3884 lines
187 KiB
Groff
3884 lines
187 KiB
Groff
Private Sector Bust: By - Shooting Shark :
|
||
The following article appeared in the August, 1985
|
||
|
||
On July 12, 1985, law enforcement officials seized the Private
|
||
Sector BBS, the official computer bulletin board of 2600 magazine,
|
||
for "complicity in computer theft," under the newly passed, and yet
|
||
untested, New Jersey Statute 2C:20-25. Police had uncovered in
|
||
April a credit carding ring operated around a Middlesex County
|
||
electronic bulletin board, and from there investigated other North
|
||
Jersey bulletin boards. Not understanding subject matter of the
|
||
Private Sector BBS, police assumed that the sysop was involved in
|
||
illegal activities. Six other computers were also seized in this
|
||
investigation, including those of Store Manager [perhaps they mean
|
||
Swap Shop Manager? - Shark] who ran a BBS of his own, Beowolf, Red
|
||
Barchetta, the Vampire, NJ Hack Shack, sysop of the NJ Hack Shack
|
||
BBS, and that of the sysop of the Treasure Chest BBS. Immediately
|
||
after this action, members of 2600 contacted the media, who were
|
||
completely unaware of any of the raids. They began to bombard the
|
||
Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office with questions and a press
|
||
conference was announced for July 16. The system operator of the
|
||
Private Sector BBS attempted to attend along with reporters from
|
||
2600. They were effectively thrown off the premises. Threats
|
||
were made to charge them with trespassing and other crimes. An
|
||
officer who had at first received them civilly was threatened with
|
||
the loss of his job if he didn't get them removed promptly. Then
|
||
the car was chased out of the parking lot. Perhaps prosecutor Alan
|
||
Rockoff was afraid that he presence of some technically literate
|
||
reporters would ruin the effect of his press release on the public.
|
||
As it happens, he didn't need our help. The next day the details of
|
||
the press conference were reported to the public by the press. As
|
||
Rockoff intended, paranoia about hackers ran rampant. Headlines got
|
||
as ridiculous as hackers ordering tank parts by telephone from TRW
|
||
and moving satellites with their home computers in order to make
|
||
free phone calls. These and even more exotic stories were reported
|
||
by otherwise respectable media sources. The news conference
|
||
understandably made the front page of most of the major newspapers
|
||
in the US, and was a major news item as far away as Australia and in
|
||
the United Kingdom due to the sensationalism of the claims. We will
|
||
try to explain why these claims may have been made in this issue. On
|
||
July 18 the operator of The Private Sector was formally charged with
|
||
"computer conspiracy" under the above law, and released in the
|
||
custody of his parents. The next day the American Civil Liberties
|
||
Union took over his defense. The ACLU commented that it would be
|
||
very hard for Rockoff to prove a conspiracy just "because the same
|
||
information, construed by the prosecutor to be illegal, appears on
|
||
two bulletin boards." especially as Rockoff admitted that "he did
|
||
not believe any of the defendants knew each other." The ACLU believes
|
||
that the system operator's rights were violated, as he was assumed
|
||
to be involved in an illegal activity just because of other people
|
||
|
||
- 70 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
under investigation who happened to have posted messages on his
|
||
board. In another statement which seems to confirm Rockoff's belief
|
||
in guilt by association, he announced the next day that "630
|
||
people were being investigated to determine if any used their
|
||
computer equipment fraudulently." We believe this is only the user
|
||
list of the NJ Hack Shack, so the actual list of those to be
|
||
investigated may turn out to be almost 5 times that. The sheer
|
||
overwhelming difficulty of this task may kill this investigation,
|
||
especially as they find that many hackers simply leave false
|
||
information. Computer hobbyists all across the country have
|
||
already been called by the Bound Brook, New Jersey office of the
|
||
FBI. They reported that the FBI agents used scare tactics in order
|
||
to force confessions or to provoke them into turning in others. We
|
||
would like to remind those who get called that there is nothing
|
||
inherently wrong or illegal in calling any ANY BBS, nor in talking
|
||
about ANY activity. The FBI would not comment on the case as it is
|
||
an "ongoing investigation" and in the hands of the local prosecutor.
|
||
They will soon find that many on the Private Sector BBS's user list
|
||
are data processing managers, telecommunications security people,
|
||
and others who are interested in the subject of the BBS, hardly the
|
||
underground community of computer criminals depicted at the news
|
||
conference. The Private Sector BBS was a completely open BBS, and
|
||
police and security people were even invited on in order to participate.
|
||
The BBS was far from the "elite" type of underground telecom boards
|
||
that Rockoff attempted to portray. Within two days, Rockoff took
|
||
back almost all of the statements he had made at the news
|
||
conference, as AT&T and the DoD [Department of Defense - Shark]
|
||
discounted the claims he had made. He was understandably unable to
|
||
find real proof of Private Sector's alleged illegal activity, and
|
||
was faced with having to return the computer equipment with nothing
|
||
to show for his effort. Rockoff panicked, and on July 31, the
|
||
system operator had a new charge against him, "wiring up his
|
||
computer as a blue box." Apparently this was referring to his
|
||
Novation Applecat modem which is capable of generating any hertz
|
||
tone over the phone line. By this stretch of imagination an
|
||
Applecat could produce a 2600 hertz tone as well as the MF which is
|
||
necessary for "blue boxing." However, each and every other owner of
|
||
an Applecat or any other modem that can generate its own tones
|
||
therefore has also "wired up his computer as a blue box" by merely
|
||
installing the modem. This charge is so ridiculous that Rockoff
|
||
probably will never bother to press it. However, the wording of
|
||
WIRING UP THE COMPUTER gives rockoff an excuse to continue to hold
|
||
onto the computer longer in his futile search for illegal activity.
|
||
"We have requested that the prosecutors give us more specific
|
||
information," said Arthur Miller, the lawyer for The Private
|
||
Sector. "The charges are so vague that we can't really present a
|
||
case at this point." Miller will appear in court on August 16 to
|
||
obtain this information. He is also issuing a demand for the
|
||
return of the equipment and, if the prosecutors don't cooperate,
|
||
will commence court proceedings against them. "They haven't
|
||
been particularly cooperative," he said.
|
||
|
||
- 71 -
|
||
|
||
Rockoff probably will soon reconsider taking Private Sector's
|
||
case to court, as he will have to admit he just didn't know what he
|
||
was doing when he seized the BBS. The arrest warrant listed only
|
||
"computer conspiracy" against Private Sector, which is much more
|
||
difficult to prosecute than the multitude of charges against some
|
||
of the other defendants, which include credit card fraud, toll
|
||
fraud, the unauthorized entry into computers, and numerous others.
|
||
Both Rockoff and the ACLU mentioned the Supreme Court in their
|
||
press releases, but he will assuredly take one of his stronger
|
||
cases to test the new New Jersey computer crime law. by seizing
|
||
the BBS just because of supposed activities discussed on it,
|
||
Rockoff raises constitutional questions. Darrell Paster, a
|
||
lawyer who centers much of his work on computer crime, says
|
||
the New Jersey case is "just another example of local law
|
||
enforcement getting on the bandwagon of crime that has come into
|
||
vogue to prosecute, and they have proceeded with very little
|
||
technical understanding, and in the process they have abused many
|
||
people's constitutional rights. What we have developing is a mini
|
||
witch hunt which is analogous to some of the arrests at day care
|
||
centers, where they sweep in and arrest everybody, ruin reputations,
|
||
and then find that there is only one or two guilty parties." We feel
|
||
that law enforcement, not understanding the information on the BBS,
|
||
decided to strike first and ask questions later. 2600 magazine and
|
||
the sysops of the Private Sector BBS stand fully behind the system
|
||
operator. As soon as the equipment is returned, the BBS will go
|
||
back up. We ask all our readers to do their utmost to support us
|
||
in our efforts, and to educate as many of the public as possible
|
||
that a hacker is not a computer criminal. We are all
|
||
convinced of our sysop's innocence, and await Rockoff's dropping of
|
||
the charges.
|
||
|
||
NOTE: Readers will notice that our reporting of the events are
|
||
quite different than those presented in the media and by the
|
||
Middlesex County Prosecutor. We can only remind you that we are
|
||
much closer to the events at hand than the media is, and that we
|
||
are much more technologically literate than the Middlesex County
|
||
Prosecutor's Office. The Middlesex County Prosecutor has already
|
||
taken back many of his statements, after the contentions were
|
||
disproven by AT&T and the DoD. One problem is that the media and
|
||
the police tend to treat the seven cases as one case, thus the
|
||
charges against and activities of some of the hackers has been
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 72 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Phreaking AT&T Cards: By - Net Runner
|
||
|
||
My topic will deal with using an AT&T calling card for
|
||
automated calls. Ok to place a call with an AT&T card, lift the
|
||
handset (PAY PHONE) hit (0) and the desired area code and the
|
||
number to call. Also when calling the same number that the card is
|
||
being billed to you enter the phone number and at the tone only
|
||
enter the last four digits on the card. But we don't want to do
|
||
that now, do we. If additional calls are wanted all you do is hit
|
||
the (#) and you will get a new dial tone! After you hit (#) you do
|
||
not have to re-enter the calling card number simply enter your
|
||
desired number and it will connect you. If the number you called is
|
||
busy just keep hitting (#) and the number to be called until you
|
||
connect! Ok to calL the U.S. of a from another country, you use the
|
||
exact same format as described above! Ok now I will describe the
|
||
procedure for placing calls to a foreign country, such as
|
||
CANADA,RUSSIA,SOUTH AMERICA, etc.. Ok first lift the handset then
|
||
enter (01) + the country code + the city code + the local telephone
|
||
number. Ok after you get the tone enter the AT&T calling card
|
||
number. Ok if you can not dial operator assisted calls from your
|
||
area don't worry just jingle the operator and she will handle your
|
||
call, don't worry she can't see you! The international number on
|
||
the AT&T calling card is used for calling the US of A from places
|
||
like RUSSIA, CHINA you never know when you might get stuck in a
|
||
country like those and you have no money to make a call! The
|
||
international operator will be able to tell you if they honor the
|
||
AT&T calling card. Well I hope that this has straightened out some
|
||
of your problems on the use of an AT&T calling card! All you have
|
||
to remember is that weather you are placing the call or the
|
||
operator, be careful and never use the calling card from your home
|
||
phone!! That is a BIG NO NO.. Also AT&T has came out with a new
|
||
thing called (NEW CARD CALLER SERVICE) they say that it was
|
||
designed to meet the public's needs! These phones will be popping
|
||
up in many place such as airport terminals, hotels, etc... What the
|
||
new card caller service is, is a new type of phone that has a
|
||
(CRT) screen that will talk to you in a language of your choice.
|
||
The service works something like this, when you find a (NEW CARD
|
||
CALLER PHONE), all you do is follow the instructions on the (CRT)
|
||
screen, then you insert the (NEW CARD CALLER CARD) and there is a
|
||
strip of magnetic tape on the card which reads the number, thus no
|
||
one can hear you saying your number or if there were a bug in the
|
||
phone,no touch tones will be heard!! You can also bill the call to
|
||
a third party. that is one that I am not totally clear on yet! The
|
||
phone is supposed to tell you how it can be done. That is after you
|
||
have inserted your card and lifted the receiver!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 73 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
BASIC TELECOMMUNICATIONS: By - < Net Runner >
|
||
|
||
CN/A:
|
||
|
||
CN/A, WHICH STANDS FOR CUSTOMER NAME AND ADDRESS, ARE BUREAUS
|
||
THAT EXIST SO THAT AUTHORIZED BELL EMPLOYEES CAN FIND OUT THE NAME
|
||
AND ADDRESS OF ANY CUSTOMER IN THE BELL SYSTEM. ALL #'S ARE
|
||
MAINTAINED ON FILE INCLUDING UNLISTED #'S.
|
||
|
||
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:
|
||
|
||
1) YOU HAVE A # AND YOU WANT TO FIND OUT WHO OWNS IT, E.G. (914)
|
||
555-1234.
|
||
|
||
2) YOU LOOK UP THE CN/A # FOR THAT NPA IN THE LIST BELOW. IN THE
|
||
EXAMPLE, THE NPA IS 914 AND THE CN/A# IS 518-471-8111.
|
||
|
||
3) YOU THEN CALL UP THE CN/A # (DURING BUSINESS HOURS) AND SAY
|
||
SOMETHING LIKE, "HI, THIS IS JOHN JONES FROM THE RESIDENTIAL
|
||
SERVICE CENTER IN MIAMI. CAN I HAVE THE CUSTOMER'S NAME AT
|
||
914-555-1234. THAT # IS 914-555-1234." MAKE UP YOUR OWN REAL
|
||
SOUNDING NAME, THOUGH.
|
||
|
||
4) IF YOU SOUND NATURAL & CHEERY, THE OPERATOR WILL ASK NO
|
||
QUESTIONS.
|
||
|
||
|
||
HERE'S THE LIST:
|
||
|
||
|
||
NPA CN/A # NPA CN/A #
|
||
--- ------------ --- ------------
|
||
201 201-676-7070 517 313-232-8690
|
||
202 202-384-9620 518 518-471-8111
|
||
203 203-789-6800 519 416-487-3641
|
||
204 ****N/A***** 601 601-961-0877
|
||
205 205-988-7000 602 303-232-2300
|
||
206 206-382-8000 603 617-787-2750
|
||
207 617-787-2750 604 604-432-2996
|
||
208 303-232-2300 605 402-345-0600
|
||
209 415-546-1341 606 502-583-2861
|
||
212 518-471-8111 607 518-471-8111
|
||
213 213-501-4144 608 414-424-5690
|
||
214 214-948-5731 609 201-676-7070
|
||
215 412-633-5600 612 402-345-0600
|
||
216 614-464-2345 613 416-487-3641
|
||
217 217-525-7000 614 614-464-2345
|
||
218 402-345-0600 615 615-373-5791
|
||
219 317-265-7027 616 313-223-8690
|
||
301 301-534-11?? 617 617-787-2750
|
||
302 412-633-5600 618 217-525-7000
|
||
303 303-232-2300 701 402-345-0600
|
||
|
||
- 74 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
304 304-344-8041 702 415-546-1341
|
||
305 912-784-9111 703 804-747-1411
|
||
306 ****N/A***** 704 912-784-9111
|
||
307 303-232-2300 705 416-487-3641
|
||
308 402-345-0600 707 415-546-1341
|
||
309 217-525-7000 709 ****N/A*****
|
||
312 312-769-9600 712 402-345-0600
|
||
313 313-223-8690 713 713-658-1793
|
||
314 314-436-3321 714 213-995-0221
|
||
315 518-471-8111 715 414-424-5690
|
||
316 816-275-2782 716 518-471-8111
|
||
317 317-265-7027 717 412-633-5600
|
||
318 318-227-1551 801 303-232-2300
|
||
319 402-345-0600 802 617-787-2750
|
||
401 617-787-2750 803 912-784-9111
|
||
402 402-345-0600 804 804-747-1411
|
||
403 403-425-2652 805 415-546-1341
|
||
404 912-784-9111 806 512-828-2502
|
||
405 405-236-6121 807 416-487-3641
|
||
406 303-232-2300 808 212-226-5487
|
||
408 415-546-1341 BERMUDA ONLY
|
||
412 412-633-5600 809 212-334-4336
|
||
413 617-787-2750 812 317-265-7027
|
||
414 414-424-5690 813 813-228-7871
|
||
415 415-546-1132 814 412-633-5600
|
||
416 416-487-3641 815 217-525-7000
|
||
417 314-436-3321 816 816-275-2782
|
||
418 514-861-6391 817 214-948-5731
|
||
419 614-464-2345 819 514-861-6391
|
||
501 405-236-6121 901 615-373-5791
|
||
502 502-583-2861 902 902-421-4110
|
||
503 503-241-3440 903 ****N/A*****
|
||
504 504-245-5330 904 912-784-9111
|
||
505 303-232-2300 906 313-223-8690
|
||
506 506-657-3855 907 ****N/A*****
|
||
507 402-345-0600 912 912-784-9111
|
||
509 206-382-8000 913 816-275-2782
|
||
512 512-828-2501 914 518-471-8111
|
||
513 614-464-2345 915 512-828-2501
|
||
514 514-861-6391 916 415-546-1341
|
||
515 402-345-0600 918 405-236-6121
|
||
516 518-471-8111 919 912-784-9111
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 75 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
A little something about Your phone company: By Col. Hogan
|
||
|
||
Ever get an operator who gave you a hard time, and you didn't
|
||
know what to do? Well if the operator hears you use a little Bell
|
||
jargon, she might wise up. Here is a little diagram (excuse the
|
||
artwork) of the structure of operators
|
||
|
||
/--------\ /------\ /-----\ /-------------\
|
||
|
||
!Operator!-- > ! S.A. ! --->! BOS ! ! Group Cheif !
|
||
|
||
\--------/ \------/ \-----/ \-------------/
|
||
|
||
Now most of the operators are not bugged, so they can curse at
|
||
you, if they do ask INSTANTLY for the "S.A." or the Service
|
||
Assistant. The operator does not report to her (95% of them are
|
||
hers) but they will solve most of your problems. She MUST give you
|
||
her name as she connects & all of these calls are bugged. If the SA
|
||
gives you a rough time get her BOS (Business Office Supervisor) on
|
||
the line. S/He will almost always back her girls up, but sometimes
|
||
the SA will get tarred and feathered. The operator reports to the
|
||
Group Chief, and S/He will solve 100% of your problems, but the
|
||
chances of getting S/He on the line are nill. If a lineman (the guy
|
||
who works out on the poles) or an Installation man gives you the
|
||
works ask to speak to the Instal- lation Foreman, that works
|
||
wonders. Here is some other bell Jar- gon, that might come in handy
|
||
if you are having trouble with the line. Or they can be used to lie
|
||
your way out of situations. An Erling is a line busy for 1 hour,
|
||
used mostly in traffic studies A Permanent Signal is that terrible
|
||
howling you get if you disc- connect, but don't hang up. Everyone
|
||
knows what a busy signal is, but some idiots think that is the
|
||
*Actual* ringing of the phone, when it just is a tone "beeps" when
|
||
the phone is ringing, woul- ldn't bet on this though, it can (and
|
||
does) get out of sync. When you get a busy signal that is 2 times
|
||
as fast as the normal one, the person you are trying to reach isn't
|
||
really on the phone, (he might be), it is actually the signal that
|
||
a trunk line somewhere is busy and they haven't or can't reroute
|
||
your call. Sometimes you will get a Recording, or if you get
|
||
nothing at all (Left High & Dry in fone terms) all the recordings
|
||
are being used and the system is really overused, will probably go
|
||
down in a little while. This happened when Kennedy was shot, the
|
||
system just couldn't handle the calls. By the way this is called
|
||
the "reorder signal" and the trunk line is "blocked". One more
|
||
thing, if an overseas call isn't completed and doesn't generate any
|
||
money for AT&T, is is called an "Air & Water Call".
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 76 -
|
||
|
||
Files By Al.P.H.A
|
||
<20>Ŀ ڿ <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>¿ ڿ ڿ <20>Ŀ
|
||
ڳ <20><> <20><> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><> ڳ <20><>
|
||
ڳ<><DAB3><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>Ĵ<EFBFBD> ڳ<><DAB3><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
|
||
ڳ<> <20><><EFBFBD> <20><>ڿ <20><>ڿ <20><> <20><>ڿڳ<DABF> <20><><EFBFBD>
|
||
<20><> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><>
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
- Jesters Guide to.... -
|
||
- -
|
||
- {- 950-0266's for the new Phreaker -} -
|
||
- -
|
||
- {- 11\6\89 -} -
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
|
||
This is a file I just decided to write, right after a guy that
|
||
lives near me, who runs a bbs complained about his outrageously
|
||
high phone bill, and being that I use 0266's I decided that I would
|
||
TRY to write a text file on how to use the 0266's as a simple way
|
||
of phreaking. I am not an expert on the subject and I don't claim
|
||
to be, I am just writing this file to try to help out others that
|
||
are in the same experiance level as the guy that I was talking
|
||
about previouly in the file.
|
||
|
||
There are many different types of 950's, but the type I use is
|
||
the 950-0266 and I use these because that is what I was taught with
|
||
and they seem like a fairly good, and easy way to phreak. 950-0266s
|
||
are known to have VERY clean lines, so they are perfect to use with
|
||
modems.
|
||
|
||
The basic format for these codes are:
|
||
|
||
(1) Dial 950-0266
|
||
(2) Wait for tone then dial your 7 digit Code
|
||
(3) Right after dialing your Code dial your ACN (Area Code
|
||
Number)
|
||
|
||
I.E. if I were to call my friend Joe in Utah, I would do
|
||
this... 950-0266 (tone) XXXXXXX8015551234 The X's stand for
|
||
the 7 digit code
|
||
|
||
950's have known to be dangerouse, they are on ESS (electronic
|
||
switching service) which is a phreaks nightmare. Being that 950's
|
||
are on the ESS they can, and have been known to trace. The type of
|
||
tracing service on 950's can trace in a heart beat, so there is
|
||
somewhat a great risk in using these. Some precautions about using
|
||
950s - Do NOT use the same code for more then 3 days. Try to use
|
||
different codes if you have them i.e. call one board with a code
|
||
like 2314211 , and then call the next board with a totally
|
||
different code. Use these codes during prime time, to cut the risk
|
||
of getting caught down. And use these in moderation, do not get
|
||
crazy with them.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 77 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
I hope this file hasnt been to much of a waste of time, I hope
|
||
it has offered some help to you in using 950-0266's. I would like
|
||
to have suggestions and comments on what you think of my file. If
|
||
you have valid Input, please let me know your opinion on
|
||
Al.P.H.A.'s home Board (801)!!!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Copyright (C) 1989 by -NecroiDaemon
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 78 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Files By Al.P.H.A
|
||
<20>Ŀ ڿ <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>¿ ڿ ڿ <20>Ŀ
|
||
ڳ <20><> <20><> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> ڳ <20><>
|
||
ڳ<><DAB3><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ٳ<EFBFBD><D9B3><EFBFBD>Ĵ<EFBFBD> ڳ<><DAB3><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>
|
||
ڳ<> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD>ڿ<EFBFBD><DABF>ڿ <20><> <20><>ڿڳ<DABF> <20><><EFBFBD>
|
||
<20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><> <20><><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD><EFBFBD> <20><>
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
-= Code Hacking - Done Right 7/17-90 =-
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
|
||
Code Hacking falls into both the hacking and phreaking category.
|
||
Think about it. You have to HACK in order to get codez and then you
|
||
PHREAK when you get the codez. I'm not going to go into great
|
||
detail on code phreaking, this text file is going to deal mainly
|
||
with "CODE HACKING". I get asked all the time where and how to get
|
||
codez. I'm hoping this file will clear up this question for a lot
|
||
of people. This is not my first text file, but I don't make a
|
||
habbit out of them yet!
|
||
|
||
|
||
Code Hacking, What is it:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
Simply enough it's where you get a dial up (IE. 1-800's or
|
||
950's) and set up a code hacking program and config it to the code
|
||
you're about to hack and let it run. Now there are hundrends of
|
||
dial ups for us pkreakers/hackers to play with (I will list a few
|
||
at the end of this phile), and the code lenght and formats also
|
||
very a great deal. Now you can get your hacker set up and let it
|
||
run all night and if Gh0d's willing you might get lucky
|
||
and get a code by the next day.
|
||
|
||
Ok the best way to go about Code hacking is to get a format or
|
||
template if you perfer to call it that. Now they look like this.
|
||
801XX, where you know the first 3 digits of the code is 801, but
|
||
the last 2 digits are unknown and you have to hack out the last 2
|
||
digits. If you know all but 2 digits then you have a 1 in 100 shot
|
||
in getting a code each time your hacker trys to hack a code, of
|
||
course the longer the code or the less digits you know the less
|
||
chance you have in hacking a code. But belive me
|
||
it's never a lost cause. You can have zero digits and still get
|
||
codez.
|
||
|
||
A Lesson in Formats #1:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
Ok say your going to hack 1-800-635-9135, Code lenght is 5
|
||
digits, and already have the following codez!
|
||
22199
|
||
22723
|
||
22857
|
||
22832
|
||
21099
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 79 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Ok, think about it for a second, we have 5 codez all staring with
|
||
the # 2 and all but the last one has a 2 as the 2nd number, and the
|
||
3rd and 4th both have a 8 as the 3rd number and the 1st and 5th end
|
||
with a 99, so you could user some different formats for this code
|
||
and here the are:
|
||
|
||
22XXX
|
||
2XX99
|
||
228XX
|
||
|
||
Ok now there are a few formats for a 5 digit code. I think you
|
||
can apply this same system to 6,7 or even 8 digit codez.
|
||
|
||
Well, I hope you can understand formats or templates a little
|
||
better. Code hacking can be a long drug out process, but the way I
|
||
look at it if you spend a night letting your hacker run and get a
|
||
code and spend 5 hours or so of FREE ld calling then it's worth it.
|
||
|
||
A lesson in Formats #2:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
Another probelem with code hacking is figure out or know what comes
|
||
first the CODE or ACN (Area Code Number). On 950-0488's it's ACN +
|
||
code, but on most 800's it's ACN + Code. There is really no way to
|
||
know for sure. Just make sure when you get your starter codez (The
|
||
ones you'll get your formats from) you know how to use them. If you
|
||
know this it'll save you a lot of time. The Codes I gave above are
|
||
CODE + ACN, but most 800's are ACN + Code. BTW as of the release
|
||
date of this file the 800 number listed above works, but the codez
|
||
are dead. Well thats the end of the FORMAT LESSONS.
|
||
|
||
What Code Hacker to Use:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
Well there are several hackers on the market, but your best
|
||
bet is on one of two. Code Thief Deluxe by Phortune 500 and Brew
|
||
Associates or Fucking Hacker by 2AF and Hypnacosm. I myself have
|
||
played with both but Code Thief Deluxe v 4.0 is the best on the
|
||
market. It's very user friendly and even the beginner can figure it
|
||
out, but if you have a different hacker then fell free to use it.
|
||
The Hacker you use should be the one you fell the best about. I
|
||
like Theif 4.0 and I would recommend this to any and all hackers.
|
||
The way I look at it, you can't go wrong with Phortune 500.
|
||
|
||
Dial up's and Code Lenths:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
1-800-222-4333 Code 6 Digits (Code + ACN)
|
||
1-800-657-9600 Code 7 Digits (Code + ACN)
|
||
1-800-327-9488 Code 13 Digits (Code + ACN)
|
||
1-800-476-4646 Code 6 Digits (Code + ACN)
|
||
1-800-234-5095 Code 6 Digits (Code + ACN)
|
||
|
||
- 80 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
950-0266 Code 7 Digits (ACN + Code)
|
||
950-0488 Code 13 Digits (ACN + Code)
|
||
|
||
|
||
Closing Notes.
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
Well I hope the first text file from Al.P.H.A helps a few of
|
||
you out. I was sitting arond (at work of all places) when it dawned
|
||
on me I have never seen a file on code hacking, so I decided to do
|
||
one up. This file is for the beginner not the Expert, but I have
|
||
read a number of text files for beginners and have learned
|
||
something from them. So enjoy.
|
||
|
||
Speical Thanks go out to:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
|
||
Doc Silicon - (My Partiner in Crime) for talking me into
|
||
starting this Awesome H&P group.
|
||
|
||
The Oxidizer - If it wasn't for your board, I'd of had to
|
||
spent a lot more time Code Hacking.
|
||
__________________
|
||
|Brew Associates | - For the Awesome programming work that went
|
||
into Theif
|
||
|<<<< P500 >>>>> | 3.5 and 4.0.
|
||
|Professor Falken| - For the Awesome work you did on your Phreak Tools
|
||
------------------
|
||
|
||
A Little About Al.P.H.A!
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
We are a small group that plans on Hacking/Passing and Using codez.
|
||
We started Al.P.H.A because we were tired of all the want-a-be
|
||
groups we were a part of. I'm not going to state names of the
|
||
Groups, I don't want a fucking war with any of them.
|
||
|
||
Al.P.H.A is:
|
||
-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
Captain Kidd - Doc Silicon - Techno Cyberdaeemon - Black Beard
|
||
Cristifer Columbus - Jester - Falcon
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 81 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Files By Al.P.H.A
|
||
|
||
Surviving at Night: By Falcon
|
||
|
||
I am writing this file with the knowledge that night survival
|
||
is a lot of common sense. I do however feel I can share some added
|
||
information that can help make the anarchists favorite time of the
|
||
day (night) a little safer and easier to work with. **note some of
|
||
the information I am writing I have taken from a article from
|
||
Combat Tactics magazine were as the rest is common sense and stuff
|
||
I've picked up though personal night missions.
|
||
|
||
The first part of surviving at night is to dress accordingly.
|
||
Common sense tell us a person in black clothing with a black mask
|
||
is harder to spot then a person in white clothing. This of course
|
||
is true, but one must also consider the fact that black is a
|
||
stereotype for burglars, the devil and trouble its self. Not to
|
||
mention a mask or painted face. That is why for most situations I
|
||
recommend wearing modern, casual clothing that does not even need
|
||
to be black. Dark blue or green etc. can accomplish the same over
|
||
all effect at night. For summer try and have shorts, and dress
|
||
accordingly to the season. Were black or dark socks and shoes. If
|
||
you are running white shoes REALLY stand out. Also as I said
|
||
before try to get around wearing a mask or face paint until the
|
||
last minute possible.
|
||
|
||
You then need your equipment. I personally have a nice black
|
||
pouch and belt I got from army navy surplus stores. I use the belt
|
||
and pouch to hold all of my equipment, so if I have to I can drop
|
||
the belt in a shadow, and look like a causal modern dressed dude
|
||
walking to a friends house. We are talking innocent!!! In my ouch
|
||
and belt I include: wire cutters, gloves black of, course to hide
|
||
my little white hands and their fingerprints. A mask so I can hide
|
||
my identity, a flashlight for seeing and destroying people's night
|
||
vision- be careful not to shine it around windows etc. The same
|
||
goes for matches, lighters because at night it is very obvious. A
|
||
few bombs (CO2 etc.) to act as diversions and blow up stuff like
|
||
mailboxes... A scope off a rifle. You would be surprise at how
|
||
well you can see using on of them in the night, especially if you
|
||
are looking toward light and your night vision is good. I do not
|
||
recommend binoculars due to they take up both eyes and if you look
|
||
into light you loose both eyes night vision.....
|
||
|
||
Also I take what ever else The situation requires. I try to
|
||
not over-do-it. For example if you are only going on a scouting
|
||
mission why danger yourself with a full load up. It is just more
|
||
trouble you can get in, if caught. But also don't be under
|
||
equipped or you could miss out on some killer opportunities. A
|
||
favorite saying of mine (a quote from my hero the legendary
|
||
assassin Jason Bourne: "opportunities will present themselves.
|
||
When they do you better be ready to use them."
|
||
|
||
- 82 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Night vision is important. To explain how it works one can
|
||
compare the eye to a camera. The lens of an eye is like the lens
|
||
of a camera focusing light as it enters. The iris of an eye is
|
||
like the diaphragm of a camera opening and closing to allow the
|
||
correct amount of light in for the situation. The retina is like
|
||
film, light image is recorded and sent to the brain as light images
|
||
thus producing pictures. We use two kinds of cells in seeing: Cone
|
||
and Rod cells. (named due to their size).
|
||
|
||
Day vision comes from the cone cells. They enable you to see
|
||
color, sharp contrast, and shape. The cone cells cannot function
|
||
in low light levels, thus why we cannot see color at night.
|
||
|
||
The rod cells produce a substance called visual purple. This
|
||
substance allows us to see at night. If we stare at something to
|
||
long (a few seconds) all the visual purple in that spot of the eye
|
||
is used up. This cause blank outs in what we're are starting at.
|
||
To get around this problem scanning is used. Scanning is basically
|
||
moving ones eyes back and forth never focusing on one spot. This
|
||
allows the visual purple to evenly resupply itself so no black outs
|
||
occur. When scanning never move your head back and forth (I will
|
||
explain later) just your eyes.
|
||
|
||
The reason you should not move your whole head while scanning
|
||
is because the human eye is very good at detecting movement. If
|
||
you are being followed from a distance, or someone is looking for
|
||
you just freeze. If you can lay prone, or get in a nice shadow,
|
||
but in most situations you can be lost by anyone trying to find
|
||
you. However if they have already located you, or they are very
|
||
close you need to get away from them, then hide. If you are dressed
|
||
correctly and freeze you can really be hard to spot. Also keep
|
||
scanning so you don't get surprised by someone. If you must move do
|
||
it slowly (including your head to scan behind you).
|
||
|
||
A very important fact in night vision is letting your eyes
|
||
adjust to the dark. 30 minutes in the dark are required to
|
||
completely adjust and get the best night vision. (you can spend 20
|
||
of the 30 minutes in red light and get the same effect, this can
|
||
save time but who has a red lighted room?) Be careful with your
|
||
night vision. It can be lost by looking into lights, a fire, etc.
|
||
If you must go into light or look into it using a scope only use one
|
||
eye. Cover the other eye so you at least have one good night eye at
|
||
all times.
|
||
|
||
Practice these night sight tactics and become confident with
|
||
the night. It is your friend!!
|
||
|
||
At night, our sound and movement become more trustworthy.
|
||
That is why it is important to stay silent and well hidden. If you
|
||
must talk do it in whispers and try to have a sign language
|
||
|
||
- 83 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
you can use to keep from having to talk. Certain areas are very
|
||
dangerous at night. Areas like fences, rivers, roads, yards with
|
||
dogs, open areas etc. If you must cross them make sure to stake
|
||
the area out so you know it is secure, then cross the danger area
|
||
as fast as you can (don't become reckless but go fast.) Certain
|
||
danger areas like dogs can be fixed. For example you could kill
|
||
the dogs if give them meat to keep quiet.
|
||
|
||
Weapons of the night should try and be silent so they don't
|
||
give away your position. Darts, air-guns, knives, silenced weapons
|
||
etc. are best. However noise can be a great diversion. A timed
|
||
fuse on a bomb can be used to attract attention to the wrong place
|
||
allowing you to escape. Also say you are in a house and the owners
|
||
come home and you are trapped in a room. Without killing them to
|
||
get away unidentified you could beat them up with a mask on, but
|
||
what if they were bigger then you? That's when a flashlight burst
|
||
in a un-expecting face followed by a slam with your shoulders and
|
||
your quick escape come in handy. Also you could buy a tear gas gun.
|
||
I got mine for like 10-15 bucks and they are handy! You could pop
|
||
some poor sucker in the face from a few feet away, slam him then run.
|
||
The poor dude would be wondering if he had died and gone to hell as
|
||
you ran for a safe place.
|
||
|
||
An important thing at night is to know your territory. Know
|
||
were you can run and hide or get away. If you are in a new place
|
||
scout it out. Also be good about keeping plans and sticking to
|
||
them. Work in the buddy system so you aren't responsible for
|
||
looking everyplace, and lugging all the supplies etc.
|
||
|
||
Well That is all I can think of at the time, I'm sure to
|
||
remember more later.... I hope this file helps.....
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 84 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Files By Al.P.H.A
|
||
|
||
BASIC CARDING (BY Al.P.H.A)
|
||
---------------------------
|
||
|
||
I would like to emphasize two facts:
|
||
|
||
Fact Number 1 ] Carding is dangerous, by reading this file, you
|
||
are subjecting yourself to highly illegal information
|
||
|
||
Fact Number 2 ] Due to the fact of the illegality, I take NO
|
||
responsibility for what actions might take place due to this file.
|
||
|
||
|
||
(Phew! now that that's over with...)
|
||
|
||
In this file we will discuss:
|
||
|
||
Chapter --> 1 Obtaining Cards
|
||
|
||
There are MANY ways to obtain cards, through Trashing (the art of
|
||
scrounging through Garbage cans, and dumpsters and any other places
|
||
that would be a good source of cut cards or carbons from receipts.)
|
||
But that will be discussed in Trashing files available anywhere on
|
||
your Average Phreak/Hack/Anarchy BBS/AE. You may also obtain them
|
||
off a bbs with a Carding section, but to ensure best validity, get
|
||
them yourself, as the motto goes,"If you want it done right the
|
||
first time, do it yourself."
|
||
|
||
Chapter --> 2 Identifying/Checking the card
|
||
|
||
Checking the card is very simple, and even the novice carder can do
|
||
it the first time. First, there are two ways (As far as i'm
|
||
concerned) to check the card.
|
||
|
||
1] Using Tymnet, call your local dialup, and enter "TSDCOMPSUPP"
|
||
for login. Then for the password, "HARRYHINES" will get you in.
|
||
After your in, hit "?" for help, most likely you'll be using the
|
||
option "B", remember using UPPERCASE. Where "B" is Mastercard /
|
||
Visa transaction, but if you stumble across a Carta Blanche card,
|
||
call me (Just kidding), then enter the letter for the transaction
|
||
and you're off. It'll ask you for your card number, w/o the
|
||
hyphens, then the experiation date, and amount you want to check
|
||
the card for, a reasonable amount is 500.00, but you can experiment
|
||
once you get more acquainted w/ it.
|
||
|
||
2] Using a computer voice driven checker, pevhaps a little faster,
|
||
but a little more tricky. In order to use it, you must do the
|
||
following:
|
||
|
||
Dial up the 800 watts, which is 1-800-554-2265, after you dial
|
||
|
||
- 85 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
it, it should ring and pick up, then a computer voice will say
|
||
"Enter type" and then you respond with either:
|
||
|
||
10 for Mastercard
|
||
20 for Visa
|
||
Followed by a number sign will then ask for identification, hit
|
||
"1067" preceeded by a number sign (always follow an entry w/ a
|
||
number sign). It will say some bullshit and then ask you for your
|
||
Merchant number in which you type 24 or 52 (whatever makes you
|
||
happy) and then enter the card, after done it will ask for exp.
|
||
date , then amount. Now, this is the tricky part, cuz if you fuck
|
||
up here, it's gonna Decline you and you have to start
|
||
ALL over. If your code is infact Valid, it will be followed by a
|
||
Please Wait for 30-60 seconds and a Approved and a long number,
|
||
don't worry about writing it down, just make sure to keep what you
|
||
card to the limit the card can hold, or some calls might be made.
|
||
|
||
Chapter --> 3 Using the card for purchasing
|
||
|
||
You might think everything is pretty much a snap from here, but
|
||
really this is where it gets difficult. Always order from a
|
||
Mail-Order warehouse (OF course) If you're going to order from a
|
||
Watts line, make sure you go through adleast Blue Boxing or
|
||
Diverters before connecting w/ the company, for protection on Watts
|
||
tracing.
|
||
|
||
After that, you must select an address (preferrably empty or
|
||
abandoned) to ship the cargo to. And A) you also must make an
|
||
awesomely authentic note with the card bearer's name on it saying
|
||
you are out of town, and to leave it on the doorstep or B) be bold
|
||
and face the UPS man and sign for it, but I suggest the note would
|
||
be safer in more than one way. Then, order the merchandise, and if
|
||
you don't sound old enough, get a friend or whoever to do the
|
||
talking. Another warning is that evidence has proved that
|
||
purchasing relatively small priced items takes alot of worry from
|
||
the company, thus, not resorting to do various checks on the card
|
||
and the bearer's address.
|
||
|
||
Chapter --> 4 After the order, then what...
|
||
|
||
Well, after the package has arrived, casually pick it up
|
||
(preferrably at night) and brisk it to your house. After that, I
|
||
recommend that you don't just "HAPPEN" to pass by the house and
|
||
stare it, that attracts attention, and believe me, that's the least
|
||
thing you want. Try and stay far from the location, and NEVER use
|
||
the same house twice.
|
||
|
||
I hope this file has helped you understand the BASIC principles of
|
||
Carding, there is a lot more to learn, and there are a LOT more
|
||
files like this to learn from. Stay cool... Take NOTE: The Watts
|
||
dialups for the Credit Card verification # are in effect as
|
||
|
||
- 86 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
of this date, disonnections or changes in numbers I will try to
|
||
handle. Same goes for the Tymnet verification ID & PASSWORD.
|
||
|
||
Carding:
|
||
~~~~~~~~~~
|
||
|
||
This is one that you can get in some major shit over. Well,
|
||
although it is a major crime, it is really cool!!!! This is the
|
||
process in which you find the card number of someone and use it to
|
||
purchase things. In order to card, there are a few things that
|
||
you must have or it will not work. You will need to
|
||
have........
|
||
|
||
1. The Card Number
|
||
2. The Experation date
|
||
3. Card type (Master Card, Visa, etc...)
|
||
|
||
Those are main things tha you will need. Having the name of the
|
||
owner is very helpfull but it is not a must. You can get by
|
||
without it. You have to order everything you want by mail. A
|
||
couple of "Beginner" carder that I talked to didn't understand how
|
||
you would do it, but thats when they had the misconception that you
|
||
actually go to the store and purchase things. That is a complete
|
||
No, no. You do everything from a phone ordering service. When you
|
||
call make sure that you are at a pay phone. Don't do it your house
|
||
or anywhere where it can come back to you. When you order the
|
||
merchandice, once again do send it to anywhere that it can come
|
||
back to you like your home, work, etc. Find a vacant house or
|
||
building or anywhere else that you can send it to. Also, don't
|
||
send it to a P.O. box that you have, just as dangerous. When you
|
||
do order it and you think its around the time that you will be
|
||
reciving it, check the mailbox frequently. But do it during odd
|
||
hours. I mean, hows it going to look you taking a package from a
|
||
vacant house?
|
||
|
||
Most bills are sent at the end of the month or at the biginning, so
|
||
try to time it to where the bill won't come to the person untill a
|
||
couple of days after you have recived the package. Ok heres how to
|
||
figure it. I have found out that the bills are sent out up around
|
||
the 26-30th of the month, so they will actually recive the bill
|
||
around the 31-4th. Have it sent right after you think the bill has
|
||
been sent. Find what you want, but try to order it from the place
|
||
that guarentees the fastest delivery. When you order the item,
|
||
make sure they have it in stock and don't have to get the item in
|
||
first. Order the highest class of delivery but not COD or next day
|
||
service. Thats cutting it too close. It should take around 2-4
|
||
weeks before you get it and if you timed it right, then it sound
|
||
get there right before the person gets the bill. You need to have
|
||
it in your possesion before the bill gets to the person because if
|
||
they complain, they can keep it from being sent, or watch who
|
||
actually gets it even while its going throught the mail process.
|
||
Don't order more than a couple of things or overcharge the card,
|
||
|
||
- 87 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
if the people at the Credit card office, see irregular charging on
|
||
the card, they will follow up on it.
|
||
|
||
To actually order the item you will call up the place that you will
|
||
be ordering from, and when the operator answers let her know what
|
||
you need to as far as what you are purchasing, etc. When she ask
|
||
how you will be paying just tell her "Charge" and the the type of
|
||
card like Master Card, Visa, ect. Then Tell them your name, if you
|
||
don't know the name of the actuall owner of the card, Make up a
|
||
false name that has NO relation to your name, not the same first,
|
||
last middle what ever, nothing relating to your real name. Then
|
||
continue answering all the operators questions, address (Not your
|
||
own remember!) state, area code etc. They will also ask for your
|
||
phone number. Make one up, not your own. If something happens to
|
||
go wrong as far as delivery or if they are checking if you are who
|
||
you say, then your screwed, unless of course, hehehe, the number is
|
||
ALWAYS busy. Find the busiest number there is and leave them that.
|
||
When they ask for the card number and experation, just tell them and
|
||
do what all else you need. Wish them a good day, and hope you get
|
||
it.
|
||
|
||
Ok heres how you check if the card is good, and how much money can
|
||
be charged on the card....... 1. Dail 1-800-554-2265 2. it will
|
||
ask for the type of the card. you must put in 10 for Master Card
|
||
and 20 for Visa, I am not sure about the others. 3. Next it will
|
||
ask for the Identification. You will need to enter 1067 4. After
|
||
all that you will have to enter the Mecrchant number, which you
|
||
will either need to put in 24 or 52. One of them should work. 5.
|
||
You will then have to enter (When Prompted) the card number itself.
|
||
6. Next, the experation date of the card. 7. Last but not least the
|
||
amount you want to try to get on the card. The procedure for this is
|
||
enter dollars, astricks, then cents.
|
||
|
||
(Example:)
|
||
100*30 = One hundred dollars and thirty cents.
|
||
|
||
One thing I do need to mention, after you type in everything
|
||
you must press pound (#). Like when it asks you for the type of
|
||
card, if you had a Master Card you would put: 10#. when it asked
|
||
for identification you would enter 1067#. If it says invalid, that
|
||
either means that the card is no good or you can't charge that
|
||
amount on the card. Try it again, but try a lower amount. If you
|
||
get down to $1 and it still doesn't work, hehehe,
|
||
you can probably guess that the card is no good.
|
||
|
||
You might not be ordering just merchandice you might be
|
||
ordering accounts and things like that and if you are, fine, but
|
||
you have to remember, the accounts do not stay good for very long,
|
||
the owner of the card gets the bill, complains and its no longer
|
||
any good. And when you card and account, Nine out of ten times,
|
||
they won't kill the account, they will trace in and that is when
|
||
|
||
- 88 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
you butts really in a sling. So carding accounts and
|
||
hins, isn't the safest way to go, of course. nothing we have
|
||
alked about it, right?
|
||
|
||
|
||
Introduction
|
||
|
||
carding is, in layman's terms, the use of someone elses credit card
|
||
umber to obtain free merchandise. It can be used for things that
|
||
re valuable to the BBS world like a USRobotics HST modem, or a
|
||
rand new SCSI hard drive. The reason I am writing this article is
|
||
because I, and the other notorious members of P/HARM have a
|
||
multitude of wealth that some may deem useful. When I was a wee
|
||
little mite, there was nothing to help me on my way..... So here
|
||
goes....
|
||
|
||
Obtaining #s
|
||
|
||
There are many ways to obtain a credit card number. But the thing
|
||
to remember is that there are three essentials that you need in
|
||
order to use your number. 1) The name as it appears on the card, 2)
|
||
The Card number, and 3) The actual date of expiration. These three
|
||
things are not only essential, but if you get one of them wrong, it
|
||
could send the FEDS huntin'. Okay, with that out of the way, now
|
||
comes places to find the numbers. My most favorite, but the most
|
||
time tested method is Trash bin hunting.... Nowadays with the
|
||
invention of carbonless receipts and carbons that tear in half, the
|
||
carder is less likely to find a good number in a trash can (you can
|
||
bet on getting dirty). But some stores make the fatal mistake of
|
||
not ripping up their fuck ups. A fuck up is when they run the card
|
||
number thru with the wrong amount or the lady (it's always a lady)
|
||
decides to pay cash. The clerk throws the credit voucher into the
|
||
trash, and that makes its way out to the bin where we find a
|
||
plethora of "fuck ups". The best way to get a number is off of
|
||
an actual card. If you are at a store where they take credit cards,
|
||
watch someone pay, and copy his/her number down on a business card
|
||
you just happen to have. This may seem risky, but trust me, IT'S
|
||
NOT!! A third way that is not always as effective is to hunt
|
||
mailboxes at night, Sometimes people forget to get their mail, and
|
||
inside there will be a bill from Visa or Bank of America (don't
|
||
forget that banks offer credit cards now). If you're real lucky,
|
||
you'll get an actual card. Okay, now you've got your card:
|
||
|
||
CARDING!!!!
|
||
|
||
Find a little shit mail order company that has put out a small add
|
||
in crumby production like Nuts & Volts magazine. Call this number
|
||
up and say "I'd like some information on XXXXXXXXXX", where
|
||
XXXXXXXXXX is the item you wish to get for free. Continue to ask
|
||
questions and TRY TO BARGAIN. This is important because people who
|
||
are spending their own money try to get the best deal POSSIBLE.
|
||
|
||
- 89 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Finish the conversation by saying "Okay, let me look around and try
|
||
to find the best price." The salesperson will give you their name
|
||
and ask you to call back. Call back the next day, and continue to
|
||
BS before ordering. Once you have ordered, they will ask you for:
|
||
The card number, the name, the expiration, the mailing address
|
||
(always use a drop site, and when they say "Is this the address as
|
||
it appears on the card?" Say yes even if it isn't), and a phone
|
||
number. The best phone number to give is one that is always busy or
|
||
that of a hacked VMB. Ask for next day delivery on all packages.
|
||
Now you need to send it somewhere.
|
||
|
||
|
||
DROP SITES
|
||
|
||
A drop site is the address you want your package sent to. The best
|
||
type of drop site is that of a vacant house, or where your neighbor
|
||
is outta town. Some say to leave a note on the doorstep asking the
|
||
UPS dude to leave the package, but some companies require a
|
||
signature. Here's my plan: Stay close to the house you pick for a
|
||
drop. When you see the van pull up, walk non-chalantly over to the
|
||
delivery man and say "My neighbor asked me to pick this up for
|
||
him". Sign a fake name and walk away. Now you have your package!!!!
|
||
|
||
P/HARM Conquests:
|
||
Dual Standard HST
|
||
661 megabyte hard drive (SCSI)
|
||
330 megabyte hard drive (SCSI)
|
||
Laptop computer (Pending)
|
||
330 megger SCSI (Pending)
|
||
|
||
|
||
*********************************
|
||
* DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!! *
|
||
*********************************
|
||
|
||
This file is written as a means of information interchange only. If
|
||
you choose to try the methods described above, well that is by your
|
||
own choice, and I nor P/HARM will be held responsible for any
|
||
trouble you get yourself into. **REMEMBER carding is ILLEGAL!!!
|
||
|
||
*********************************
|
||
* DISCLAIMER!!!!!!!! *
|
||
*********************************
|
||
|
||
|
||
Information on how to card!
|
||
|
||
|
||
First of all, you need a good drop site. A drop site is a place
|
||
where you are going to have the package shipped to. The best
|
||
|
||
- 90 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
places are usally private homes where people work during the day.
|
||
A easy to way to get one, walk out your house and look around. Find
|
||
any house,write down the street address. Open up a yellow
|
||
pages,look for the fone #. Then call up the house, usally during
|
||
morning time. If there is no answer,well you got a drop site.
|
||
Next,you need a card. Humm, usally the best way to get cards is
|
||
trough CBI or TRW. I used to use a program called checksum. Its a
|
||
program that makes CC's. Then I would call 800 # card checker. Put
|
||
a $150 ammount on the card,if it was aproved then you got a real
|
||
card. I am not going to tell ya how to get cards. Next, open up any
|
||
computer realated magazine. Look for small ads, preferbly in the
|
||
west coast. Call 'em up, see if you sound like chinks, if they do
|
||
then you may have found a good place. Once you have the neccesery
|
||
items you are ready to CARD.
|
||
|
||
The following things are needed to get away with carding.
|
||
|
||
1. A good unused card.
|
||
2. Drop site.
|
||
3. Cheap copmany to order from.
|
||
4. A code to call them with.
|
||
5. A loop for reciving fone calls.
|
||
|
||
Ok. you call up the fuckers. And you talk to some rep.
|
||
|
||
I am going to help ya all get 14.4's. When you talk to the rep. use
|
||
the following lines to why you need a 14.4
|
||
|
||
1. My modem was fried by lighting,and I am in need of very
|
||
importent docs. 2. I am looking to upgrade the modem at the
|
||
office,I only have a 1200 baud.
|
||
3. Its a holiday,birthday whatever. You want to get a gift for you
|
||
son.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Ok. Next, make sure you ask for the price,any discounts on it,what
|
||
does it come with. Also make sure you tell them that you want to
|
||
know what you can do incase the modem doesnt work. Ok,Then say "Ok,
|
||
I will order this now". Then she starts asking questions. Usally
|
||
they ask for the name first. Now, I never ONCE had a real name for
|
||
all my cards. Thats why I told you to order from small companies.
|
||
Make up any name in the fuckin world. But write it down to remember
|
||
it later on. Then they will ask you for a shipping address. Give
|
||
them the address of the drop site. Say thats were you live and you
|
||
are sending it to your house. Next, they will ask for the card #.
|
||
Geeeeee, Give them the card #. Now, they will want an experation
|
||
date. People tell me that need a experation date. BULLSHIT!!. You
|
||
do not need an exp. date at all. Give them, any thing. But make
|
||
sure its with in a year or two. Not 1/96. use like 1/91 1/92 etc..
|
||
OH yeah. When they ask for the card #. I allwayes say "Hold on,
|
||
lemme get my wallet out". That makes it look like you are getting
|
||
the card out from your wallet, GEEE. Humm,Now they want a phone #
|
||
|
||
- 91 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
This is a bitch. Up untill a few months ago, I used to give them
|
||
a BBS thats allwayes busy. That works sometimes , but the best is
|
||
to use the following methood. Get a LOOP.
|
||
|
||
And say you are currently at a hotel in the loops area code. Then
|
||
say you want to go out and play raquetball or something at the
|
||
hotel. So you are not going to be around. Then ask them when are
|
||
they going to call back and shit. Sometimes if you are sure the
|
||
card is going to work, you can say if everything is ok, then ship
|
||
it. I sometimes use this; I say "My wife got a hold of my card and
|
||
went shopping, so I am not sure if the limit on the card can hold
|
||
it." then I say "Can you check to see if it gets approved
|
||
while I'll wait online". Most of the time they will "OK, hold on".
|
||
Sometimes they can say it takes a while. Who cares, just say "I am
|
||
stepping out to lunch now, can I give you a call back to check if
|
||
every-thing is ok". And they say thats fine. Make sure you dont
|
||
fuck up. And dont try to card if you have the voice of a 13 year
|
||
old. My friend has the voice of a kid and he got caught HIS FIRST
|
||
TIME CARDING BY THE FEDZ!!!!. So do not card if you are a little
|
||
kid. After you are done giving the bitch all the info. Ask to have
|
||
it shipped NEXT DAY SERVICE (RED LABEL). That way you dont have to
|
||
wait a week or so. And then you have more time hidding and shit.
|
||
Its a little bit more,but who gives a fuck. Make sure you ask how
|
||
much is for everything!!!. And when you are about to hang up. Make
|
||
sure you say thank you, Have a good day. it makes a good impresion
|
||
of them. And remember try NOT to order from 800's. Allwayes CALL
|
||
WITH A CODE. That way if you get fucked, they cant prove you called
|
||
the place and shit. Well, I am done for now. I think, I dunno.
|
||
Remember if you use this file and get shit, lemme know. I want to
|
||
know if I helped people card shit. Hehehehehhe. Me personaly have
|
||
carded more shit then your parents make in a year and shit. And
|
||
still do. I dident get caught yet. But I am going to be 18 so,
|
||
and then I will be of probation (Not for carding). So , if you
|
||
are under 16 card card card! they cant do shit to you....
|
||
|
||
Advanced Carding Techniques
|
||
|
||
CARBONS:
|
||
-------
|
||
Remember trash-picking the department store to find those little
|
||
black pieces of paper that "told all" for the CC number? Well, kiss
|
||
that old technique goodbye, the newest thing on the market that
|
||
will soon be widespread is SELF CARBONING RECIEPTS. Those do just
|
||
what they say. The "carbon" is part of the paper itself. You then
|
||
have the customer copy, and the store copy, and thats it, nothing
|
||
else. The best way to get numbers anymore is to get them from the
|
||
place you work at.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 92 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
DROPS:
|
||
-----
|
||
Drops are as easy as they ever were, but with a few changes.
|
||
Remember how the place you call would ask you "What number can we
|
||
reach you at?" You would just give them the phone number of a
|
||
payphone that you were at, and maybe they would call you in a few
|
||
minutes to verify the order. Now they always ask this "What is your
|
||
home telephone number?" To have a successful shipment, you *MUST*
|
||
give them the correct phone number to the house that you are having
|
||
the stuff sent to. This *MUST* corrispond! What they do is this,
|
||
lets say that you give them this info:
|
||
|
||
Jim R. Jnes
|
||
132 S. Alexander
|
||
Arlington Hts, IL 60002
|
||
Home: 312-962-3342
|
||
Work: 312-564-1233 (Don't worry about this, give 'em a carrier #)
|
||
Visa: 4432-432-223-032 6/86
|
||
Bank: Second National Bank
|
||
|
||
They will then call the 312 Directory Assistance (312/555-1212) and
|
||
say something like this: "I would like the number for the JONES
|
||
residence on South Alexander-" and then the operator would either
|
||
say the number, or that she can't give it out. If the operator says
|
||
something to the effect of "I'm sorry, but I have no listing of a
|
||
JONES at this number, then your fucked, cause the store will figure
|
||
that its a fraud order, and sometimes will call VISA. Make sure
|
||
that the phone corrisponds with the drop!
|
||
|
||
CHECKING CC'S:
|
||
-------------
|
||
|
||
Go to about any store that uses credit cards, and look at the thing
|
||
that they run the credit cards through to make the carbons. On
|
||
that thing there will be an 800 number and some special numbers.
|
||
Write all these down! Ever have it where you use a card number and
|
||
it doesn't work out, and you want to check to see if the card
|
||
number is still good? Well, this is how you use those beloved
|
||
numbers you have!
|
||
|
||
Call th 800 number, a lot use this numbers:
|
||
800-221-1122 and along with those numbers you sould have found a 4
|
||
digit number and one that is long as all hell, sometimes over 10
|
||
digits long. The first number (the short one) is the BANK number,
|
||
and the other long one is the MERCHANT NUMBER. Call the 800 number
|
||
and they will usually answer with something like:
|
||
|
||
"National Data"
|
||
|
||
Say: "Bank number 1122" <==or whatever # it was
|
||
(pause, let the bitch type)
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 93 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Say: "erchant # 541837265355" <==whatever #
|
||
(pause)
|
||
|
||
Say: "Crd number 44312-223-433-221 exp 6/86"
|
||
(pause)
|
||
|
||
Say: "Amount is $12.31"
|
||
Note: Always try to keep this number low, for
|
||
credit sake!
|
||
|
||
If the card number is still good she will say something like: "ok,
|
||
that is authorization #4423B" (or something like that) Don't worry
|
||
about this number, all you need to know is that the number is still
|
||
valid. Sometimes is the number is bad, you'll hear: "Let me repeat
|
||
that number" (and she does) then she says: "That card is a pick up"
|
||
This means that they know it is a stolen card number and if you can
|
||
get ahold of the original card, a storeowner can get $50. All this
|
||
means to you is that you can cross that number off your list.
|
||
|
||
THINGS TO CARD-THINGS *NOT* TO CARD:
|
||
-----------------------------------
|
||
|
||
I have carded at great number of things on my life, and I have
|
||
found that computer equipment is one of the hardest things to card,
|
||
'cause think about it, almost everyone who cards, will card a new
|
||
Apple Cat, or something like that. Stay away from the computer
|
||
stuff as much as possible, these are checked *VERY* well! Jewrey is
|
||
also hard to get because its so easy to resell! I once orderd a
|
||
Rolex watch on my own American Express Gold Card, and it took a
|
||
WEEK for them just to preform the credit check to make sure it was
|
||
really my card! They laughed when I said that I wanted to pay for
|
||
it by credit card, they only had 1 CC order in the past 8 months!
|
||
This was a high volume store, too! Anyways, hold of on the
|
||
diamonds, Gucci or Saks stuff, they check too much!
|
||
|
||
Airlinetickets are the easiest to card by far, and stereo equipment
|
||
too! I not to long ago got a Nakamichi Dragon cassete deck, which
|
||
is one of the best cassete decks in the world, and cost in excess
|
||
of $1000! I ordered it on a Monday, and it came on Thursday! Try to
|
||
make friends with the guys your order from, say bullshit like:
|
||
|
||
"I'll cll you when I get it and tell you how it works out!!!"
|
||
|
||
I have been really successful with this, and these tips should help
|
||
you!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 94 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Airlines:
|
||
--------
|
||
Everybody travels, and flying is the only way to go, but lets face
|
||
it, nobody ever has enough money to fly quite as often as we would
|
||
like. This is where carding can save you money and let you do the
|
||
things that you really want to do!
|
||
|
||
Getting Tickets:
|
||
---------------
|
||
I am assuming that you already know how to get carbons, etc. OK,
|
||
you have this stack of carbons w/ good card numbers. Next grab the
|
||
phone (and phone book). Look up AIRLINES. Call your favopite
|
||
airline and schedual yourself (under a John Doe name, of course.)
|
||
You could do this actually long in advance, to "save" Visa some
|
||
money, and maybe make it look a little more ordinary. Fdw people
|
||
take off to Rio, Brazil without planning ahead! A few days (I'm
|
||
talking 2 or 3 days AT THE MOST) before your flight is going to
|
||
leave, call up a local travel agency, but CALL THEM THROUGH AN 800
|
||
EXTENDER! Find one with the WORST connections possible, a PBX might
|
||
work great. You want the agency to think that you are not calling
|
||
local, but from across the country. Tell the lady at the agency
|
||
that your son goes to college (or something) is flying down, and
|
||
that you have made reservations for him to fly back. ONLY BUY
|
||
ONE-WAY TI CKETS! Tell them that you already have reservations. The
|
||
agency will be cool about it all, and will take your card number
|
||
and all the usual info. Tell them that your son is supposed to call
|
||
you a little later, and that you will tell him to go down and pick
|
||
up his ticket.
|
||
|
||
The key to the whole deal is that 800 extender. This makes the
|
||
agency think that there really is a father in New Jersey that wants
|
||
his son to be flown from Bakersfield to Chicago to see his brother.
|
||
|
||
It really is that easy to do, but as I said, do not get round trip
|
||
tickets. Let's say that you do and fly to wherever, and while you
|
||
are there, the guy's Visa bill comes. The airport may have some
|
||
people waiting for you when you get on! The best bet is to take a
|
||
stack of carbons and extenders with you and do the same thing to
|
||
get back.
|
||
|
||
This is the way I have flown and I have never had any problems,
|
||
whatsoever.
|
||
|
||
Basic Information About Credit Cards
|
||
|
||
There are at least three types of security devices on credit cards
|
||
that you aren't supposed to know about. They are the account
|
||
number, the signature panel, and the magnetic strip.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 95 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Account Number
|
||
------------------
|
||
A Social Security card has nine digits. So do two-part Zip
|
||
codes. A domestic phone number, including area code, has ten
|
||
digits. Yet a complete MasterCard number has twenty digits. Why
|
||
so many? It is not mathematically necessary for any credit-card
|
||
account number to have more than eight digits. Each cardholder
|
||
must, of course, have a unique number. Visa and MasterCard are
|
||
estimated to have about sixty-five million cardholders each. Thus
|
||
their numbering systems must have at least sixty-five million
|
||
available numbers. There are one hundred million possible
|
||
conbinations of eight digits-- 00000000, 00000001, 00000002,
|
||
00000003, all the way up to 99999999. So eight digits would be
|
||
enough. To allow for future growth, an issuer the size of Visa
|
||
of MaserCard could opt for nine digits---enough for a billion
|
||
differnt numbers. In fact, a Visa card has thirteen digits and
|
||
sometimes more. An American Express card has fifteen digits.
|
||
Diners Club cards have fourteen. Carte Blanche has ten. Obviously,
|
||
the card issuers are not projecting that they will have billions
|
||
and billions of cardholders and need those digits to ensure a
|
||
different number for each. The extra digits are actually a
|
||
security device. Say your Visa number is 4211 503 417 268. Each
|
||
purchase must be entered into a computer from a sales slip. The
|
||
account number tags the purchase to your account. The persons who
|
||
enter account numbers into computers get bored and sometimes make
|
||
mistakes. They might enter 4211 503 471 268 or 4211 703 417 268
|
||
instead. The advantage of the thirteen-digit numbering system is
|
||
that it is unlikely any Visa cardholder has 4211 503 471 268 or
|
||
4211 703 417 268 for an account number. There are 10 trillion
|
||
possible thirteen-digit Visa numbers (0000 000 000 000;0000 000 000
|
||
0001;... 9999 999 999 999). Only about sixty-five million of those
|
||
numbers are numbers of actual active accounts. The odds that an
|
||
incorrectly entered number would correspond to a real number are
|
||
something like sixty-five million in ten trillion, or about one in
|
||
one hundred and fifty thousand. Those are slim odds. You could
|
||
fill up a book the size of this one {note, book is 228 pgs long}
|
||
with random thirteen-digit numbers such as these:
|
||
|
||
3901 160 943 791
|
||
1090 734 231 410
|
||
1783 205 995 561
|
||
9542 425 195 969
|
||
2358 862 307 845
|
||
9940 880 814 778
|
||
8421 456 150 662
|
||
9910 441 036 483
|
||
3167 186 869 267
|
||
6081 132 670 781
|
||
1228 190 300 350
|
||
4563 351 105 207
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 96 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Still you would not duplicate a Visa account number. Whenever an
|
||
account number is entered incorrectly, iw will almose certainly
|
||
fail to match up with any of the other account nubmers in the
|
||
computer's memory. The computer can then request that the number
|
||
be entered again. Other card-numbering systems are even more
|
||
secure. Of the quadrillion possible fifteen-digit American Express
|
||
card numbers, only about 11 million are assigned. The chance of a
|
||
random number happening to correspond to an existing account number
|
||
is about one in ninety million. Taking into account all twenty
|
||
digits on a MasterCard, there are one hundred quintillion
|
||
(100,000,000,000,000,000,000) possible numvers for sixy-five
|
||
million card-holders. The chance of a random string of
|
||
digits matching a real MasterCard number is about one in one and a
|
||
half trillion. Among other things, this makes possible those
|
||
television ads inviting holders of credit cards to phone in to
|
||
order merchandise. The operators who take the calls never see the
|
||
callers' cards nor their signatures. How can they be sure the
|
||
callers even have credit cards? They base their confidence on the
|
||
security of the credit-card numbering systems. If someone calls in
|
||
and makes up a creditcard number--even being careful to get the
|
||
right number of digits--the number surely will not be an existing
|
||
real credit-card number. The deception can be spotted instantly by
|
||
plugging into the credit-card company's computers. For all
|
||
practical purposes, the only way to come up with a genuine
|
||
credit-card number is to read it off a credit card. The
|
||
number, not the piece of plastic, is enough.
|
||
|
||
Neiman-Marcus' Garbage Can
|
||
--------------------------
|
||
The converse of this is the fact that anyone who knows someone
|
||
else's card number can charge to that person's account. Police
|
||
sources say this is a major problem, but card issuers, by and
|
||
large, do their best to keep these crimes a secret. The fear is
|
||
that publicizing the crimes may tempt more people to commit them.
|
||
Worse yet, there is alomost nothing the average person can do to
|
||
prevent being victimized {muhaha} -- short of giving up credit
|
||
cards entirely. Lots of strangers know your credit-card numbers.
|
||
Everyone you hand a card to--waiters, sales clerks, ticket agents,
|
||
hairdressers, gas station attendants, hotel cashiers--sees the
|
||
account number. Every time a card is put in an imprinter, three
|
||
copies are made, and two are left with the clerk. If you charge
|
||
anything by phone or mail order, someone somewhere sees the number.
|
||
Crooks don't have to be in a job with normal access to creditcard
|
||
numbers. Occasional operations have discovered that the garbage
|
||
cans outside prestige department or specialty stores are sources
|
||
of high-credit-limit account numbers. The crooks look for the
|
||
discarded carbon paper from sales slips. The account number is
|
||
usually legible--as are the expiration date, name, and signature.
|
||
(A 1981 operation used carbons from Koontz Hardware, a West Hollywood,
|
||
California, store frequented by many celebrities.) Converting a number
|
||
into cash is less risky than using a stolen credit card. The crook
|
||
|
||
- 97 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
need only call an airline, posing as the cardholder, and make a
|
||
reservation on a heavily traveled flight. He usually requests that
|
||
tickets be issued in someone else's name for pickup at the airport
|
||
(airlines don't always ask for ID on ticket pickups, but the crook
|
||
has it if needed) and is set. The tickets can be sold at a
|
||
discount on the hot-ticket market operating in every major
|
||
airport. There are other methods as well. Anyone with a Visa or
|
||
MasterCard merchant account can fill out invoices for nonexistent
|
||
sales and submit them to the bank. As long as the account numbers
|
||
and names are genuine, the bank will pay the merchant immediately.
|
||
For an investment of about a thousand dollars, an organized
|
||
criminal operation can get the pressing machines needed to make
|
||
counterfeit credit cards. Counterfeiting credit cards in
|
||
relatively simple. There are no fancy scrolls and filigree work,
|
||
just blocky logos in primary colors. From the criminal's
|
||
standpoint, the main advantage of a counterfeit card is that it
|
||
allows him to get cash advances. For maximum plundering of a line
|
||
of credit, the crook must know the credit limit as well as the
|
||
account number. To learn both, he often calls an intended victim,
|
||
posing as the victim's bank:
|
||
|
||
CROOK: This is Bank of America. We're calling to tell you
|
||
that the credit limit on your Visa card has been
|
||
raised to twelve hundred dollars.
|
||
VICTIM: But my limit has always been ten thousand dollars.
|
||
CROOK: There must be some problem with the computers. Do
|
||
you have your card handy? Could you read off the
|
||
embossed number?
|
||
|
||
|
||
On a smaller scale, many struggling rock groups have
|
||
discovered the knack of using someone else's telephone company
|
||
credit card. When a cardholder wants to make a long-distance call
|
||
from a hotel or pay phone, he or she reads the card number to the
|
||
operator. The call is then billed to the cardholder's home phone.
|
||
Musicians on tour sometimes wait by the special credit-card-and-
|
||
collect-calls-only booths at airports and jot down a few credit
|
||
card numbers. In this way, unsuspecting businesspeople finance
|
||
a touring act's calls to friends at home. If the musicians call
|
||
from public phones, use a given card number only once, and don't
|
||
stay in one city long, the phone company seems helpless to stop
|
||
them. What makes all of these scams so hard to combat is the lead
|
||
time afforded the criminal. Theft of a credit card--a crime that
|
||
card issuers will talk about--is generally reported immediately.
|
||
Within twenty-four hours, a stolen card's number is on the issuer's
|
||
"hot list" and can no longer be used. But when only a card number
|
||
is being used illicitly, the crime is not discovered until the
|
||
cardholder recieves his first inflated bill. That's at least two
|
||
weeks later; it could be as much as six weeks later. As long as
|
||
the illicit user isn't too greedy, he has at least two weeks to
|
||
tap into a credit line with little risk.
|
||
|
||
- 98 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Signature Panel
|
||
-------------------
|
||
You're now supposed to erase the signature panel, of course. Card
|
||
issuers fear that crooks might erase the signature on a stolen
|
||
credit card and replace it with their own. To make alteration more
|
||
difficult, many card signature panels have a background design that
|
||
rubs off if anyone tries to erase. There's the "fingerprint"
|
||
design on the American Express panel, repeated Visa or MasterCard
|
||
logos on some bank cards, and the "Safesig" desgn on others. The
|
||
principle is the same as with the security paper used for checks.
|
||
If you try to earse a check on security paper, the wavy-line
|
||
pattern erases, leaving a white area-- and it is obvious that
|
||
the check has been altered. Rumors hint of a more elaborate
|
||
gimmick in credit-card panels. It is said that if you erase the
|
||
panel, a secret word--VOID--appears to prevent use of the card.
|
||
To test this rumor, fifteen common credit cards were sacrificed.
|
||
An ordinary pen eraser will erase credit-card signature panels,
|
||
if slowly. The panels are more easily removed with a cloth and a
|
||
dry-cleaning fluid such as Energine. This method dissolves the
|
||
panels cleanly. Of the fifteen cards tested, six had nothing under
|
||
the panel(other than a continuation of the card back design, where
|
||
there was one). Nine cards tested had the word "VOID" under the panel.
|
||
In all cases, the VOIDs were printeed small and repeated many times
|
||
under the panel. The breakdown:
|
||
|
||
Void Device Nothing
|
||
--------------------------------------
|
||
Bloomingdale's American Express Gold Card
|
||
Bonwit Teller Broadway
|
||
Bullock's MasterCard(Citibank)
|
||
Chase Convenience B.C. Neiman-Marcus
|
||
I. Magnin Robinson's
|
||
Joseph Magnin Saks Fifth Avenue
|
||
First Interstate B.C.
|
||
Montgomery Ward
|
||
Visa (Chase Manhattan)
|
||
|
||
|
||
When held to a strond light, the VOIDs were visible through the
|
||
Blooming-dales's card even without removing the panel. The VOID
|
||
device isn't foolproof. Any crimianl who learns the secret will
|
||
simply refrain from trying to earse the signature. Most
|
||
salesclerks don't bother to check signatures anyway. Moreover, it
|
||
is possible to paint the signature panel back in, over the
|
||
VOIDs--at least on those cards that do not have a design on the
|
||
panel. (Saks' panel is a greenish-tan khaki coler that would be
|
||
difficult to match with paint.) The panel is first removed with
|
||
dry-cleaning fluid. The back of the card is covered with masking
|
||
tape, leaving a window where the replacement panel is to go. A
|
||
thin coat of flat white spray paint simulates the original panel.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 99 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
The Magnetic Strip
|
||
------------------
|
||
|
||
The other security device on the back of the card, the brown
|
||
magnetic strip, is more difficult to analyze. Some people think
|
||
there are sundry personal details about the cardholder stored in
|
||
the strip. But the strip has no more information capacitythan a
|
||
similar snippet of recording tape. For the most part banks are
|
||
reticent about the strip. The strip need not contain any
|
||
information other than the account number or similar
|
||
indentification. Any futher information needed to complete an
|
||
automatic-teller transaction-- such as current account
|
||
balances--can be called up from bank computers and need not be
|
||
encoded in the strip. Evidently, the card expiration date is in
|
||
the strip. Expired cards are "eaten" by automatic-teller machines
|
||
even when the expired card has the same account number and name as
|
||
its valid replacement card. Credit limit, address, phone number,
|
||
employer, etc, must not be indicated in this strip, for banks do
|
||
not issue new cards just because this info changes. It is not clear
|
||
if the personal identification number is in the strip or called up
|
||
from the bank computer. Many automatic-teller machines have a secret
|
||
limit of three attempts for provideing the correct personal
|
||
identification nubmer. After three wround attempts, the "customer"
|
||
is assumed to be a crook with a stolen card, going through all
|
||
possible permutations--and the card is eaten. It is possible to
|
||
scramble the information in the strip by rubbing a pocket magnet
|
||
over it. Workers in hspitals or research facilites with large
|
||
electromagnets sometimes find that their cards no longer work in
|
||
automatic-teller machines. (If you try to use a magnetically doctored
|
||
card, you usually get a message to the effect, "Your card may be
|
||
inserted incorrectly. Please remove and insert according to the
|
||
diagram.")
|
||
|
||
The Bloomingdale's Color Code
|
||
-----------------------------
|
||
Only in a few cases does the color of a credit card mean anything.
|
||
There are, of course, the American Express, Visa, and MasterCard
|
||
gold cards for preferred customers. The Air Travel Card comes in
|
||
red and green, of which green is better. (With red, you can charge
|
||
tickets for travel within North America only.) The most elaborate
|
||
color scheme, and a source of some confusion to status-conscious
|
||
queues, is that of Bloomingdale's credit department, here is how
|
||
it works: Low color in the pecking order is blue, issued to
|
||
Bloomingdale employees as a perk in their compensation packages.
|
||
The basic Bloomingdale card is yellow. Like most department store
|
||
cards, it can be used to spread payments over several months with
|
||
the payment of a finance charge. The red card gives holders three
|
||
months' free interest and is issued to customers who regularly make
|
||
large purchases. The silver card is good for unlimited spending,
|
||
but as with a travel and entertainment card, all charges must be paid
|
||
in thirty days. The gold card offers the same payment options as the
|
||
yellow card but is reserved for the store's biggest spenders.
|
||
|
||
- 100 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Card Formats and Bank Numbers
|
||
|
||
|
||
I. PREFACE
|
||
|
||
This is my first infofile as a N.A.R.C. member. For those of you
|
||
who have read "Getting Serious about Carding by Optical Illusion",
|
||
this is a somewhat a con-tinuation of things you need to know about
|
||
carding which Optical Illusion did not cover. In this file, we'll
|
||
try to cover the aspects of the use (or shall we say misuse) of a
|
||
credit card, strategies mail order companies keep us from getting
|
||
away with carding, and a list of bank id numbers with their banks.
|
||
|
||
|
||
II. CREDIT CARDS versus CHARGE CARDS
|
||
|
||
Many people have the misconception that all cards are credit cards.
|
||
This is of course not true. For example, American Express is a
|
||
charge card and not a credit card. American Express is a charge
|
||
card since the owner of the card must pay off the whole amount when
|
||
his bill comes. If the owner doesn't, he or she is in serious shit.
|
||
One thing good about the American Express is that it has no limit
|
||
on how much the person can spend as long as the person can pay off
|
||
the bill when it comes. Basically, the card is based on the person's
|
||
good judgement on how much money the person have. Why is there
|
||
American Express Gold and regular American Express cards then? It
|
||
still has a hidden limit which you cannot buy a Corvette ZR-1 with
|
||
a regular American Express. You could however do it with a American
|
||
Express Platinum (if you can find one to abuse). This means you can
|
||
buy more expensive things at one time with a Gold or Platinum card.
|
||
Credit cards have a set limit after you you apply for the card.
|
||
Usually a Classic Visa has about $700 plus or minus $100. Mastercard
|
||
on the other hand has about $1000 limit on it.
|
||
|
||
III. TYPES OF CARDS
|
||
|
||
|
||
Credit Cards Charge Cards
|
||
VISA American Express
|
||
Mastercard American Express
|
||
Optima
|
||
Discover
|
||
|
||
Here's a couple type of cards I do not know what category they fall
|
||
into since they are never accepted by mail order companies. One of
|
||
them is Diner's Club International and the other is Carte Blanche.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 101 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Bank name Bank name
|
||
|
||
|
||
_______________________________--------------------------------
|
||
| | || | |
|
||
| BANK of N A R C | V I S A||BANK of N A R C | V I S A||
|
||
|________|| |________|
|
||
| | | | |
|
||
|
||
| 4000 123 456 789 |hologram| | 4000 0123 4567 8910
|
||
|hologram|
|
||
| |________| |
|
||
|________|
|
||
| 00/00 00/00 CV | ___ | | 00/00/00 00/00/00 PV|
|
||
___ |
|
||
| | // | | |
|
||
// |
|
||
| John Doe | \\__ | | John Doe Jr. |
|
||
\\__ |
|
||
--------------------------------- --------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
|
||
VISAs are grouped either |
|
||
in 4XXX XXX XXX XXX or |
|
||
4XXX XXXX XXXX XXXX. This is either a C or a P.
|
||
The 2 groupings used are different for C for Classic
|
||
(regular) each bank. There are banks' P for
|
||
Preferred (better, much better)
|
||
preferred cards that are group in 4 3 3 3.
|
||
|
||
_______________________________
|
||
| |
|
||
| |
|
||
| B A N K of N. A. R. C.| All Mastercards are 12
|
||
digits grouped
|
||
|_______________________________| in blocks of four digits each.
|
||
| ___ |
|
||
| 5000 1234 4567 8910 / \|
|
||
| |M C||
|
||
| 1234 00/00 00/00 BN | || Hologram
|
||
| |M C||
|
||
| Joe Card Alot \___/|
|
||
---------------------------------
|
||
|
||
BN is the Bank initials
|
||
|
|
||
1234 is the bank id number.
|
||
The bank may have more than one id number for
|
||
their 5000 XXXX XXXX XXXX series cards.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 102 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
IV. MAIL ORDER COMPANIES
|
||
|
||
Most of the mail order companies will accept Visa or Mastercard.
|
||
Some will also accept American Express and Discover. These mail
|
||
order companies check the card by either calling into a TRW center
|
||
to check if the amount of the order will exceed the limit. In
|
||
either case of a approval or declining, the mail order companies
|
||
will call you back to check with you the order you have placed.
|
||
Anyways, a way of finding a valid card is to call a credit approval
|
||
system yourself. Here's some ways of checking:
|
||
|
||
(1) 1-800-554-2265 for check Mastercard or Visa
|
||
|
||
for Visa 20#1067#24#CARD#EXP#XX*XX#
|
||
|
||
- 10 and 20 are for the type of cards
|
||
- 1067 is the bank id number
|
||
- 24 is the merchant number (52 will also work)
|
||
- EXPiration must be in the form of 0291 for feb
|
||
of 1991
|
||
- XX*XX is the amount. Use a small number like
|
||
11*04 for $11.04.
|
||
|
||
|
||
Another way mail order companies verifying cards is to call the
|
||
bank of the card and verify the name of the person and the billing
|
||
address versus the name you gave the mail order companies and the
|
||
address (drop site). So the only way of getting pass this is to
|
||
have the stuff sent to the person's address or getting the waybill
|
||
number from the mail order houses and intercept the package at the
|
||
UPS or Federal Express office before the package arrive's at the
|
||
card owner's address.
|
||
|
||
V. VISA BANK Numbers
|
||
4428 Bank of Hoven
|
||
4128 Citibank CV
|
||
4271 Citibank PV
|
||
4929 Barclay Card CV (from England)
|
||
4040 Wells Fargo CV
|
||
4019 Bank of America CV
|
||
4024 Bank of America PV
|
||
4019 Bank of America Gold (This card looks like a CV but
|
||
without a CV afterthe expiration date)
|
||
4678 Home Federal
|
||
4726 Wells Fargo CV
|
||
4036 4561 4443 4833 4070 4735 4673 4044 4050 4226 4605 4923 4820
|
||
4048 CV 4121
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 103 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
VI. Mastercard
|
||
|
||
A. BANK NUMBERS
|
||
|
||
5419 Bank of Hoven
|
||
5410 Wells Fargo
|
||
5412 Wells Fargo
|
||
5273 Bank of America Gold
|
||
5273 Bank of America
|
||
5254 Bank of America
|
||
5286 Home Federal
|
||
5031 Maryland of North America
|
||
5326 5424 5250 5417 5215 5204 5411 5421 5329 5308 5217 5415
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
B. BANK ID NUMBERS
|
||
|
||
5410 Wells Fargo -- 1037
|
||
5410 Wells Fargo -- 6785
|
||
5419 Bank of Hoven -- 1933
|
||
5410 Wells Fargo -- 6037
|
||
5204 -- 1006
|
||
5250 -- 1260
|
||
5215 -- 6207
|
||
5424 -- 1065
|
||
5411 -- 1169
|
||
5421 -- 2143
|
||
5417 -- 1786
|
||
5417 -- 1711
|
||
5415 -- 1530
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
VII. AMERICAN EXPRESS
|
||
|
||
3728 GOLD
|
||
3713 Regular
|
||
3732 Regular
|
||
|
||
3737 3782 3731 3724 3742 3727 3787 3726 3766 3734 3749 3763 3710
|
||
3718 3720 3739
|
||
|
||
Carding For Benfit And Profit
|
||
|
||
First off, there are many types of credit cards. But the main ones
|
||
we will be discussing are American Express, Discover, Mastercard,
|
||
and Visa. These four are the largest and most widely used types. My
|
||
personal favorite is the Discover card, since the company is a real
|
||
loser. It is best for the beginner to start out with Discover, then
|
||
move to American Express, then to Mastercard, and finally visa,
|
||
|
||
- 104 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
The first thing you have to do is to find a credit card number
|
||
(we will be refering to them as CCNs). There are several different
|
||
ways of going about this, which will be discussed later in this file.
|
||
The way you can tell the cards apart are the first digit of the CCN.
|
||
|
||
Digit Type of Card
|
||
------- ------------
|
||
3 American Express
|
||
4 Visa
|
||
5 Mastercard
|
||
6 Discover
|
||
|
||
|
||
Now that you know the first digit of the card you want you need the
|
||
different CCN formats. They are listed below.
|
||
|
||
American Express
|
||
|
||
3xxx-xxxxxx-xxxxx
|
||
|
||
Visa
|
||
|
||
4xxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
|
||
|
||
or
|
||
|
||
4xxx-xxx-xxx-xxx
|
||
|
||
Citibank Visa, which is by far the most popular is
|
||
|
||
4128-xxx-xxx-xxx
|
||
|
||
Mastercard
|
||
|
||
5xxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
|
||
|
||
The type of Mastercard I use is Citibank which is
|
||
|
||
5424-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
|
||
|
||
Discover
|
||
|
||
6xxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
|
||
|
||
|
||
There are a number of ways through which you can get CCNs. They are
|
||
listed below in order of easiest method to hardest method.
|
||
|
||
1) Go for a little swim. That is, in a big dumpster. This is called
|
||
trashing. Go in back of department store or anywhere that accepts
|
||
credit cards and jump in. But make sure it's not at a mall, or
|
||
|
||
- 105 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
someone might see you and contact the police. When you've
|
||
found the perfect dumpster, just dive right in. Just look around
|
||
for carbons. You know, the things that the salesperson throws away
|
||
after a credit card purchase. If anyone sees you, just pretend
|
||
you're a bum. Or if that won't work, pretend you're looking for
|
||
your baseball that flew in. Once you find these, (and making sure
|
||
you don't rip them) put them in your cap, or somewhere where they
|
||
won't fall out, and just calmly go home. Now comes the easy part.
|
||
You just copy down everything important. The CCN, Expiration date,
|
||
and Name. Then you rip it up into shreds and burn them. Now there is
|
||
no way you can get caught unless you're a REAL idiot. 2) If you have
|
||
a friend (it's better if it's a fellow pirate) that works in a store
|
||
which performs credit card transactions, you might save yourself the
|
||
trouble of trashing and ask him if he doesn't mind slipping some
|
||
carbons into a bag after they ring up a sale. If he won't, bribe
|
||
by saying you'll get him something too.
|
||
|
||
Carbons
|
||
______________________________________
|
||
| (1) (2) |
|
||
| (3) (4) |
|
||
| (5) |
|
||
| |
|
||
|____________________________________|
|
||
|
||
(1) The Account Number. This is the most important thing on a
|
||
Credit Card. (2) The Expiration date for Visa or Mastercard (3) The
|
||
Expiration date for Visa or Mastercard (4) The Expiration date for
|
||
American Express (5) The Card Holder's name. The name is not very
|
||
important but it is good to have. 3) If are really advanced, you
|
||
can use a credit card formula, several do exist. If you're good at
|
||
math and patterns, you should be able to figure out at least one
|
||
formula. Once you have a newly formulated or newly found Credit
|
||
Card, you have to first check to see if it is still valid before
|
||
you try to use it. The easiest way I know of, is 1-800-554-2265.
|
||
But after you enter something you must enter a pound. Just look at
|
||
the example if you're confused. You must first, of course, dial
|
||
1-800-554-2265. Then it should say "Enter type".
|
||
|
||
Number Card Type
|
||
------ ---------
|
||
10# Mastercard
|
||
20# Visa
|
||
30# American Express
|
||
|
||
Then it will ask you for "Bank identification". Just enter 1067#.
|
||
Now it will request a Merchant Number. Enter either 24# or 52#.
|
||
Either one should work. Now it will ask you for the card number.
|
||
Enter it in with a # sign following it. Then it will ask for the
|
||
expiration date. Enter it with a # sign following it. And last,
|
||
|
||
- 106 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
but not least, it will ask for the amount. This is a little
|
||
rickier. Look at the examples. If you still don't understand it,
|
||
hen you're dumb, and you shouldn't be trying to card. For $100.25
|
||
ou enter 100*25#. For $1,532.67 you enter 1532*67#. Got it? Good.
|
||
ow the moment of truth comes. In the next few seconds the computer
|
||
will say Approved or Declined. Yes or No. Light or Dark. If it's
|
||
approved, pat yourself on the back. If not, too bad. Go look for
|
||
another one.
|
||
|
||
* SPECIAL NOTE *
|
||
|
||
In Canada dial 416-785-3222 for Visa credit checks or dial
|
||
1-800-268-2439 for Mastercard credit checks. For a Visa credit
|
||
check in Canada, you first dial the authorization center and a
|
||
operator will answer. Then you will be ask for the card number,
|
||
amount of purchase, merchant # and expiry date. If the card is good
|
||
then she'll tell you the authorization number. If the card is
|
||
invalid then she'll say that the number was invalid. For a
|
||
Mastercard credit check in Canada, you first dial the authorization
|
||
center and a automated computer will answer. It will ask you if you
|
||
want it in French or English, so if you want English punch in 1, or
|
||
if you want French punch in 2. Next it will ask you for the "Credit
|
||
Card Number". Just punch in the Mastercard number and the press the
|
||
# sign following the number. Next it will ask you for the "Amount In
|
||
Dollars Only", so press in the amount and then the # sign following
|
||
it. Next it will ask for a "Merchant #", this can be skipped by
|
||
just pressing the # sign. After that it will ask for a "Expiry
|
||
Number". Punch the expiry number in and press a # sign following it,
|
||
if you made a mistake punching in the amount, then from here you press
|
||
2 and change the amount of the purachse. After all that it will come
|
||
back and if it's valid, it will tell you an authorization number,
|
||
otherwise it will say that the number was invalid. If the amount is
|
||
too high, then it will tell you to hold on for an operator. And
|
||
then the operator will verify the card for you.
|
||
|
||
*****************************************************************
|
||
ONE NOTE: IF A CARD HAS $5000 AND YOU VERIFY IT FOR $3000 DOLLARS,
|
||
YOU CAN ONLY VERIFY IT FOR $2000 MORE. ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS IF THE
|
||
CARD HAS $3000 AND YOU VERIFY IT FOR $1250, THE CARD CAN BE
|
||
VERIFIED $1750 MORE BEFORE IT WILL SAY DECLINED.
|
||
*****************************************************************
|
||
Now for the hardest part of all, purchasing merchandise with your
|
||
newly verified CCN. You will probably want some computer equipment,
|
||
knowing that that's what most people want. And be sure to read this
|
||
entire file before attempting to card something. If you don't, you
|
||
might get caught and spend ten years in jail and never be able to
|
||
get another decent job again, just because you didn't listen to me
|
||
and read this entire file. Now that I have your attention, we must
|
||
lay down some rules for ordering merchandise to insure your safety.
|
||
1) Always go to a pay phone.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 107 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
2) Never give out your real name. 3) Or your address and telephone
|
||
number. 4) Plan out the drop site and the fake number. I use the
|
||
busiest PD board there is. 5) Sound calm. Remember, they can't do
|
||
anything to you. 6) If they get suspicious, just keep sticking to
|
||
the same story. A consistent lie is better than a inconsistent
|
||
truth. Where should I ask them to ship it to? This is a common
|
||
question. The best place to have the merchandise shipped to is an
|
||
abandoned house. The sites where you want them shipped are called
|
||
drop sites. Jot down this address. Now that we have set those rules,
|
||
we now have to call a store. Make sure it is a small store, for they
|
||
don't have the card checking techniques the bigger ones do. Now when
|
||
they ask you your name and stuff like that, just give them the fake
|
||
ones, without hesitation!! If you hesitate then they might get
|
||
suspicious. Even spell it out for them. And try to be friendly. Don't
|
||
sound nervous or anything. Now if they are online to credit bureaus
|
||
suck as CBI or TRW then make up an excuse, like have your friend
|
||
threaten you in the background (or something). If they are online
|
||
with CBI or TRW they can verify everything in just a couple of
|
||
minutes. Now if they aren't then you're in luck. Now when they ask
|
||
for a number, give them the number you have ready. Bullshit your
|
||
way through. If they aren't online, they can't verify really
|
||
anything but that the CCN is valid and there is enough credit to
|
||
pay for the merchandise. I wouldn't suggest making a business out
|
||
of this, either. Sure, if you want to get a few dollars for things
|
||
you order (and that you don't want anymore) sell it and keep the
|
||
money. It wouldn't be all that great to go to jail for ten years
|
||
and never get another decent job in your whole entire stinking life,
|
||
just because someone you don't even know, wanted a bigger hard drive
|
||
for $100? Yeah, you know I have a good point there. Well, the truth
|
||
is that the only people that should really even make deals are the
|
||
people with lots of experience.
|
||
|
||
And now how to card Travelers Checks. These are alot easier
|
||
than what I just talked about. All you gotta do is call
|
||
1-800-777-7337 and use an American Express card and ship it to your
|
||
drop site. Now just go to another country and spend away. Have fun.
|
||
Now for the most dangerous way of carding, by far. In person
|
||
carding. But you get the stuff really quick. Now you need a fake
|
||
name again. This time you need two. Your dad and a son. Lets say
|
||
your name is Robert Armstrong. Look at the example.
|
||
|
||
"Hello, Computers for less, how may I help you?"
|
||
|
||
"Yes, this is Robert Armstrong calling from California (or
|
||
somewhere across the country). My son, Mike, needs an Apple II. It
|
||
says here in your ad that you sell them for such and such. I would
|
||
like to place an order for one."
|
||
|
||
"OK. And how will you be paying for this?"
|
||
|
||
"Visa."
|
||
|
||
- 108 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
"OK. Number?"
|
||
|
||
"4xxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx."
|
||
|
||
"OK, thank you. Now how do you want this shipped?"
|
||
|
||
"Well, since my son is going to college right next to you, I
|
||
thought I could send him to go pick it up."
|
||
|
||
"Oh, OK. Sure. Do you want us to call your son to notify him?"
|
||
|
||
"No, that's ok. He's supposed to call in a couple of minutes. He
|
||
always calls me at 5:00PM every Friday. I can't wait to hear what
|
||
he says when he hears what I got him. When can he go pick it up?"
|
||
|
||
"Anytime."
|
||
|
||
"Ok, thank you.
|
||
|
||
"Thank you for ordering from Computers for Less."
|
||
|
||
<CLICK>
|
||
|
||
Now comes the most dangerous part. Go to the store, park your
|
||
car where none of the employees can see it. Now go in and state
|
||
your fake name and what you are there to pick up. In Mike's case...
|
||
|
||
"Hello. I'm here to pick up an Apple II my dad bought for me."
|
||
|
||
"OK, sure. Mike Armstrong?"
|
||
|
||
"Yes, that's me."
|
||
|
||
"Ok, wait. We'll bring it up right now."
|
||
|
||
"Thank you."
|
||
|
||
"Well, here you are."
|
||
|
||
<TAKE>
|
||
|
||
"OK, Thank you."
|
||
|
||
"No problem. Thank you for ordering from Computers for Less."
|
||
|
||
Now just walk over to your car and drive off. I wouldn't really
|
||
recommend this method, but if you're desperate, try it. Now if they
|
||
get suspisious, don't get nervous. Just start complaining. Say like
|
||
"My dad paid good money for this system and now you won't give it
|
||
to me?" If they still won't give it to you, then say, "Ok, I'll
|
||
come tommorrow. But if it isn't ready tommorow I'm going to tell
|
||
|
||
- 109 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
my dad to get a refund." Then walk out really pissed looking
|
||
and never go back. They were probably setting up a trap for
|
||
you. Better safe than sorry. Now I'll explain what happens to the
|
||
unlucky guy. The guy's CCN you used of course. Now let's pretend
|
||
this unfortunate soul's name is John Doe. At the end of the month,
|
||
John Doe gets his Visa bill from the bank's credit card department.
|
||
Among the things on his bill he notices a VGA card and monitor.
|
||
John Doe then calls his bank and starts cussing them out and
|
||
asking where the fuck did they get the VGA card and monitor from.
|
||
Then the bank should send him a xerox copy of the original reciept,
|
||
showing when it was bought and where it was sent to, and the second
|
||
is an affidiate. This is a formal document saying that you did not
|
||
make the purchase, you do not know who did, and did not authorize
|
||
this purchase. It must be signed by him and then brought to the bank
|
||
and signed by a notary public and have the bank's stamp on it. From
|
||
there the bank can either go to their insurance agent or Visa,
|
||
depending on who they have a deal with, and be paid for the carded
|
||
stuff. Then John Doe must cut his cards in half and send them to the
|
||
bank. After he has done that, he is re-issued new cards with a new CCN.
|
||
|
||
How to Find Credit Cards: carbons or other methods
|
||
|
||
|
||
II. Trash Digging
|
||
|
||
Although not the most fun method of getting CCs it is the safest by
|
||
far. It does not take much intelligence to go through a dumpster
|
||
and look for credit card carbons... But I assure you even the most
|
||
experienced carders use this method. The way this is done is to
|
||
find a store that people always or almost always use credit cards.
|
||
It must also have a dumpster or trashcan where its garbage is
|
||
dumped that is out of plain sight. Wait for the store to close or
|
||
go when few people are around and search for ripped up carbons.
|
||
Then piece them together and you should get full or partial
|
||
information.
|
||
|
||
III. Slight of Hand
|
||
|
||
Another method which I myself often use is this trick on
|
||
ususpecting customers...If you work as a cashier at a store that
|
||
accepts credit cards you have an excellent opportunity to get card
|
||
numbers and full info. What you need to do is when someone comes in
|
||
and buys something via credit card, you wait for him/her to rip up
|
||
the carbon and throw it out, if he/she throws it out in the stores
|
||
trashcan, pick up the cardbon right away. Or sometimes the person
|
||
will not even ask for his/her carbon, although this is somewhat rare.
|
||
But I have even had someone leave their actuall credit card behind,
|
||
then I just copy the name and number down, and give it back.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 110 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
IV. Mailbox Searching
|
||
|
||
This is basically a very lame way to get credit cards due to the
|
||
danger and in order to get CCs this way you get the actuall card.
|
||
What you do is have a bunch of pointless flyers made up, and goto
|
||
a decent neighborhood away from your area of residence that has
|
||
homes with accesable mail boxes. Wear sunglasses and a baseball
|
||
hat if possible, although don't wear the shades on a cloudy day.
|
||
Do this during school time if possible so you are not seen. What
|
||
you do is go by each persons mail box and put a flyer in it (Which
|
||
in itself is illegal, but few people know this) and while you are
|
||
doing so search the mail for envelope from banks. If you happen
|
||
to find one from a bank slip it into your pile of flyers and sneak
|
||
off to open it. If it has a CC in it then you are in luck. Go
|
||
home and prepare to card, because you don't have much time until
|
||
the card will go bad probably. This method is not a very good one,
|
||
use only if you are desperate.
|
||
|
||
V. TRW
|
||
|
||
I will keep this short because this uses more hacking than
|
||
carding... But one method is to hack the local TRW system and you
|
||
can get full info on a card with name and number. What you do is
|
||
find a carbon with partial info some other way (Must be name and
|
||
number) and check TRW for it, then you will get full info.
|
||
Personnally, I never hacked TRW on my own although it can be done.
|
||
Also, you may know some big time hacker through bbsing,
|
||
have him hack TRW for you and get the info in exchange for carding
|
||
him something.
|
||
|
||
VI. Trading info
|
||
|
||
Another way to get credit card numbers is to just trade information
|
||
of some sort to someone who has a steady supply of credit cards.
|
||
Maybe this would be phreaking codes, or dialups, or maybe some
|
||
bank numbers, or even money I suppose(This would make you a lamer
|
||
in my book) . There are many people out there who have connections
|
||
you don't, and some may even give you the numbers and such for free.
|
||
|
||
VII. VMB's and Carding Subs
|
||
|
||
This is basically self explanitory. There are many Voice Mail
|
||
Boxes or VMBs that have cards with full info on them, and they are
|
||
not that hard to get the number to, just e-mail some people you
|
||
know, maybe they know of one. Just, once in a while put in a
|
||
valid card and then all will go well. Also many elite systems have
|
||
their own carding sub, there will be valid cards on these subs for
|
||
the taking. Don't be shy, although if the card number is really
|
||
old don't bother, you are just asking to get caught.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 111 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
VIII. Connections
|
||
|
||
Maybe you know someone who can do one of the above methods. Don't
|
||
be afraid to ask for his help. Maybe this person is a cashier that
|
||
can get you a steady supply of credit card numbers with names.
|
||
Then get those to someone who hacks TRW and then you will get the
|
||
full info on several cards and be able to take you pick and return
|
||
the favor to some VMBs you leeched card numbers off of...It all
|
||
works out very nicely...
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 112 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
THE BAUDY WORLD OF THE BYTE BANDIT: A POSTMODERNIST INTERPRETATION
|
||
OF THE COMPUTER UNDERGROUND
|
||
|
||
An earlier version of this paper was presented at the American
|
||
Society of Criminology annual meetings, Reno (November 9, 1989).
|
||
Authors are listed in alphabetical order. Address correspondence
|
||
to Jim Thomas. We are indebted to the numerous anonymous computer
|
||
underground participants who provided information. Special
|
||
acknowledgement goes to Hatchet Molly, Jedi, The Mentor,
|
||
Knight Lightning, and tran King.
|
||
|
||
ABSTRACT
|
||
|
||
The criminalization of "deviant acts" transforms social meanings
|
||
into legal ones. Yet, legal meanings are not necessarily social
|
||
meanings. The legitimacy of statutory social control generally
|
||
requires that one accept the realist textual readings of those
|
||
with the power to interpret and stigmatize behaviors as
|
||
inappropriate. "Moral crusades" that lead to definitions of
|
||
criminalized deviance tend to reduce the meanings of polysemic
|
||
acts to unidimensional ones that limit understanding of both the
|
||
nature of the acts and their broader relationship to the culture
|
||
in which they occur. This has occured with the criminalization of
|
||
computer phreaking and hacking. In this paper, we examine the
|
||
computer underground as a cultural, rather than a deviant,
|
||
phenomenon. Our data reveal the computer underground as an
|
||
invisible community with a complex and interconnected culture,
|
||
dependent for survival on information sharing, norms of
|
||
reciprocity, sophisticated socialization rituals, and an explicit
|
||
value system. We suggest that the dominant image of the computer
|
||
underground as one of criminal deviance results in a failure to
|
||
appreciate cultural meaning. We conclude by arguing that there
|
||
are characteristics of underground activity that embrace a
|
||
postmodernist rejection of conventional culture. Hackers are
|
||
"nothing more than high-tech street gangs" (Federal Prosecutor,
|
||
Chicago). Transgression is not immoral. Quite to the contrary, it
|
||
reconciles the law with what it forbids; it is the dialectical game
|
||
of good and evil (Baudrillard, 1987: 81). There ain't no sin
|
||
and there ain't no virtue. There's just stuff people do. It's
|
||
all part of the nice, but that's as far as any man got a right to
|
||
say (Steinbeck, 1939:31-32).
|
||
|
||
The criminalization of "deviant acts" transforms and reduces social
|
||
meanings to legal ones. Legal meanings are not necessarily social
|
||
meanings. Most deviancy research tends to reproduce conventional
|
||
social ideology and operative definitions of normality within its
|
||
concepts and theories. On occasion, these meanings represent a
|
||
form of "class politics" that protect the power and privilege of
|
||
one group from the challenge of another: Divorcing moral crusades
|
||
from status group competition while denying that cultures are
|
||
linked to social classes has undermined attempts to link lifestyle
|
||
|
||
- 113 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
politics to group struggles (Beisel, 1990: 45). Once a category of
|
||
behaviors has become defined by statute as sanctionably deviant,
|
||
the behaviors so-defined assume a new set of meanings that may obscure
|
||
ones possessed by those who engage in such behaviors. "Computer
|
||
deviants" provide one example of a criminalized type of "lifestyle
|
||
politics."
|
||
|
||
The proliferation of computer technology has been a accompanied by
|
||
the growth of a computer underground (CU), often mistakenly
|
||
labeled "hackers," that is perceived as criminally deviant by the
|
||
media, law enforcement officials, and researchers. Drawing from
|
||
ethnographic data, we offer a cultural rather than a
|
||
criminological analysis of the underground by suggesting that it
|
||
reflects an attempt to recast, re-appropriate, and reconstruct
|
||
the power-knowledge relationship that increasingly dominates the
|
||
ideology and actions of modern society. Our data reveal the
|
||
computer underground as an invisible community with a complex and
|
||
interconnected cultural lifestyle, an inchoate anti-authoritarian
|
||
political consciousness, and dependent on norms of reciprocity,
|
||
sophisticated socialization rituals, networks of information
|
||
shaand an explicit value system. We interpret the CU culture as
|
||
a challenge to and parody of conventional culture, as a playful
|
||
attempt to reject the seriousness of technocracy, and as an ironic
|
||
substitution of rational technological control of the present for
|
||
an anarchic and playful future. Stigmatizing the Computer Underground
|
||
The computer underground refers to persons engaged in one or more of
|
||
several activities, including pirating, anarchy, hacking, and
|
||
phreaking[1]. Because computer underground participants freely
|
||
share information and often are involved collectively in a single
|
||
incident, media definitions invoke the generalized metaphors of
|
||
"conspiracies" and "criminal rings," (e.g., Camper, 1989; Zablit,
|
||
1989), "modem macho" evil-doers (Bloombecker, 1988), moral bankruptcy
|
||
(Schwartz, 1988), "electronic trespassers" (Parker: 1983), "crazy
|
||
kids dedicated to making mischief" (Sandza, 1984: 17), "electronic
|
||
vandals" (Bequai: 1987), a new "threat" (Van, 1989), saboteurs
|
||
("Computer Sabateur," 1988), secret societies of criminals (WMAQ,
|
||
1990), and "high-tech street gangs" ("Hacker, 18," 1989). These
|
||
images have prompted calls for community and law enforcement vigilance
|
||
(Conly and McEwen, 1990: 2) and for application of the Racketeer
|
||
Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act to prosecute and
|
||
control the "criminals" (Cooley, 1984). These images fail to
|
||
distinguish underground "hobbyists," who may infringe on legal norms
|
||
but have no intention of pillaging, from felonious predators, who
|
||
use technology to loot[2]. Such terminology provides a common stock
|
||
ofknowledge that formats interpretations of CU activity in ways
|
||
pre-patterned as requiring social control to protect the common
|
||
weal (e.g., Altheide, 1985). As Hollinger and Lanza-Kaduce (1988:
|
||
119), Kane (1989), and Pfuhl (1987) observed, the stigmatization
|
||
of hackers has emerged primarily through value-laden nedia
|
||
|
||
- 114 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
depictions. When in 1990 a Cornell University graduate student
|
||
inadvertently infected an in ternational computer network by
|
||
planting a self-reproducing "virus," or "rogue program," the news
|
||
media followed the story with considerable detail about the dangers
|
||
of computer abuse (e.g., Allman, 1990; Winter, 1988). Five years
|
||
earlier, in May of 1983, a group of hackers known as "The 414's"
|
||
received equal media attention when they broke into the computer
|
||
system of the Sloan Kettering Cancer research center. Between
|
||
these dramatic and a typical events, the media have dramatized the
|
||
dangers of computer renegades, and media anecdotes presented
|
||
during Congressional legislative debates to curtail "computer
|
||
abuse" dramatized the "computer hacking problem" (Hollinger
|
||
and Lanza-Kaduce, 1988: 107). Although the accuracy and
|
||
objectivity of the evidence has since been challenged (Hollinger
|
||
and lnza-Kaduce 1988: 105), the media continue to format CU activity
|
||
by suggesting that any computer-related felony can be attributed to
|
||
hacking. Additionally, media stories are taken from the accounts of
|
||
police blotters, security personnel, and apprehended hackers, each of
|
||
whom have different perspectives and definitions. This creates a
|
||
self-rein-forcing imagery in which extreme examples and cursively
|
||
circulated data are discretely adduced to substantiate the claim of
|
||
criminality by those with a vested interest in creating and
|
||
maintaining such definitions. For example, Conly and McEwen (1990)
|
||
list examples of law enforcement jurisdictions in which special units
|
||
to fight "computer crime," very broadly defined, have been created.
|
||
These broad definitions serve to expand the scope of authority and
|
||
resources of the units. Nonetheless, despite criminalization, there
|
||
is little evidence to support the contention that computer hacking
|
||
has been sufficiently abusive or pervasive to warrant prosecution
|
||
(Michalowski and Pfuhl, forth-coming). As an antidote to the
|
||
conventional meanings of CU activity as simply one of deviance,
|
||
we shift the social meaning of CU behavior from one of stigma to
|
||
one of culture creation and meaning. Our work is tentative, in
|
||
part because of the lack of previous substantive literature and in
|
||
part because of the complexity of the data, which indicate a
|
||
multiplicity of subcultures within the CU. This paper examines
|
||
of two distinct CU subcultures, phreaks and hackers, and
|
||
challenges the Manichean view that hackers can be understood simply
|
||
as profaners of a sacred moral and economic order. The Computer
|
||
Underground and Postmodernism: The computer underground is a culture
|
||
of persons who call computer bulletin board systems (BBSs, or just
|
||
"boards"), and share the interests fostered by the BBS. In
|
||
conceptualizing the computer underground as a distinct culture,
|
||
we draw from Geertz's (1973: 5) definition of culture as a system
|
||
of meanings that give significance to shared behaviors that must
|
||
be interpreted from the perspective of those engaged in them. A
|
||
culture provides not only the "systems of standards for perceiving,
|
||
believing, evaluating, and acting" (Goodenough, 1981: 110), but
|
||
includes the rules and symbols of interpretation and discourse for
|
||
|
||
- 115 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
partici-pants: Incrude relief, culture can be understood as a set
|
||
of solutions devised by a group of people to meet specific problems
|
||
posed by situations they face in common. . . This notion of culture
|
||
as a living, historical product of group problem solving allows an
|
||
approach to cultural study that is applicable to any group, be it
|
||
a society, a neighborhood, a family, a dance band, or an
|
||
organization and its segments (Van Maanen and Barley, 1985: 33).
|
||
Creating and maintaining a culture requires continuous individual
|
||
or group processes of sustaining an identity through the coherence
|
||
gained by a consistent aesthetic point of view, a moral conception
|
||
of self, and a lifestyle that expresses those conceptions in one's
|
||
immediate existence and tastes (Bell, 1976: 36). These behavioral
|
||
expressions signify a variety of meanings, and as signifiers they
|
||
reflect a type of code that can be interpreted semiotically, or as
|
||
a sign system amenable to readings independent of either
|
||
participants or of those imposed by the super-or-dinate culture:
|
||
All aspects of culture possess a semiotic value, and the most
|
||
taken-for-granted phenomena can function as signs: as elements
|
||
in communication systems governed by semantic rules and codes
|
||
which are not themselves directly apprehended in experience.
|
||
These signs are, then, as opaque as the social relations which
|
||
produce them and which they re-present (Hebdige, 1982: 13). It is
|
||
this symbolic cultural ethos, by which we mean the style, world
|
||
view, and mood (Hebdige, 1979), that reflects the postmodernist
|
||
elements of the CU and separates it from modernism. Modernist
|
||
culture is characterized especially by rationality, technological
|
||
enhancement, deference to centralized control, and mass
|
||
communication. The emergence of computer technology has created
|
||
dramatic changes in social communication, economic transactions,
|
||
and information processing and sharing, while simultaneously
|
||
introducing new forms of surveillance, social control, and
|
||
intrusions on privacy (Marx, 1988a: 208-211; Marx and
|
||
Reichman, 1985). This has contributed to a: richly confused
|
||
and hugely verbal age, energized by a multitude of competing
|
||
discourses, the very proliferation and plasticity of which
|
||
increasingly deter mine what we defensively refer to as our
|
||
reality (New- man, 1985: 15). By Postmodernism we mean a reaction
|
||
against "cultural moder- nity" and a destruction of the constraints
|
||
of the present "maximum security society" (Marx, 1988b) that reflect
|
||
an attempt to gain control of an alternative future. In the CU world,
|
||
this constitutes a conscious resistance to the domination of but not
|
||
the fact of technological encroachment into all realms of our social
|
||
existence. The CU represents a reaction against modernism by
|
||
offering an ironic response to the primacy of a master technocratic
|
||
language, the incursion of computers into realms once considered
|
||
private, the politics of techno-society, and the sanctity of
|
||
established civil and state authority. Postmodernism is
|
||
characterized not so much by a single definition as by a number of
|
||
interrelated characteristics, including, but not limited to:
|
||
|
||
- 116 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
1. Dissent for dissent's sake (Lyotard, 1988).
|
||
2. The collapse of the hierarchical distinction
|
||
between mass and popular culture (Featherstone,
|
||
1988: 203).
|
||
3. A stylistic promiscuity favoring eclecticism and
|
||
the mixing of codes (Featherstone, 1988: 203).
|
||
4. Parody, pastiche, irony, playfulness and the
|
||
celebration of the surface "depthlessness" of
|
||
culture (Featherstone, 1988: 203).
|
||
5. The decline of the originality/genius of the
|
||
artistic producer and the assumption that art
|
||
can only be repetitious (Featherstone 1988: 203).
|
||
6. The stripping away of social and perceptual
|
||
coordinates that let one "know where one is"
|
||
(Latimer, 1984: 121).
|
||
7. A search for new ways to make the unpresentable
|
||
presentable, and break down the barriers that
|
||
keep the profane out of everyday life (Denzin,
|
||
1988: 471).
|
||
8. The introduction of new moves into old games or
|
||
inventing new games that are evaluated
|
||
pragmatically rather than from some uniform
|
||
stand point of "truth" or philosophical
|
||
discourse (Callinicos, 1985: 86).
|
||
9. Emphasis on the visual over the literary
|
||
(Lash, 1988: 314).
|
||
10. Devaluation of formalism and juxtaposition of
|
||
signifiers taken from the banalities of everyday
|
||
life (Lash, 1988: 314).
|
||
11. Contesting of rationalist and/or didactive views
|
||
of culture (Lash, 1988: 314).
|
||
12. Asking not what a cultural text means, but what
|
||
it does (Lash, 1988: 314).
|
||
13. Operation through the spectator's immersion, the
|
||
relatively unmediated investment of his/her
|
||
desire in the cultural object (Lash, 1988: 314).
|
||
14. Acknowledgement of the decenteredness of modern
|
||
life and "plays with the apparent emptiness of
|
||
modern life as well as the lack of coherence in
|
||
modern symbol systems" (Manning, 1989: 8).
|
||
|
||
"Post-Modernism" in its positive form constitutes an intellectual
|
||
attack upon the atomized, passive and indifferent mass culture
|
||
which, through the saturation of electronic technology, has
|
||
reached its zenith in Post-War American (Newman, 1985: 5). It is
|
||
this style of playful rebellion, irreverent subversion, and
|
||
juxtaposition of fantasy with high-tech reality that impels us to
|
||
interpret the computer underground as a postmodernist culture.
|
||
|
||
Data and Method: Obtaining data from any underground culture
|
||
requires tact. BBS operators protect the privacy of users and
|
||
access to elite boards, or at least to their relevant security
|
||
|
||
- 117 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
levels, virtually always requires completion of a preliminary
|
||
questionnaire, a screening process, and occasional voice
|
||
verification. Researchers generally do not themselves violate laws
|
||
or dominant norms, so they depend on their informants for
|
||
potentially "dirty information" (Thomas and Marquart, 1988). Our
|
||
own data are no exception and derive from several sources. First,
|
||
the bulk of our data come from computer bulletin board systems.
|
||
BBSs are personal computers (PCs) that have been equipped with a
|
||
telephone modem and special software that connects users to other
|
||
PCs by telephone. After "logging in" by supplying a valid user
|
||
name and password, the user can receive and leave messages to
|
||
other users of the system. These messages are rarely private and
|
||
anyone calling the BBS can freely read and respond to them. There
|
||
is usually the capacity to receive (download) or send (upload) text
|
||
files ("G-philes") or software programs between the caller and
|
||
host system. We logged the message section of CU BBSs to compile
|
||
documentary evidence of the issues deemed important for
|
||
discussion by participants. Logs are "captured" (recorded using
|
||
the computer buffer) messages left on the board by users.
|
||
Calculating the quantity of logged data is difficult because of
|
||
formatting variance, but we estimate that our logs exceed 10,000
|
||
printed pages. The logs cited here are verbatim with the
|
||
exception of minor editing changes in format and extreme
|
||
typographical errors. Identifying underground BBSs can be
|
||
difficult, and to the uninitiated they may appear to be licit
|
||
chat or shareware boards. For callers with sufficient access,
|
||
however, there exist back-stage realms in which "cracking"
|
||
information is exchanged and private text or software files
|
||
made available. With current technology, establishing a BBS
|
||
requires little initial skill. Most boards are short-lived and
|
||
serve only local or regional callers. Because of the generally
|
||
poor quality and amateur nature of these systems, we focused on
|
||
national elite boards. We considered a board "elite" if it met
|
||
all of the following characteristics: At least one quarter of the
|
||
users were registered out side the state of the board called; the
|
||
phone line were exclusively for BBS use and available 24 hours a
|
||
day; and the information and files, warez were current "state of
|
||
the field." Elite CU members argue that there are less than ten
|
||
"truly elite" p/hacker boards nationally. We obtained the names
|
||
and numbers of BBSs from the first boards we called, and used a
|
||
snowball technique to supplement the list. We obtained additional
|
||
numbers from CU periodicals,and, as we became more familiar with t
|
||
he culture, users also added to the list. Our aggregate data
|
||
include no less than 300 Bulletin board systems, of which at least
|
||
50 attract phreaks and hackers, and voice or on-line interviews with
|
||
no less than 45 sysops (operators of BBS systems) and other active
|
||
CU participants. A second data source included open-ended voice and
|
||
on-line interviews with hackers, phreaks and pirates. The data
|
||
include no less than 25 face-to-face, 25 telephone, and 60 on-line
|
||
interviews obtained as we became familiar with our informants. Third,
|
||
data acquisition included as much participation as legally possible in
|
||
|
||
- 118 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
CU activities[3]. This served to justify our presence in the culture
|
||
and provided information about the mundane activity of the CU.
|
||
Finally, we obtained back and current issues of the primary
|
||
underground computerized magazines, which are distributed on national
|
||
BBSs as text files. These contain information relevant to the
|
||
particular subculture, and included PHRACK, Activist Times
|
||
Incorporated (ATI), P/Hun, 2600 Magazine, PIRATE, TAP, Al.P.H.A
|
||
and Legion of Doom (LoD/H). We also draw data from national and
|
||
international electronic mail (e-mail) systems on which an active
|
||
information-sharing CU network has developed and spread. Assessing
|
||
the validity and reliability of data obtained in this manner
|
||
creates special problems. One is that of sampling. The number of
|
||
boards, their often ephemeral existence, and the problem of
|
||
obtaining access makes conventional sampling impossible. We
|
||
focused on national boards and engaged in theoretical sampling
|
||
(Glaser and Strauss, 1967: 45-77). We consider our sample
|
||
representative, and accept Bordieu's observation that: If,
|
||
following the canon dictated by orthodox methodology, you take a
|
||
random sample, you mutilate the very object you have set out to
|
||
construct. If, in a study of the field of lawyers, for instance,
|
||
you do not draw the President of the Supreme Court, or if, in an
|
||
inquiry into the French intellectual field of the 1950s, you
|
||
leave out Jean-Paul Sartre, or Princeton University in a study of
|
||
American academics, your field is destroyed, insofar as these
|
||
personas or institutions alone mark a crucial position--there are
|
||
positions in a field which command the whole structure (Bordieu,
|
||
interviewed in Wacquant, 1989: 38). We judge our sample of
|
||
participants adequate for several reasons. First, we presume
|
||
that the members with whom we have had contact comprise the elite
|
||
members of the culture, as determined by the nature of the boards
|
||
they were on, references to them on national boards, the level of
|
||
expertise displayed in their messages, and their appearance in the
|
||
"user lists" of elite boards. We consider the BBSs to be "typical
|
||
exemplars" because of their status in the
|
||
culture, because of the level of sophistication both of users and
|
||
of message content, and because of references to these boards as
|
||
"elite" in CU periodicals.
|
||
|
||
The computer underground is both a life style and a social
|
||
network. As a lifestyle, it provides identity and roles, an
|
||
operational ideology, and guides daily routine. As a social
|
||
net-work, it functions as a communications channel between
|
||
persons engaged in one of three basic activities: Hacking,
|
||
phreaking, and pirating[4]. Each subgroup possesses an explicit
|
||
style that includes an ethic and "code of honor," cohesive norms,
|
||
career paths, and other characteristics that typify a culture
|
||
(Meyer, 1989a, 1989b;; Meyer and Thomas, 1989). Hebdige (1982:
|
||
113-117) used the concept of homology to describe the structural
|
||
unity that binds participants and provides the "symbolic fit
|
||
between the values and life-styles of a group" and
|
||
|
||
- 119 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
how it expresses or reinforces its focal concerns. Homology refers
|
||
to the affinity and similarities members of a group share that
|
||
give it the particular cultural identity. These shared
|
||
alternative values and actions connect CU members to each other
|
||
and their culture, and create a celebration of "otherness" from
|
||
the broader culture. Hackers (Tune: "Put Another Nickel in")
|
||
Put another password in, Bomb it out, and try again, Try to get
|
||
past logging in, Were hacking, hacking, hacking. Try his first
|
||
wife's maiden name, This is more than just a game, It's real fun,
|
||
but just the same It's hacking, hacking, hacking. Sys-call, let's
|
||
try sys-call. Remember, that great bug from Version 3, Of R S X,
|
||
It's here! Whoopee! Put another sys-call in, Run those passwords
|
||
out and then, Dial back up, we're logging on, We're hacking,
|
||
hacking, hacking. (The Hacker Anthem, by Chesire Catalyst)
|
||
Hacking broadly refers to attempts to gain access to computers to
|
||
which one does not possess authorization. The term "hackers" first
|
||
came into use in the early 1960's when it was applied to a group
|
||
of pioneering computer aficionados at MIT (Levy, 1984). Through
|
||
the 1970s, a hacker was viewed as someone obsessed with
|
||
understanding and mastering computer systems (Levy 1984). But, in
|
||
the early 1980's, stimulated by the release of the movie
|
||
"War Games" and the much publicized arrest of a "hacker gang"
|
||
known as "The 414s", hackers were seen as young whiz-kids capable
|
||
of breaking into corporate and government computer systems
|
||
(Landreth 1985:34). The imprecise media definition and the lack
|
||
of any clear understanding of what it means to be a
|
||
hacker results in the mis-application of the label to all forms of
|
||
computer malfeasance. Despite the inter-relationship between
|
||
phreaks and hackers, the label of "hacker" is generally reserved
|
||
for those engaged in computer system trespassing. For CU
|
||
participants, hacking can mean either attempting to gain access
|
||
to a computer system, or the more refined goals of exploring in,
|
||
experimenting with, or testing a computer system. In the first
|
||
connotation, hacking re quires skills to obtain valid user
|
||
accounts on computer systems that would otherwise be unavailable,
|
||
and the term connotes the repetitive nature of break-in attempts.
|
||
Once successful entry is made, the illicit accounts are often
|
||
shared among associates and described as being "freshly (or
|
||
newly) hacked." The second connotation refers to someone
|
||
possessing the knowledge, ability, and desire to fully explore a
|
||
computer system. The elite hackers, the mere act of gaining entry
|
||
is not enough to warrant the "hacker" label; there must be a
|
||
desire to master and skill to use the system after access has
|
||
been achieved: It's Sunday night, and I'm in my room, deep into
|
||
a hack. My eyes are on the monitor, and my hands are on the
|
||
keyboard, but my mind is really on the operating system of a
|
||
super-minicomputer a thousand miles away - a super-mini with an
|
||
operating systems that does a good job of tracking users, and that
|
||
will show my activities in its user logs, unless I can outwit it
|
||
in the few hours before the Monday morning staff arrives for
|
||
work.....Eighteen hours ago, I managed to hack a pass-word for the
|
||
|
||
- 120 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
PDP 11/44. Now, I have only an hour or so left to alter the user
|
||
logs. If I don't the logs will lead the system operators to my
|
||
secret account, and the hours of work it took me to get this
|
||
account will be wasted (Landreth, 1985: 57-58). An elite hacker
|
||
must experiment with command structures and explore the many
|
||
files available in order to understand and effectively use the
|
||
system. This is sometimes called "hacking around" or simply
|
||
"hacking a system". This distinction is necessary because
|
||
not all trespassers are necessarily skilled at hacking out
|
||
passwords, and not all hackers retain interest in a system once
|
||
the challenge of gaining entry has been surmounted. Further,
|
||
passwords and accounts are often traded, allowing even an
|
||
unskilled intruder to erroneously claim the title of "hacker." Our
|
||
data indicate that, contrary to their media image, hackers avoid
|
||
deliberately destroying data or otherwise damaging the
|
||
system. Doing so would conflict with their instrumental goal of
|
||
blending in with the average user to conceal their presence and
|
||
prevent the deletion of the account. After spending what may be
|
||
a substantial amount of time obtaining a high access account,
|
||
the hacker places a high priority on not being discovered using
|
||
it, and hackers share considerable contempt for media stories
|
||
that portray them as "criminals." The leading CU periodicals
|
||
(e.g., PHRACK, PIRATE) and several CU "home boards" reprint and
|
||
disseminate media stories, adding ironic commentary. The
|
||
perception of media distortion also provides grist for message
|
||
sections: A1: I myself hate newspaper reporters who do stories on
|
||
hackers, piraters, phreaks, etc...because they always make us
|
||
sound like these incred. %sic% smart people (which isn't too
|
||
bad) who are the biggest threat to to-days community. Shit...the
|
||
BEST hackers/phreaks/etc will tell you that they only do it to
|
||
gain information on those systems, etc...(Freedom - That's what
|
||
they call it...right?) (grin) A2: Good point...never met a "real
|
||
p/h type yet who was into ripping off. To rip of a line from the
|
||
Steve Good-man song (loosely), the game's the thing. Even those
|
||
who allegedly fly the jolly rodger %pirates%, the true ones, don't
|
||
do it for the rip-off, but, like monopoly, to see if they can get
|
||
Boardwalk and Park Place without losing any railroads. Fun of the
|
||
latter is to start on a board with a single good game or util
|
||
%software utility% and see what it can be turned into, so I'm
|
||
told. Fuck the press (DS message log, 1989). One elite hacker,
|
||
a member of a loose-knit organization recently in the national
|
||
news when some participants were indicted for hacking, responded
|
||
to media distortions of the group by issueing an underground press
|
||
release: My name is %deleted%, but to the computer world, I am
|
||
%deleted%. I have been a member of the group known as Legion of
|
||
Doom since its creation, and admittedly I have not been the most
|
||
legitimate computer user around, but when people start hinting at
|
||
my supposed Communist-backed actions, and say that I am involved
|
||
in a world- wide conspiracy to destroy the nation's computer and/or
|
||
911 network, I have to speak up and hope that people will take
|
||
what I have to say seriously. . . . People just can't seem to grasp
|
||
|
||
- 121 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
the fact that a group of 20 year old kids just might know a little
|
||
more than they do, and rather than make good use of us, they
|
||
would rather just lock us away and keep on letting things pass
|
||
by them. I've said this before, you can't stop burglars
|
||
from robbing you when you leave the doors unlocked and merely bash
|
||
them in the head with baseball bats when they walk in. You need
|
||
to lock the door. But when you leave the doors open, but lock up
|
||
the people who can close them for you another burglar will just
|
||
walk right in ("EB," 1990). Although skirting the law, hackers
|
||
possess an explicit ethic and their primary goal is knowledge
|
||
acquisition. Levy (1984: 26-36) identifies six "planks" of the
|
||
original hacker ethic, and these continue to guide modern hackers:
|
||
1. First, access to computers should be unlimited and total:
|
||
"Always yield to the Hands-On Imperative!" 2. Second, all
|
||
information should be free. 3. Third, mistrust authority
|
||
and promote decentralization. 4. Fourth, hackers should be
|
||
judged by their prowess as hackers rather than by formal
|
||
organizational or other irrelevant criteria. 5. Fifth, one can
|
||
create art and beauty on a computer. 6. Finally, computers can
|
||
change lives for the better. PHRACK, recognized as the
|
||
"official" p/hacker newsletter, expanded on this creed with a
|
||
rationale that can be summarized in three principles ("Doctor
|
||
Crash," 1986). First, hackers reject the notion that "businesses"
|
||
are the only groups entitled to access and use of modern
|
||
technology. Second, hacking is a major Weapon in the fight
|
||
against encroaching computer technology. Finally, the high cost
|
||
of equipment is beyond the means of most hackers, which results in
|
||
the perception that hacking and phreaking are the only recourse to
|
||
spreading computer literacy to the masses: Hacking. It is a full
|
||
time hobby, taking countless hours per week to learn, experiment,
|
||
and execute the art of penetrating multi-user computers: Why do
|
||
hackers spend a good portion of their time hacking? Some might
|
||
say it is scientific curiosity, others that it is for mental
|
||
stimulation. But the true roots of hacker motives run much
|
||
deeper than that. In this file I will describe the underlying
|
||
motives of the aware hackers, make known the connections
|
||
between Hacking, Phreaking, Carding, & Anarchy, and make known
|
||
the "techno-revolution" which is laying seeds in the mind of
|
||
every hacker. . . .If you need a tutorial on how to perform any
|
||
of the above stated methods %of hacking%, please read a %PHRACK%
|
||
file on it. And whatever you do, continue the fight. Whether you
|
||
know it or not, if you are a hacker, you are a revolutionary.
|
||
Don't worry, you're on the right side ("Doctor Crash," 1986).
|
||
Computer software, such as auto-dialers popularized in the film
|
||
War Games, provides a means for inexperienced hackers to search
|
||
out other computers. Auto-dialers randomly dial numbers and save
|
||
the "hits" for manual testing later. Some users self-i-dentify has
|
||
hackers simply on the basis of successfully collecting computer
|
||
numbers or passwords, but these users are considered lamerz,"
|
||
because they do not possess sufficient knowledge to obtain access
|
||
or move about in the system once access is obtained. Lamerz are
|
||
|
||
- 122 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
readily identified by their message content: Sub ->numbers From ->
|
||
(#538) To ->all Date ->02/21/xx 06:10:00 PM: Does anyone know any
|
||
numbers for hotels, schools, businesses, etc..and passwords if you
|
||
do please leave a bulletin with the number and the password and/or
|
||
logon id. Sub ->phun From -> (#138) To ->all Date ->02/22/xx
|
||
12:21:00 AM Anyone out there got some good 800 dial up that are
|
||
fairly safe to hack? If so could ya leave me em in e-mail or post
|
||
em with the formats.....any help would%be apreciated......
|
||
thanx
|
||
|
||
Although hackers freely acknowledge that their activities may be
|
||
occasionally illegal, considerable emphasis is placed on limiting
|
||
violations only to those required to obtain access and learn a
|
||
system, and they display hostility toward those who transgress
|
||
beyond beyond these limits. Most experienced CU members are
|
||
suspicious of young novices who are often entranced with what they
|
||
perceive to be the "romance" of hacking. Elite hackers complain
|
||
continuously that novices are at an increased risk of apprehension
|
||
and also can "trash" accounts on which experienced hackers have gained
|
||
and hidden their access. Nonetheless, experienced hackers take pride
|
||
in their ethic of mentoring promising newcomers, both through their
|
||
BBSs and newsletters: As %my% reputation grew, answering such requests
|
||
[from novice hackers wanting help] became a matter of pride. No
|
||
matter how difficult the question happened to be, I would sit at
|
||
the terminal for five, ten, twenty hours at a time, until I had
|
||
the answer (Landreth, 1985: 16). The nation's top elite p/hacker
|
||
board was particularly nurturing of promising novices before it
|
||
voluntarily closed in early 1990, and its sysop's handle means
|
||
"teacher." PHRACK, begun in 1985, normally contained 10-12
|
||
educational articles (or "philes"), most of which provided
|
||
explicit sophisticated technical information about computer
|
||
networks and telecommunications systems[5]. Boundary
|
||
socialization occurs in message bases and newsletters that either
|
||
discourage such activity or provide guidelines for concealing
|
||
access once obtained: Welcome to the world of hacking! We, the
|
||
people who live outside of the normal rules, and have been scorned
|
||
and even arrested by those from the 'civilized world', are
|
||
becoming scarcer every day. This is due to the greater fear of
|
||
what a good hacker (skill wise, no moral judgements here) can do
|
||
nowadays, thus causing anti-hacker sentiment in the masses. Also,
|
||
few hackers seem to actually know about the computer systems they
|
||
hack, or what equipment they will run into on the front end, or
|
||
what they could do wrong on a system to alert the 'higher'
|
||
authorities who monitor the system. This article is intended to
|
||
tell you about some things not to do, even before you get on the
|
||
system. We will tell you about the new wave of front end security
|
||
devices that are beginning to be used on computers. We will attempt
|
||
to instill in you a second identity, to be brought up at time of
|
||
great need, to pull you out of trouble. (p/hacker newsletter, 1987).
|
||
Elite hacking requires highly sophisticated technical skills to enter
|
||
|
||
- 123 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
the maze of protective barriers, recognize the computer type, and move
|
||
about at the highest system levels. As a consequence, information
|
||
sharing becomes the sine qua non of the hacker culture. "Main
|
||
message" sections are generally open to all users, but only
|
||
general information, gossip, and casual commentary is posted.
|
||
Elite users, those with higher security privileges and access to
|
||
the "backstage" regions, share technical information and problems,
|
||
of which the following is typical:
|
||
|
||
89Mar11
|
||
From ***** ** * ***>
|
||
Help! Anyone familiar with a system that responds:
|
||
A2: SELECT : DISPLAY:
|
||
1=TRUNK,2=SXS;INPUT:3=TRUNK,4=SXS,5=DELETE;7=MSG <and
|
||
then it gives you a prompt> If you chose 1... ENTER
|
||
OLD#,(R=RETURN)
|
||
At this point I know you can enter 7 digits, the 8th
|
||
ill give you an INVALID ENTRY type message. Some num-
|
||
bers don't work however. (1,2,7,8 I know will) Anybody?
|
||
89Mar10
|
||
From *********>
|
||
I was hacking around on telenet (415 area code) and got
|
||
a few things that I am stuck-o on if ya can help, I'd
|
||
be greatly happy. First of all, I got one that is
|
||
called RCC PALO ALTO and I can't figure it out. Second
|
||
(and this looks pretty fun) is the ESPRIT COMMAIL and
|
||
I know that a user name is SYSTEM because it asked for
|
||
a password on ONLY that account (pretty obvious eh?) a
|
||
few primnet and geonet nodes and a bunch of TELENET
|
||
ASYYNC to 3270 SERVICE. It asks for TERMINAL TYPE, my
|
||
LU NUMBER and on numbers higher than 0 and lower that
|
||
22 it asks for a password. Is it an outdial? What are
|
||
some common passwords? then I got a sushi-primnet
|
||
system. And a dELUT system. And at 206174 there is
|
||
JUST a : prompt. help! (P/h message log, 1988).
|
||
|
||
Rebelliousness also permeates the hacker culture and is reflected
|
||
in actions, messages, and symbolic identities. Like other CU
|
||
participants, hackers employ handles (aliases) intended to display
|
||
an aspect of one's personality and interests, and a handle can
|
||
often reveal whether its owner is a "lamer" (an incompetent) or
|
||
sophisticated. Hackers take pride in their assumed names, and
|
||
one of the greatest taboos is to use the handle of an other or to
|
||
use multiple handles. Handles are borrowed liberally from the
|
||
anti-heros of science fiction, adventure fantasy, and heavy metal
|
||
rock lyrics, particularly among younger users, and from word plays
|
||
on technology, nihilism, and violence. The CU handle reflects a
|
||
stylistic identity heavily influenced by metaphors reflecting color
|
||
(especially red and black), supernatural power (e.g., "Ultimate
|
||
|
||
- 124 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Warrior, "Dragon Lord"), and chaos ("Death Stalker," "Black
|
||
Avenger"), or ironic twists on technology, fantasy, or symbols of
|
||
mass culture (e.g., Epeios, Phelix the Hack, Ellis Dea, Rambo
|
||
Pacifist, Hitch Hacker).
|
||
|
||
This anti-establishment ethos also provides an ideological unity
|
||
for collective action. Hackers have been known to use their
|
||
collective skills in retaliation for acts against the culture that
|
||
the perceive as unfair by, for example, changing credit data or
|
||
"revoking" driver's licenses (Sandza, 1984; "Yes, you Sound very
|
||
Sexy," 1989). Following a bust of a national hacker group, the
|
||
message section of the "home board" contained a lively
|
||
debate on the desireability of a retaliatory response, and the
|
||
moderates prevailed. Influenced especially by such science
|
||
fantasy as William Gibson's Neuromancer (1984), John Brunner's The
|
||
Shockwave Rider (1975), and cyber-punk, which is a fusion of
|
||
elements of electronic communication technology and the "punk"
|
||
subculture, the hacker ethic promotes resistance to the very forms
|
||
that create it. Suggestive of Frazer's (1922) The Golden Bough,
|
||
power is challenged and supplanted by rituals combining both
|
||
destruction and rejuvenation. From this emerges a shared ethos of
|
||
opposition against perceived Orwellian domination by an
|
||
information-controlling elite:(Hackers will) always be necessary,
|
||
especially in the technological oppression of the future. Just
|
||
imagine an information system that systematically filters out
|
||
certain obscene words. Then it will move on to phrases, and then
|
||
entire ideas will be replaced by computers! Anyway, there will
|
||
always be people tripping out on paper and trying to keep it to
|
||
themselves, and it's up to us to at least loosen their grasp (P.A.
|
||
Message Log 1988).
|
||
|
||
Another hacker summarized the near-anarchist ethic characterized
|
||
the CU style: Lookit, we're here as criminal hobbyists, peeping
|
||
toms, and looters. I am in it for the fun. Not providing the
|
||
public what it has a right to know, or keeping big brother in
|
||
check. I couldn't care less. I am sick of the old journalistic
|
||
hackers nonsense about or (oops! OUR) computerized ego...I make
|
||
no attempt to justify what I am doing. Because it doesn't matter.
|
||
As long as we live in this goddamn welfare state I might as well
|
||
have some fun taking what isn't mine, and I am better off than
|
||
those welfare-assholes who justify their stealing. At least I
|
||
am smart enough to know that the free lunch can't go on forever
|
||
(U.U. message log 1988).
|
||
|
||
In sum, the hacker style reflects well-defined goals, communication
|
||
networks, values, and an ethos of resistance to authority. Because
|
||
hacking requires a broader range of knowledge than does phreaking,
|
||
and because such knowledge can be acquired only through experience,
|
||
hackers tend to be both older and more knowledgeable than phreaks.
|
||
In addition, despite some overlap, the goals of the two are somewhat
|
||
dissimilar. As a consequence, each group constitutes a separate analytic
|
||
|
||
- 125 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
category. Phreaks. Running numbers is not only fun; it's a moral
|
||
imperative! (Phreak credo). Phreaking broadly refers to the
|
||
practice of using either technology or telephone credit card
|
||
numbers (called "codez") to avoid long distance charges.
|
||
Phreaking attained public visibilily with the revelation of the
|
||
exploits of John "Cap'n Crunch" Draper, the "father of phreaking"
|
||
(Rosenbaum, 1971). Although phreaking and hacking each require
|
||
different skills, phreaks and hackers tend to associate on same
|
||
boards. Unlike hackers, who attempt to master a computer system
|
||
and its command and security structure, phreaks struggle to
|
||
master telecom (tele-communications) technology: The phone system
|
||
is the most interesting, fascinating thing that I know of. There is
|
||
so much to know. Even phreaks have their own areas of knowledge.
|
||
There is so much to know that one phreak could know something
|
||
fairly important and the next phreak not. The next phreak might
|
||
know 10 things that the first phreak doesn't though. It all
|
||
depends upon where and how they get their info. I myself would
|
||
like to work for the telco, doing something interesting, like
|
||
programming a switch. Something that isn't slave labor bullshit.
|
||
Something that you enjoy, but have to take risks in order to
|
||
participate unless you are lucky enough to work for Bell/AT&T/any
|
||
telco. To have legal access to telco things, manuals, etc. would be
|
||
great (message log, 1988). Early phreaking methods involved
|
||
electro-mechanical devices that generated key tones or altered phone
|
||
line voltages to trick the mechanical switches of the phone company
|
||
into connecting calls without charging, but the advent of computerized
|
||
telephone-switching systems largely made these devices obsolete.
|
||
In order to continue their practice, phreaks have had to learn
|
||
hacking skills in order to obtain access to telephone company
|
||
computers and software.
|
||
|
||
Access to telecom information takes several forms, and the
|
||
possesion of numbers for "loops" and "bridges," while lying in a
|
||
grey area of law, further enhances the reputation and status of a
|
||
phreak. P/hackers can utilize "loop lines" to limit the number of
|
||
eavesdroppers on their conversations. Unlike bridges, which
|
||
connect an unlimited number of callers simultaneously, loops
|
||
are limited to just two people at a time[6]. A "bridge" is a
|
||
technical name for what is commonly known as a "chat line" or
|
||
"conference system." Bridges are familiar to the public as the
|
||
pay-per-minute group conversation systems advertised on late
|
||
night television. Many bridge systems are owned by large
|
||
corporations that maintain them for business use during the day.
|
||
While the numbers to these systems are not public knowledge, many
|
||
of them have been discovered by phreaks who then utilize the
|
||
systems at night. Phreaks are skilled at arranging for a
|
||
temporary, private bridge to be created via ATT's conference
|
||
calling facilities. This provides a helpful information sharing
|
||
technique among a self-selected group of phreak/hackers: Bridges
|
||
can be extremely useful means of distributing information as long
|
||
as the %phone% number is not known, and you don't have a
|
||
|
||
- 126 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
bunch of children online testing out their DTMF. The last great
|
||
discussion I participated with over a bridge occurred about 2
|
||
months ago on an AT&T Quorum where all we did was engineer
|
||
3/way %calls% and restrict ourselves to purely technical
|
||
information. We could have convinced the Quorum operators that we
|
||
were AT&T technicians had the need occurred. Don't let the kids
|
||
ruin all the fun and convenience of bridges. Lameness is one
|
||
thing, practicality is an other (DC, message log, 1988). Phreaks
|
||
recognize their precarious legal position, but see no other way to
|
||
"play the game:" Phreaking involves having the dedication to
|
||
commit yourself to learning as much about the phone system/
|
||
network as possible. Since most of this information is not made
|
||
public, phreaks have to resort to legally questionable means to
|
||
obtain the knowledge they want (TP2, message log, 1988). Little
|
||
sympathy exists among experienced phreaks for "teleco ripoff."
|
||
"Carding," or the use of fraudulent credit cards, is anathema to
|
||
phreaks, and not only violates the phreaking ethic, but is simply
|
||
not the goal of phreaking: Credit card fraud truly gives hacking
|
||
a bad name. Snooping around a VAX is just electronic voyeurism.
|
||
carding a new modem is just flat out blue-collar-crime. It's
|
||
just as bad as breaking into a house or kicking a puppy! %This
|
||
phreak% does everything he can (even up to turning off a number)
|
||
to get credit information taken off a BBS. %This phreak% also tries
|
||
to remove codes from BBSes. He doesn't see code abuse in the same
|
||
light as credit card fraud, (although the law does), but posted
|
||
codes are the quickest way to get your board busted, and your
|
||
computer confiscated. People should just find a local outdial to
|
||
wherever they want to call and use that. If you only make local
|
||
calls from an outdial, it will never die, you will keep out of
|
||
trouble, and everyone will be happy (PHRACK, 3(28): Phile 2).
|
||
Experienced phreaks become easily angered at novices and "lamerz"
|
||
who engage in fraud or are interested only in "leeching" (obtaining
|
||
something for nothing):
|
||
Sub ->Carding
|
||
From ->JB (#208)
|
||
To ->ALL
|
||
Date ->02/10/xx 02:22:00 PM
|
||
what do you people think about using a parents card number for
|
||
carding? For instance, if I had a friend order and receive via
|
||
next day air on my parents card, and receive it at my parents
|
||
house while we were on vacation. Do you think that would work?
|
||
Cuz then, all that we have to do is to leave the note, and have
|
||
the bud pick up the packages, and when the bill came for over
|
||
$1500, then we just say... 'Fuck you! We were on vacation! Look
|
||
at our airline tickets!' I hope it does... Its such a great plan!
|
||
|
||
Sub ->Reply to: Carding
|
||
From -> (xxx)
|
||
To -> X
|
||
Date ->02/11xx 03: 16:00 AM
|
||
|
||
- 127 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
NO IT'S NOT A GREAT IDEA! WHERE'S YOUR SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY TO
|
||
YOUR FAMILY? ARE THEY ALL IN AGREEMENT WITH YOU? WOULD YOU WANT
|
||
ANYONE TO USE YOUR PRIVATE STUFF IN ILLEGAL (AND IMMORAL)
|
||
ACTIVITIES WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE? DIDJA EVER HEAR ABOUT TRUST
|
||
BETWEEN FAMILY MEMBERS? IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A THIEF (AND THAT'S
|
||
NOT NEAT LIKE JAMES BOND IN THE MOVIES), TAKE THE RISKS ONLY UPON
|
||
YOURSELF!
|
||
|
||
Sub ->Carding
|
||
From -> (#208)
|
||
To -> (#47)
|
||
Date ->02/12/xx 11: 18:00 AM
|
||
Why not? We have a law that says that we have the right to refuse
|
||
payment to credit cards if there are fraudulent charges. All we
|
||
do and it is settled.... what is so bad about it? I'm going for
|
||
it!
|
||
|
||
Sub ->Reply to: Carding
|
||
From -> (xxx)
|
||
To ->J.B.
|
||
Date ->02/13/xx 02:08:00 AM
|
||
|
||
APPARENTLY YOU MISSED THE MAIN POINTS I TRIED TO MAKE TO YOU . .
|
||
YOU'RE A THIEF AND A LIAR, AND ARE BETRAYING THE TRUST OF YOUR
|
||
FAMILY AS WELL AS INVOLVING THEM IN YOUR RISK WITHOUT THEIR
|
||
KNOWLEDGE. THAT MEANS YOU ARE A FAIRLY SCUMMY INDIVIDUAL IF YOU
|
||
GO THROUGH WITH IT! NOW AS TO YOUR "DEFENCE" ABOUT $50 MAXIMUMS
|
||
AND ERRONEOUS BILLINGS.. LAW MAKES A CLEAR DISTINCTION
|
||
ABOUT THEFT BY FRAUD (OF WHICH YOU WOULD BE GUILTY). AND IN A
|
||
LARGER SENSE, YOUR THEFT JUST MAKES IT MORE COSTLY FOR YOU YOU
|
||
AND EVERYBODY ELSE TO GET CREDIT, AND DO BUSINESS WITH CREDIT
|
||
CARDS. YOU'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER YOU DO ANYWAY.....DON'T LOOK
|
||
FOR ANY APPROVAL IN THIS DIRECTION.
|
||
|
||
Ironically, experienced phreaks are not only offended by such
|
||
disregard of law, but also feel that "rip-off artists" have no
|
||
information to share and only increase the risk for the
|
||
"tech-no-junkies." Message boards reflect hostility toward
|
||
apprehended "lamerz" with such comments as "I hope they burn
|
||
him," or "the lamer probably narked %turned informant% to the
|
||
pheds %law enforcement agents%." Experienced phreaks also post
|
||
continual reminders that some actions, because of their illegality,
|
||
are simply unacceptable: It should be pointed out however, that
|
||
should any of you crack any WATS EXTENDER access codes and attempt
|
||
to use them, you are guilty of Theft of communications services
|
||
from the company who owns it, and Bell is very willing and able to
|
||
help nail you! WATS EXTENDERS can get you in every bit as much
|
||
trouble as a Blue Box should you be caught. Ex-phreaks,
|
||
especially those who are no longer defined by law as juveniles,
|
||
often attempt to caution younger phreaks from pursuing phreaking:
|
||
ZA1: One thing to consider, also, is that the phone co. knows where
|
||
the junction box is for all of the lines that you are messing with
|
||
|
||
- 128 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
and if they get enough complaints about the bills, they may start to
|
||
check things out (I hope your work is neat). I would guess that the
|
||
odds are probably against this from happening though, because when
|
||
each of the people call to complain, they'll probably get a different
|
||
person from the others. This means that someone at Ma Bell has to
|
||
notice that all of the complaints are coming from the same area...I
|
||
don't think anybody there really cares that much about their job
|
||
to really start noticing things like that. anyway, enjoy!!! My
|
||
guess is that you're under-age. Anyway, so if they catch you, they
|
||
won't do anything to you anyway. ZB1: Yeah I am a minor (17 years
|
||
old) I just hope that they don't cause I would like to not have a
|
||
criminal or juvenile record when I apply to college. Also if they
|
||
do come as I said in the other message if there are no wires they
|
||
can't prove shit. Also as I said I only hook up after 6 p.m. The
|
||
phone company doesn't service people after 6 p.m. Just recently
|
||
(today) I hooked up to an empty line. No wires were leading from
|
||
the two plugs to somebody house but I got a dial tone. How great.
|
||
Don't have to worry about billing somebody else. But I still have to
|
||
disconnect cause the phone bills should be coming to the other
|
||
people pretty soon. HEHEHEHE ZX1: Be cool on that, especially if
|
||
you're calling other boards. Easiest way for telecom security to
|
||
catch you is match the number called to the time called, call the
|
||
board, look at users log or messages for hints of identity,
|
||
then work from there. If you do it too much to a pirate board,
|
||
they can (and have successfully) pressured the sysop to reveal the
|
||
identity under threat of prosecution. They may or may not be able
|
||
to always trace it back, but remember: Yesterday's phreaks are
|
||
today's telecom security folk. AND: IT'S NOT COOL TO PHREAK TO
|
||
A PIRATE BOARD...draws attention to that board and
|
||
screws it up for everybody. So, be cool phreaking....there's
|
||
safer ways. ZC2: Be cool, Wormburger. They can use all sorts of
|
||
stuff for evidence. Here's what they'd do in Ill. If they
|
||
suspected you, they'd flag the phone lines, send somebody out
|
||
during the time you're on (or they suspect you're on) and nail you.
|
||
Don't want to squelch a budding phreak, but you're really
|
||
taking an unnecessary chance. Most of us have been doing stuff
|
||
for some time, and just don't want to see you get nailed for
|
||
something. There's some good boards with tips on how to phreak, and
|
||
if you want the numbers, let me know. We've survived to warn you
|
||
because we know the dangers. If you don't know what ESS is, best
|
||
do some quick research (P/h message log, 1988).
|
||
|
||
In sum, the attraction of phreaking and its attendant life-style
|
||
appear to center on three fundamental characteristics: The quest
|
||
for knowledge, the belief in a higher ideological purpose of
|
||
opposition to potentially dangerous technological control, and the
|
||
enjoyment of risk-taking. In a sense, CU participants consciously
|
||
create dissonance as a means of creating social meaning in what is
|
||
perceived as an increasingly meaningless world (Milo-vanovic and
|
||
Thomas, 1989). Together, phreaks and hackers have created an
|
||
|
||
- 129 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
overlapping culture that, whatever the legality, is seen by
|
||
participants as a legitimate enterprise in the new "tech-no-society."
|
||
|
||
Conclusion: The transition to an information-oriented society
|
||
dependent on computer technology brings with it new symbolic
|
||
metaphors and behaviors. Baudrillard (1987: 15) observed that our
|
||
private sphere now ceases to be the stage where the drama of
|
||
subjects at odds with their objects and with their image is played
|
||
out, and we no longer exist as playwrites or actors, but as
|
||
terminals of multiple networks. The public space of the social
|
||
arena is reduced to the private space of the computer desk,
|
||
which in turn creates a new semi-public, but restricted, public
|
||
realm to which dissonance seekers retreat. To participate in the
|
||
computer underground is to engage in what Baudrillard (1987: 15)
|
||
describes as private telematics, in which individuals, to extend
|
||
Baudrillard's fantasy metaphor, are transported from their mundane
|
||
computer system to the controls of a hypothetical machine, isolated
|
||
in a position of perfect sovereignty, at an infinite distance from
|
||
the original universe. There, identity is created through symbolic
|
||
strategies and collective beliefs (Bordieu, cited in Wacquant,
|
||
1989: 35). We have argued that the symbolic identity of the computer
|
||
underground creates a rich and diverse culture comprised of
|
||
justifications, highly specialized skills, information-sharing
|
||
net-works, norms, status hierarchies, language, and unifying
|
||
symbolic meanings. The stylistic elements of CU identity and
|
||
activity serve what Denzin (1988: 471) sees as the primary
|
||
characteristic of postmodern behavior, which is to make fun of
|
||
the past while keeping it alive and the search for new ways to
|
||
present the unpresentable in order to break down the barriers
|
||
that keep theprofane out of the everyday.
|
||
|
||
The risks entailed by acting on the fringes of legality and
|
||
substituting definitions of acceptable behavior with their own,
|
||
the playful parodying of mass culture, and the challenge to
|
||
authority constitute an exploration of the limits of techno-culture
|
||
hile resisting the legal meanings that would control such
|
||
actions. The celebration of anti-heros, re-enacted through forays
|
||
into the world of computer programs and software, reflects the
|
||
stylistic promiscuity, eclecticism and code-mixing that typifies
|
||
the postmodern experience (Featherstone, 1988: 202). Rather than
|
||
attempt to fit within modern culture and adapt to values and
|
||
definitions imposed on them, CU participants mediate it by mixing
|
||
art, science, and resistance to create a culture with an
|
||
alternative meaning both to the dominant one and to those that
|
||
observers would impose on them and on their enterprise. Pfuhl
|
||
(1987) cogently argued that criminalization of computer abuse tends
|
||
to polarize definitions of behavior. As a conseuence, To view the
|
||
CU as simply another form of deviance, or as little more than
|
||
"high-tech street gangs" obscures the ironic, mythic, and
|
||
subversive element, the Nieztschean "will to power," refleccted in
|
||
|
||
- 130 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
the attempt to master technology while challenging those forces
|
||
that control it. The "new society" spawned by computer technology
|
||
is in its infancy, and, as Sennet (1970: xvii) observed, the passage
|
||
of societies through adolescence to maturity requires acceptance of
|
||
disorder and painful dislocation.
|
||
|
||
Instead of embracing the dominant culture, the CU has created an
|
||
irreducible cultural alternative, one that cannot be understood
|
||
without locating its place within the dialectic of social change.
|
||
Especially in counter-cultures, as Hebdige (1983: 3) observes,
|
||
"objects are made to mean and mean again," often
|
||
ending: in the construction of a style, in a gesture of defiance or
|
||
contempt, in a smile or a sneer. It signals a Refusal. I would
|
||
like to think that this Reusal is worth making, that these
|
||
gestures have a meaning, that the smiles and the sneers have some
|
||
subversive value. . . (Hebdige, 1982: 3).
|
||
|
||
Footnotes
|
||
[1] Participants in the computer underground engage in considerable
|
||
word play that includes juxtaposition of letters. For example,
|
||
commonly used words beginning with "f" are customarily spelled
|
||
with a "ph." The CU spelling conventions are retained
|
||
throughout this paper.
|
||
|
||
[2] Conly and McEwen (1990: 3) classify "software piracy" in the
|
||
same category as theft of computers and trade secrets, and
|
||
grossly confuse both the concept and definition of computer
|
||
crime by conflating any illicit activity involving computers
|
||
under a definition so broad that embezzlement and bulletin
|
||
boards all fall within it. However, the label of "computer
|
||
criminal" should be reserved for those who manipulate
|
||
computerized records in order to defraud or damage, a point
|
||
implied by Bequai (1978: 4) and Parker (1983: 106).
|
||
[3] One author has been active in the computer underground
|
||
since 1984 and participated in Summercon-88 in St. Louis, a
|
||
national conference of elite hackers. The other began
|
||
researching p/hackers and pirates in 1988. Both authors
|
||
have had sysop experience with national CU boards. As do
|
||
virtually all CU participants, we used pseudonyms but, as we
|
||
became more fully immersed in the culture, our true identities
|
||
were sometimes revealed.
|
||
|
||
[4] Although we consider software pirates an integral part of the
|
||
computer underground, we have excluded them from this analysis
|
||
both for parsimony and because their actions are sufficiently
|
||
different to warrant separate analysis (Thomas and Meyer,
|
||
1990). We also have excluded anarchist boards, which tend to be
|
||
utilized by teenagers who use BBSs to exchange information
|
||
relating to social disruption, such as making homemade explosives,
|
||
sabotaging equipment, and other less dramatic pranks.
|
||
|
||
- 131 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
These boards are largely symbolic, and despite the name, are
|
||
devoid of political intent. However, our data suggest that many
|
||
hackers began their careers because of the anarchist influence.
|
||
|
||
[5] In January, 1990, the co-editor of the magazine was indicted
|
||
for allegedly "transporting" stolen property across state lines.
|
||
According to the Secret Service agent in charge of the case in
|
||
Atlanta (personal communication), theoffender was apprehended
|
||
for receiving copies of E911 ("enhanced" 911 emergency system)
|
||
documents by electronic mail, but added that there was no
|
||
evidence that those involved were motivated by, or received,
|
||
material gain.
|
||
|
||
[6] "Loop lines" are
|
||
telephone company test lines installed for two separate
|
||
telephone numbers that connect only to each other. Each end
|
||
has a separate phone number, and when each person calls one end,
|
||
they are connected to each other automatically. A loop consists
|
||
of "Dual Tone Multi-Frequency," which is the touch tone sounds
|
||
used to dial phone numbers. These test lines are discovered by
|
||
phreaks and hackers by programming their home computer to dial
|
||
numbers at random and "listen" for the distinctive tone that an
|
||
answering loop makes, by asking sympathetic telephone company
|
||
employees, or through inormation contained on internal company
|
||
computers.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 132 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Introduction to PBXs by < Grim Reaper >
|
||
|
||
his file is a personal continuation of the PBX entry in the MCI
|
||
telecommunications Glossary. A telephone exchange serving an
|
||
individual organization and having connections to a public
|
||
telephone exchange is called a Private Branch Exchange (PBX). The
|
||
PBX performs a switching function by connecting any extension in
|
||
the private organization to an outside line. A PBX is actually a
|
||
private switch that connects a group of telephones within an
|
||
individual organization. Calls placed outside this individual group
|
||
are connected to a telephone company's central office switch
|
||
through trunks. A PBX may be operated by an attendant from the
|
||
private organization or the switching system may be done
|
||
automatically. Other terms that are commonly used
|
||
interchangeably with PBX are: Private Automatic Branch Exchange
|
||
(PABX), Private Automatic Exchange (PAX), and Computerized Branch
|
||
Exchange (CBX). Although these terms were originally used to
|
||
identify specific switch structures, today they are often used as
|
||
synonyms.
|
||
|
||
PBXs can use any of three basic switching methods: step-by-step
|
||
(SxS), Cross-bar (X-bar), and computer controlled, to perform the
|
||
basic function of switching. However, in addition to detecting
|
||
calls and establishing a transmission link between two telephones,
|
||
PBXs can do much more.
|
||
|
||
The common control, often called a central processing unit (CPU),
|
||
controls the switching matrix that connects the stat ons and
|
||
trunks. The switching matrix of a PBX performs the same job as
|
||
does an operator at a manual switchboard or a common control
|
||
central office switch. The CPU, however, gets its instructions
|
||
from the "stored program", which contains directions for
|
||
activities, such as detecting calls, sending them over the best
|
||
available route, and recording billing information. These
|
||
computerized electronic switches are used to perform routine, as
|
||
well as unique, functions that simply weren't practical or even
|
||
possible with electromechanical switches.
|
||
|
||
Just as in the public switched network, PBX switches make
|
||
connection between instruments, or "key telephone sets". We're all
|
||
familiar with key telephone sets, whether we know them by name or
|
||
not. They're the business telephones that have six push-button
|
||
keys lined up below the dial--a red button marked "hold" and five
|
||
buttons or lines with flashing lights.
|
||
|
||
Systems with PBXs and key sets have a great deal of flexability
|
||
in planning for their needs because they can set up their codes to
|
||
accomplish the functions needed in their particular situations. In
|
||
fact, the PBX can be programmed so that each individual extension
|
||
within a system can take advantage of features applicable to its
|
||
own business needs.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 133 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Some of the features that are availiable with PBXs and key
|
||
systems are: call transfer, which allows internal or external
|
||
calls to be transferred from one telephone to any other phone in
|
||
the system; automatic push-button signaling, which indicates the
|
||
status of all phones in the system with display lights and buttons;
|
||
one-way voice paging, which can be answered by dialing the operator
|
||
from the nearest telephone in the system; camp-on, in which a call
|
||
made to a busy phone automatically waits until the line is idle;
|
||
and internal and external conference capabilities, which enables
|
||
outside callers to conference with several inside users.
|
||
|
||
Some features automatically handle incoming telephone calls.
|
||
Automatic call waiting not only holds calls made to a busy
|
||
extension until the extension is free, but also signals the person
|
||
being called that a call is waiting and informs the caller that he
|
||
is on hold. Automatic call forwarding will send calls to employees
|
||
who are temporarily in locations other than their offices, provided
|
||
they "inform" the PBX where they can be found. Automatic call
|
||
distribution automatically send an incoming call to the first
|
||
extension that's not busy--a useful feature for situations in which
|
||
any one of a group of persons in the organization can adequately
|
||
respond to incoming calls. Another example is automatic call back,
|
||
which allows a caller who reaches a busy line to ask the PBX to return
|
||
his or her call when the line is free.
|
||
|
||
Still other features provide services such as night telelphone
|
||
answering, telephone traffic monitoring, and network or hot-line
|
||
connection. These examples are but a sample from the features
|
||
possible with computerized PBXs. This is a very brief description
|
||
of how to use and what to expect on a PBX.
|
||
|
||
Basically, you call the PBX and you will have to enter a code that
|
||
can be anywhere from 4 to 6 digits (Note: some PBXs do not require
|
||
codes). Then you will hear a dial tone. From here you would under
|
||
normal circumstances dial: 9 + 1 (or 0) + NPA-PRE-SUFF, for long
|
||
distance dialing or dial 8 for local
|
||
dialing.
|
||
|
||
The most common use of the PBX is to call Alliance Teleconferencing,
|
||
a teleconference service offered by AT&T. To do this dial:
|
||
0700-456-1000,1002,1003,2000,2001,2002.
|
||
|
||
Note: PBX codes are usually very simple and usually 4 digits.
|
||
EX: 0000, 1111, 1234, etc
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 134 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
Introduction To Phreaking by Cat-Trax
|
||
|
||
[ Definitions ]
|
||
|
||
Phreak ["free"k] Verb-1. The act of "Phreaking" 2. The act of
|
||
making telephone calls without paying money [Slang]
|
||
|
||
Phreaker ["free"-k-er] Noun-1. One who engages in the act of
|
||
"Phreaking"
|
||
2. One who makes telephone calls without paying money
|
||
[Slang]
|
||
|
||
--------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
[ Introduction ]
|
||
|
||
Phreaking is a method used by most intelligent people {most
|
||
often those who use a computer and a Modulator-Demodulator
|
||
(MoDem)}. If you happen to resemble the major mass of people who
|
||
do not have the income to afford large phone bills then phreaking
|
||
is for you. If you live in an area with an Electronic Switching
|
||
System [ESS] then phreaking is something which should be done in
|
||
moderate amounts.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
[Switching Systems ]
|
||
|
||
Three types of switching systems are present in the United States
|
||
today:
|
||
|
||
[1] Step by Step
|
||
[2] Crossbar
|
||
[3] ESS {Electronic Switching System}
|
||
|
||
|
||
<] Step by Step [>
|
||
|
||
First switching system used in America, adopted in 1918 and until
|
||
1978 Bell had over 53% of all exchanges using Step by Step [SxS].
|
||
A long, and confusing train of switches is used for SxS switching.
|
||
|
||
[> Disadvantages <]
|
||
[A] The switch train may become jammed : Blocking call.
|
||
[B] No DTMF [Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency]["Touch-tone"].
|
||
[C] Much maintanance and much electricity.
|
||
[D] Everything is hardwired
|
||
|
||
+> Identification <+
|
||
[A] No pulsing digits ater dialing or DTMF.
|
||
[B] Phone Company sounds like many typewriters.
|
||
[C] No: Speed calling, Call forwarding, and other services.
|
||
[D] Pay-phone wants money first before dial-tone.
|
||
|
||
- 135 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
<] Crossbar [>
|
||
|
||
Crossbar has been Bell's primary switcher after 1960. Three types
|
||
of Crossbar switching exist: Number 1 Crossbar [1XB], Number 4
|
||
Crossbar [4XB], and Number 5 Crossbar [5XB]. A switching matrix is
|
||
used for all the phones in an area. When someone calls, the route is
|
||
determined and is met up with the othr phone. The matrix is set-up
|
||
in horizontal and vertical paths. There are no definite
|
||
distinguishing features of Crossbar switching.
|
||
|
||
|
||
<] ESS [>
|
||
|
||
You probably were hoping I wouldn't talk about this nightmare,
|
||
if you did you will know why everyone doesn't want to be reminded
|
||
about Bell's holocaust on America. With ESS Bell knows: every
|
||
digwho make excessive calls to WATS numbers [Wide Area Telephone
|
||
Service][1-800 numbers] or directory assistance. This deadly trap
|
||
is called "800 Exceptional Calling Report." ESS can be programmed
|
||
to print logs of who called certain numbers. Electronic Switching
|
||
System makes the job of the FBI, Bell Security {The Gestapo in
|
||
phreakin' tongue}, NSA, and other organizations which like to
|
||
invade our privacy, extremely easy! Tracing is done in
|
||
microseconds, and the results are printed out on the monitor of a
|
||
Gestapo officer. ESS can also pick up
|
||
foreign tones on the line, like 2600 Hz. {used in blue boxes,
|
||
discussed later}. Bell claims that the entire country will be
|
||
plagued by ESS by the 1990's!
|
||
|
||
+> Identification <+
|
||
[A] Dialing 911 for emergencies.
|
||
[B] Dial-tone first for pay-phones.
|
||
[C] Calling services, like: Call forwarding, Speed dialing,
|
||
Call waiting.
|
||
[D] ANI [Automatic Number Identification] for long-distance
|
||
calls.
|
||
|
||
|
||
[[[Note]]] Of the above identifications of the three switching
|
||
systems, do not solely rely on these descriptions, the best way to
|
||
find out is to [no!] call your local telephone company.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
[Long-Distance Services ]
|
||
|
||
To attempt to help the community {and for private business}
|
||
companies developed ways to lessen the costs of long-distance
|
||
calling charges. The companies own their own switching systems and
|
||
use extenders for callers to call. The way extenders operate:
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 136 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
1] Customer calls service
|
||
2] He/she hears a low tone which sounds like a dial-tone
|
||
3] She/He either dials the access code then the phone number, or
|
||
dials the phone number then the access code
|
||
4] Is connected to whatever he/she calls.
|
||
|
||
Aside from Ma Bells collection, the customer recieves a bill for
|
||
calls made with his/her long-distance company {a supposedly cheaper
|
||
bill than Ma Bell's}. Thought: Hey, I could randomly pick access
|
||
codes and use them to call whatever area the company services!
|
||
Righto, that's what basic phreaking is! A wise idea, though, is to
|
||
have many access codes and many service numbers to rotate
|
||
throughout your average life as a phreaker. To aid in your quest
|
||
to beat the system I have provided many 1-800 numbers which anyone
|
||
can call, aside from local numbers, such as Sprint, or MCI. The
|
||
reason for providing you with WATS numbers is because all of us
|
||
aren't in a big city where Sprint or MCI even exist, this way
|
||
everyone can pheak! A way to find more access codes is by using
|
||
your old modem. Yes, your modem can imitate
|
||
DTMF tones!
|
||
|
||
{>Procedure: 1) dial 1-800 + service number
|
||
2) dial access code->area code->phone number, or
|
||
3) dial area code->phone number->access code
|
||
|
||
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::\/
|
||
-=+>Cat-Trax' list of WATS [1-800] numbers:<+=-
|
||
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
|
||
Number---Code Length : Number---Code Length : Number---Code
|
||
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
|
||
127-6754 6 245-4890 4 327-6713 4
|
||
243-7650 6 328-7112 4 654-8494 6
|
||
327-9895 7 327-9136 4 227-3414 4
|
||
682-4000 6 343-1844 4 858-9000 3
|
||
462-6471 5 322-1415 6 521-1674 4
|
||
527-3511 8 321-0327 4 321-0845 6
|
||
843-0698 9 221-8190 4 543-7168 8
|
||
521-8400 8 327-2731 6 252-5879 8
|
||
345-0008 7 245-7508 5 526-5305 8
|
||
323-3027 6 242-1122 ? 621-1506 ?
|
||
621-4611 ? 325-3075 ? 336-6000 ?
|
||
221-1950 ? 323-8126 ? 325-7222 6
|
||
|
||
[[[Note]]] remember to dial 1-800-above number, also remember to
|
||
rotate numbers and access codes.
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 137 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
[ Colored Boxes ]
|
||
|
||
A more shrewd, technological, safer {without ESS} way to phreak is
|
||
with a piece of hardware known as a ________ Box. Boxes are many
|
||
different colors {I don't know ALL the colors because it seems like
|
||
every time I turn around there's some new color out!}. Colors I
|
||
have heard of: Blue, Black, Red, White, Silver, Clear, and MANY,
|
||
MANY more... Plans for making these boxes can be obtained by
|
||
calling different boards [BBS's], AE lines, or whatever. But!, if
|
||
you have an Apple Cat modem then do I have good news for ->you<-!!
|
||
The Apple Cat modem can emulate the frequencies {usually 2600 Hz.}
|
||
made by ________ Boxes with the help of a handy little program
|
||
called "Cat's Meow!"
|
||
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
::Warning!:: Phreak at your own risk! Stiff laws are starting to
|
||
pop-up now days. But, if you're careful then don't worry! I
|
||
haven't been busted yet! Heck [Hack!], what would life be without
|
||
risks?
|
||
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 138 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
SOME NOTES ON LINE NOISE by Captain KIdd
|
||
=================================================================
|
||
Well since that's my field let me elucidate abit.... Most of what
|
||
you refer to as line noise isn't really noise per-se on the line,
|
||
but uneven response to tones (and that's what we use in our
|
||
modems). This can be caused by any number of factors. If you call
|
||
up good old NONEX and tell them that you have "line noise" your
|
||
asking for a service bill and no remedy. You will find that the
|
||
average lineman they send out, has the IQ of his shoe size. Case in
|
||
point-the old number I used to run my bbs at. I had phantom rings
|
||
on the line, so did my neighbor across the street. When it was very
|
||
damp or had rained for a while (several days) the "line noise"
|
||
would appear, and cause me grief. Well,with the similar problem and
|
||
a moisture related one at that across the street, it seems like the
|
||
problem is out around the pole in front of my place. Well,after
|
||
three visits, and three phantom excuses for repairing it needless
|
||
to say I was pissed.(The CO will often blast the phone line with
|
||
what it calls cable test voltage. Its around 600 volts and will
|
||
vaporize the MOV surge protector in your modem or answering
|
||
machine) MOV= Metal Oxide Varistor for you non-techies. But it will
|
||
clear many of their "bad lines". Now one fine day, they finally send
|
||
out a guy from the "Cable department" and I talk to him, I explain
|
||
the past problems and suggest he check past my place and for some
|
||
reason during wet times, we have inter-cable leakage. He found a
|
||
spot down the street that had been zapped by lightning some time
|
||
before, and all the wire ends were charred and black. He showed me
|
||
a ball of burnt wire that could very well been the cause. Well it was,
|
||
as the problem is lessened about 95%. I say 95% because I still have
|
||
a bit of the same problem, possibly due to another charred spot or a
|
||
more recent lightning strike. But this problem seems to respond to
|
||
my calling my number and letting it ring for say a half hour, this
|
||
drys out the line enough that it stops acting screwy. Well on to the
|
||
noises that can be heard over the line that really do have influence
|
||
over transmission quality. The most prevalent is a crackling or a
|
||
dial tone drawn intermittently. (Listen to the line with a hi-z butset)
|
||
Ringing voltage is usually about 90 volts and20-30 hz, so there's
|
||
usually no problem in ringing the phone, but when you pick up, the
|
||
phone voltage drops to 30-50 volts and the smallest problem will
|
||
surface. The phone company has this habit of checking the line to
|
||
ground (it should never be connected in a regular home phone line)
|
||
and they will clear off water, insects, and other crap with a 600
|
||
volt blast as mentioned earlier. This applied across the line to
|
||
ground sure does away with the water, but in caes where spike
|
||
protection or impulse protection from lightning is present, WATCH
|
||
OUT! the MOV's are typically manufactured to short at around 130-
|
||
150 volts, and are connected to the third pin (Ground) of a three
|
||
wire plug on your answering machine, your cordless phone, and some
|
||
modems. The MOV will explode as it shorts itself to ground to do
|
||
its job of surge protection, leaving a short on the line which is
|
||
readily detectable by the CO. IF THIS HAPPENS, inform
|
||
|
||
- 139 -
|
||
|
||
|
||
them immediately that you have a problem, and they will make
|
||
restitution for repairs in CASH! I got $75 for repairing a $1.98
|
||
MOV (available at Radio Slack)
|
||
|
||
Now more on the noises....
|
||
==========================
|
||
After the infamous popping, the next most bothersome to the modemer
|
||
is a low level whine, muchlike some of the shitty MCI ports,sounding
|
||
like a jet engine varying in rpm, it is particularly evident behind
|
||
dialtone, and if you drop the dialtone, its still evident. This is
|
||
digital whine caused by some circuit in the path not exactly in phase.
|
||
This is particularly annoying because the digital equipment tries to
|
||
compensate by stuffing or removing bits from the digital path to attempt
|
||
phase lock, and thus, data is occasionally lost or garbled. I have two
|
||
lines at home that are heavily used and have this problem, its not
|
||
apparent to modem traffic until you hit 2400 baud, then the time
|
||
frame of the modem kinda gets jitters from the digital whine.
|
||
Lastly, of importance, is signal level. In analog, as the signal
|
||
goes down, the signal tends to corrupt on the lowest levels while
|
||
some will pass fine during peaks. If this is the problem, you see
|
||
multiple errors on x-modem, then good blocks.. this problem can have
|
||
numerous causes, fading of a microwave path, followed by a switching
|
||
of diversity receivers, bringing the signal backup to par temporarily.
|
||
Also in this category are bad amps at either the CO or in your own
|
||
equipment, that won't limit gain till noise actually takes the
|
||
place of the signal, This is a "slow attack" increase of noise
|
||
followed by a quick quieting as the redundant amp takes over (In
|
||
your CO).
|
||
|
||
Crosstalk:
|
||
----------
|
||
If you have ever picked up the phone and swore you could hear
|
||
someone else talking or in some cases, actually been able to talk
|
||
to the other party, you have been exposed to crosstalk. This
|
||
obviously will knock the shit outa a modem conversation due to the
|
||
fact the voice is mixing non-linearly with the data or in some
|
||
cases, overpowering the data signal itself. This is a fairly common
|
||
problem, common to analog FDM multiplex equipment. This equipment
|
||
tries to keep the conversations apart using SSB channels arranged
|
||
throughout a radio's baseband (IF) frequency. Because the channels
|
||
are without carrier which would enable the equipment to check
|
||
signal level, frequencies called "pilots" are inserted into the
|
||
clusters of channels allowing their levels to be monitored and
|
||
controlled.If there is a "Hot" pilot or a "Hot" channel in the group,
|
||
it will bleed over into the other channel's passband and crosstalk
|
||
will be heard. In the cases of two-way communications via crosstalk,
|
||
the group pilot is usually so hot, everybody in both directions is
|
||
splashing over and both directions are being heard. Basically the
|
||
solution to line noise problems is to know about them, and being
|
||
able to pinpoint the exact type of problem will make it easier for
|
||
the Telco to service it quickly.
|
||
|
||
|
||
- 140 - |