87 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
87 lines
5.1 KiB
Plaintext
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Hacking Voice Mail Systems
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Voice Mail is a relatively new concept and not much has been said about it.
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It is a very useful tool for the business person and the phreak. The way it
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works is that somebody wishing to get in touch with you calls a number,
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usually a 1-800, and punches in on his touch-pad your mailbox number and then
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he is able to leave a message for you. Business experts report that this
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almost totally eliminates telephone tag. When a person wishes to pick up his
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message all he needs to do is call the number enter a certain code and he can
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hear his messages, transfer them, and do other misc. mailbox utilities.
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Most VMSs are similar in the way they work. There are a few different ways
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the VMSs store the voice. One way is that the voice is recorded digitally and
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compressed and when heard it is reproduced back into the voice that recorded
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it. Another method that is slower and uses more space, but costs less, stores
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the voice on magnetic tape, the same type that is used to store data on a
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computer, and then runs the tape at a slow speed. Using this method the voice
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does not need to be reproduced in any way and will sound normal as long as the
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tape is running at a constant speed. On some of the newer VMSs the voice is
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digitally recorded and is transformed from the magnetic tape at about 2400
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bits per second.
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There are many different types and versions of voice mail systems. Some of
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the best and easiest to get on will be discussed.
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Centagram
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---------
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These are direct dial (you don't have to enter a box number). To get on one
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of these, first have a number to any box on the system. All of the other
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boxes will be on the same prefix; just start scanning them until you find one
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that has a message saying that person you are calling is not available. This
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usually means that the box has not been assigned to anybody yet. Before the
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nice lady's voice tells you to leave the message, hit #. You will then be
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prompted for your password. The password will usually be the same as the last
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four digits of the box's number or a simple number like 1000, 2000, etc. Once
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you get on, they are very user friendly and will prompt you with a menu of
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options. If you can't find any empty boxes or want to do more, you can hack
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but the system administrators box, which will usually be 9999 on the same
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prefix as the other boxes, will allow you to hear anybody's messages and
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create and delete boxes.
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Sperry Link
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These systems are very nice. They will usually be found on an 800 number.
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These are one of the hardest to get a box on because you must hack out a user
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ID (different from the person's box number) and a password. When it answers,
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if it says, "This is a Sperry Link voice station. Please enter your user ID,"
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you will have to start trying to find a valid user ID. On most Sperrys it
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will be a five digit number. If it answers and says, "This is an X answering
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service," you first have to hit *# to get the user number prompt. Once you
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get a valid user number will have to guess the password on most systems, it
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will be 4 digits. Once you get in, these are also very user friendly and have
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many different options available.
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RSVP
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----
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This is probably one of the worst VMSs but it is by far the easiest to get
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yourself a box. When it answers you can hit * for a directory of the boxes on
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it (it will only hold 23). If you hit # you will be given a menu of options
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and when you choose an option you will then be prompted for your ID number.
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The ID number on an RSVP system will just about always be the same as the
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mailbox number, which are always only 2 digits.
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A.S.P.E.N.
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The Aspen voice message systems made by Octel Telecommunications is in my
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opinion the BEST VMS made. To get a box on an Aspen, you need to find an
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empty box. To find an empty box, scan the box numbers and if one says, "You
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entered XXXX. Please leave a message at the tone," then this is an empty box.
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You next just press # and when prompted for your box number enter the number
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of the empty box and friendly voice of the nice lady will guide you through
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all of the steps of setting up your box. She first tells you what you can do
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with the box and then will prompt you with, "Please enter the temporary
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password assigned to you by your system manager." This password will usually
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be 4 digits long and the same as the box number like 1000, etc. Once you get
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on their are many things you can do. You can make a distribution list where
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if you want to leave a certain message to more than one person, you can enter
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the list number and all of the boxes on the list will get the message. You can
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also have the system call you and notify you that you have new messages. These
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systems also have what they call "Information center mailboxes" that are
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listen only and can also have a password on them so the person calling has to
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enter the password before he hears the greeting message. Aspen VMSs have a
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system managers mailbox that will just about give you total control of the
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whole system and let you listen to people's mail, create and delete boxes, and
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many other things.
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