stops: muted) 9966 - Carrier 9968 - Tone that disappears--responds to certain touch-tone keys Most of the #'s between 9900 & 9999 will ring, be busy, go to a special intercept operator ("what #, please?") , or will go to a "the # you have reached..." recording. What you find depends upon the switching equipment in the exchange and the Telco operating company. When searching for loops, you may find one of the following possibilities when you find one: 1. You can hear through the loop (not muted), but there is a 1/2 second click every 10 seconds that interrupts the audio. This type is good for back-up use but the %$#'&" click is super annoying. 2. One side of the loop is busy; try it again later. 3. The tone disappears, but you cannot hear through it (the loox is muted, try again in a month or so) 4. You get "The # you have reached recording." No loop there! Most loops are muted (#3), but their status does changes from time-to-time. It all depends if the Telco maintenance personnel remember to "throw the switch", ie, turn off the loop. Since I have done the above 914-268 99XX scan, Congers (268) has installed new switching equipment (DMS100). Some of the numbers are the same, but I have noticed that on the DMS100, the recordings are also stored in this area. 268-9903, 9906, 9909, & 9912 are all different recordings. Also, there are 2 fortress fone recordings at 268- 9911 (deposit 5 cents or else) and 268- 9913 (deposit 10 cents). None of these recordings supe and alot of other 99XX #'s don't supe either. In some areas (like MD), 9906-7 is ringback. In Washington, there is a sweep tone test at (202) 560-9944. In NYC (212), you'll find the infamous loop lines (as mentioned above). It will be easier to scan your exchange if you make up a chart like the one below: NPA-NNX-99XX SCAN -------------------------------------- !99X X>:0 :1 :2 :3 :4 :5 :6 :7 :8 :9 ! -------------------------------------- !990 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !991 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !992 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !993 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !994 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !995 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !996 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !997 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !998 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- !999 : : : : : : : : : : ! -------------------------------------- This leaves you with 100 boxes (1 for each # between 9900 & 9999). You should make your boxes big enough so you can write some sort of shorthand in them. For example: B - busy (try again at another time) R - rings (try again at ankther time) O - intercept operator ("what # you calling?) R1- recording 1 (make a margin note of the types of reordings you get) T - tone } tone at a lower # + ignore I - ignore } at a higher # = loop V - voice # to Telco CO - they usually answer with the city name or area. C - carrier There will be others and you should use other characters that you can understand. Now, back to loops! As you may have noticed in my 914-268 scan, I found a muted loop and a tone side. 914-268 failed to come up with the silent side of a loop! Therefore, there is no loop in that exchange. I then scanned another exchange in my primary calling area (914-634) and I found a loop!! 0(914) 634-9923/9924 So, if at first you don't succeed, move onto another exchange. If you use the box method that I have outlined above, you will see a T & I next to each other for a loop. Some exchanges are special. For example, 914-623 is a testing bureau. In this exchange, not only did I find a loop, but I also found several interesting tones, noises, and other test functions. Also, the more important the exchange is, the more you will find. For example, in 914-623, I found well over 10 voice #'s! Also, loops are usually, but not exclusively, found in the 99XX series. For example: (713) 324-1799/1499 is a loop. The perfect loop? Here is what I would look for: 1. Non-sup on one or both sides. To check for a non-sup loop, go to a tone-first fortress fone and dial the #. If it asks for a dime, it is supervised. If the call goes through, then it is non-suped! 2. 800 loops would be a plus. They are not necessarily found between 9900 & 9999 though. I would check the 1XXX series first. 3. Multi-user loops are also a plus for those late night conferences. Finally, remember it is only a local call to find out what you CO has in store for you. If you find anything interesting, be sure to drop me a line. NOTE: Your local white pages can be a valuable asset. You can also order other fone books from your business office (usually free for books within your operating company's district). A large fone book, such as Manhattan, contains much more info in the first few pages than other books. ===== =ANI= ===== Automatic Number Identification (ANI), is a number that you call up that will tell you what # you are calling from. This has a few uses. First, were you ever somewhere and the fone didn't have a # printed on it? Or perhaps you were fooling around in some cans (those large boxes on fone poles that contain terminals for lineman use--to be discusses in a future chapter.) and you want to know what what the line # is. In NPA 914, the ANI is 990. In NPA's 212 & 516, ANI is 958. This varies from area to area. Here are some other ANI's that I have seen: 890-751-5191 2022222222 1-XXX-1111 (in some 914 areas, esp. under step-by-step switching equipment, you have to dial 1-990-1111) To find ANI for other areas, check 3 digits #'s first, usually in the 9XX series (excluding 911). In areas under step-by-step (to be discussed in the next part), try 1-9XX-1111. ANI may also be in 99XX. Last resort, try to get friendly with your neighbor who works for the fone company. Ringback: --------- Ringback, as its name implies, calls back the # you are at when you dial the ringback #. Ringback, in NPA 914, is 660. You dial 660+the last 4 digits of the fone. You will then get a tone, hang-up quickly and pick-up in about 2 seconds. You will then get a second tone, hang-up again and the fone will ring. In NYC, it is also 660, but you may have to press 6 or 7 before you hang up for the first time (ie, at the first tone). Other ringback #'s that I have seen are: 26011 - This 5 digit format is used primarily on step-by-step. The last 2 digits (11) are dummy digits. 890-897-XXXX - XXXX are the last 4 digits of the fone #. 119911/11911/1199911 - GTE NNX-9906/9907 - NPA 301, NNX is the exchange The reason you get the tone when you pick-up after it rings is because in some areas, people were using ringback as an in-house intercom. They would dial ringback, and when it stopped ringing, they would pick-up & talk with the person who picked up the other extension. Bell didn't like this since there is usually only 1 piece of equipment in each exchange that does the ringback. When people used this as an intercom, linemen & repairmen couln't get through! In some areas, especially those under step-by-step, ringback can still be used as an intercom. Also, under step-by-step, the ringback procedure it usually simple. For example, in one area you would dial 26011 and hang-up; it would then ringback. Touch-Tone Test: ---------------- In areas that have a Touch-Tone test, you dial the ringback #. At the first tone, you touch-tone digits 1-0. If they are correct it will beep twice. I have also seen a TT test in some areas at: 890-751-5191 Coming Soon: ------------ In the ne