the baudy world of the byte bandit-a postmodernist interpreta.txt

1000 HOWTOs for various needs [WINDOWS]

 
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          edgeable than phreaks.   In addition, despite some overlap,  the
          goals of the two are somewhat dissimilar.  As a consequence, each
          group constitutes a separate analytic category.
          Phreaks.
               Running numbers is not only fun;  it's a moral impera-
               tive!  (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 visibili-
          ty 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-communica-
          tions) 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 fair-
               ly 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 par-
               ticipate 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
 
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          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 techni-
          cal name for what is commonly known  as a "chat line" or "confer-
          ence 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, pri-
          vate bridge to  be created via ATT's  conference calling facili-
          ties.   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  bunch of children online testing
               out their DTMF.   The last great discussion I partici-
               pated 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 in-
                                       - 26 -
 
 
               formation. 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  voyeu-
               rism. . .carding a new modem is just flat out blue-col-
               lar 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 in-
               formation 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.  Peo-
               ple 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
 
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               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 va-
               cation.  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
               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.
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               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 en-
          forcement agents}."  Experienced phreaks  also post continual re-
          minders that some actions, because of their illegality,  are sim-
          ply 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 and  if they get enough com-
               plaints 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 oth-
               ers.   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 peo-
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               ple after 6 p.m.   Just recently (today) I hooked up to