💾 Archived View for gemini.spam.works › mirrors › textfiles › magazines › CUD › cud0570.txt captured on 2022-06-12 at 10:52:35.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Computer underground Digest Wed Sep 8 1993 Volume 5 : Issue 70
ISSN 1004-042X
Editors: Jim Thomas and Gordon Meyer (TK0JUT2@NIU.BITNET)
Archivist: Brendan Kehoe
Shadow-Archivists: Dan Carosone / Paul Southworth
Ralph Sims / Jyrki Kuoppala
Ian Dickinson
Cookie Editor: Etaoin Shrdlu, III
CONTENTS, #5.70 (Sep 8 1993)
File 1--World Wide Web Newsletter Information
File 2--Big time hacker from the small town
File 3--Re: A Class Like None Other [revised]
File 4--Imaginary Government Reply to Jim Warren's Model Letter
File 5--'Zine Watch: CRYPT, GRAY AREAS and BOARDWATCH
File 6--Other BBSes Carrying CuD
File 7--Phrack now only available on the CuD shadow archives
File 8--EFF Position Opening--DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
File 9--Canadian Document Database
File 10--UK Privacy International Conference
File 11--CALIF E-ACCESS BILL (AB #1624) PASSES!!!
Cu-Digest is a weekly electronic journal/newsletter. Subscriptions are
available at no cost electronically from tk0jut2@mvs.cso.niu.edu. The
editors may be contacted by voice (815-753-0303), fax (815-753-6302)
or U.S. mail at: Jim Thomas, Department of Sociology, NIU, DeKalb, IL
60115.
Issues of CuD can also be found in the Usenet comp.society.cu-digest
news group; on CompuServe in DL0 and DL4 of the IBMBBS SIG, DL1 of
LAWSIG, and DL1 of TELECOM; on GEnie in the PF*NPC RT
libraries and in the VIRUS/SECURITY library; from America Online in
the PC Telecom forum under "computing newsletters;"
On Delphi in the General Discussion database of the Internet SIG;
on the PC-EXEC BBS at (414) 789-4210; and on: Rune Stone BBS (IIRG
WHQ) (203) 832-8441 NUP:Conspiracy; RIPCO BBS (312) 528-5020
CuD is also available via Fidonet File Request from 1:11/70; unlisted
nodes and points welcome.
EUROPE: from the ComNet in LUXEMBOURG BBS (++352) 466893;
In ITALY: Bits against the Empire BBS: +39-461-980493
ANONYMOUS FTP SITES:
UNITED STATES: ftp.eff.org (192.88.144.4) in /pub/cud
etext.archive.umich.edu (141.211.164.18) in /pub/CuD/cud
halcyon.com( 202.135.191.2) in /pub/mirror/cud
aql.gatech.edu (128.61.10.53) in /pub/eff/cud
AUSTRALIA: ftp.ee.mu.oz.au (128.250.77.2) in /pub/text/CuD.
EUROPE: nic.funet.fi in pub/doc/cud. (Finland)
ftp.warwick.ac.uk in pub/cud (United Kingdom)
COMPUTER UNDERGROUND DIGEST is an open forum dedicated to sharing
information among computerists and to the presentation and debate of
diverse views. CuD material may be reprinted for non-profit as long
as the source is cited. Authors hold a presumptive copyright, and
they should be contacted for reprint permission. It is assumed that
non-personal mail to the moderators may be reprinted unless otherwise
specified. Readers are encouraged to submit reasoned articles
relating to computer culture and communication. Articles are
preferred to short responses. Please avoid quoting previous posts
unless absolutely necessary.
DISCLAIMER: The views represented herein do not necessarily represent
the views of the moderators. Digest contributors assume all
responsibility for ensuring that articles submitted do not
violate copyright protections.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1993 19:13:48 +0000
From: wwwn@UKARTNET.DEMON.CO.UK
Subject: File 1--World Wide Web Newsletter Information
+++++++++++ ELECTRONIC PRESS RELEASE +++++++++++
SEPTEMBER 1 1993
The World Wide Web Newsletter brings you Desktop Global Networking
Now you can plug in to an endless world of people and information: the
fastest growing global event, with room and resources for everyone.
Al Gore dubbed it the "information superhighway" now everyone from
the President of the United States to the grungiest cyberpunk is out
there, roaming the highways. The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER is a unique
source of news, information, help, addresses and ideas from and about
the new global networks. If you want to know about the cyberspace
you need to read the World Wide Web Newsletter.
The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER is proud to introduce Desktop Global
Networking (DGN) for all. Anyone who has an interest in communication;
anyone who is thinking about utilising the power of desktop global
networking; anyone who should know what is happening out there; anyone
interested in the range of resources and products that make up the
World Wide Web has to read The World Wide Web Newsletter.
The World Wide Web is a metanetwork of interconnected computers, known
variously as the Internet, the Matrix and Cyberspace. The World Wide
Web Newsletter is your navigation system to the greatest free resource
and communication system in the history of the world.
The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER is designed with the non-specialist in
mind - you don't need a degree in computer networking to read us. We
aim to bring you clear, informative, helpful, exciting insights into
the most useful communication and information system that you will
ever use.
This World Wide Web the Internet, the Matrix, the Cyberspace is a
huge interconnected system of networked computers. It is estimated
that fifteen million people a day use the system and that the system
is growing at ten percent a month. The Web will change our lives. As
access to it becomes widespread, so knowledge of how it works, what is
in it, how to make use of it and what will happen next becomes of
prime importance to more and more of us.
The global network is so huge that newcomers and old hands alike find
it difficult to keep tabs on the needles in this haystack. The WORLD
WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER brings you the best of the global networks every
other month: News; Features; UK access information; network
multimedia; a-z of the Internet; Frequently Asked Questions; common
problems, common solutions; Reviews - books, software, hardware,
services and systems; non-Internet systems and how they connect; how
individuals use the global networks.
Resource and Listings sections will provide ready references to resources
on the Internet, from those you use everyday to the obscure depths that you
may never otherwise find.
The September/October issue of The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER
+ UK Networking: how to; where to; who to and a full listing of UK Internet
access providers.
+ Powermail The wonderful world of mailing lists: how to exploit the
power of e-mail.
+ Cello - Full featured Internet software for Windows reviewed by Neville
Wilford
+ Awesome Sites: Virtual Tourism the John S. Makulowich Column
+ NetNews latest news from the global networks
+ Off Internet Hardware and software developments outside and around the
Internet
+ Internet a-z: Astronautics How to become an astronaut and other
frequently asked questions
+ Plus information on software and hardware developments; resource lists;
publications; Internet Multimedia and much more.
If you don't read The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER, you'll never know what you
are missing - or who's missing you.
The WORLD WIDE WEB NEWSLETTER
Editor: Ivan Pope
ISSN 1350 - 2263
Individual issues 3 + 1 p&p
24 for 6 issues including postage in the UK and Europe.
42 (US$60) elsewhere including airmail postage
Payable to Art Computers
CIS: 100135,1673
ivan@ukartnet.demon.co.uk
IPope@well.sf.ca.us
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE EDITOR IVAN POPE ON
+44 81 533 0818
or
IVAN@UKARTNET.DEMON.CO.UK
or
FAX ON THE ABOVE NUMBER
Published by: Art Computers, 13 Brett Rd, London E8 1JP UK
Ivan Pope
Editor
ivan@ukartnet.demon.co.uk
The World Wide Web Newsletter +44 (0)81 533 0818
13 Brett Rd Fax: +44 (0)81 533 0818
London E8 1JP wwwn@ukartnet.demon.co.uk
UK
+++++++++++++
-
The World Wide Web Newsletter (WWWN). The WWWN is a monthly subscription
newsletter that covers the new global networks.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 31 Aug 1993 07:55:04 EST
From: Chip Seymour <CHIP@BDSO.CV.COM>
Subject: File 2--Big time hacker from the small town
This article appeared in "The Bolton Common" Vol. V, No.251 dated
Friday, August 27, 1993, after somehow being overlooked by the larger,
more prolific newspapers.
Let me set the scene. The town of Bolton (Massachusetts), population
4,000 (on a good day) strides Interstate 495 about 40 miles west of
Boston and 15 miles north of Worcester, and boasts one and one-half
traffic lights, two orchards, and three churches. Period.
The Common's 'Police News' column mentions that "At about 7:30
Saturday morning, August 14, police received a report of a peacock on
the loose at the intersection of Harvard Road and Main Street."
Mayberry, right? NOT!
"POLICE NAB OBSCENE CALLER" by Bill Latimer (reprinted without asking)
"A Bolton police and New England Telephone Company investigation of
threatening and obscene telephone calls to a Bolton family may have
uncovered a computer hacker network capable of wreaking havoc on New
England's power distribution system. Regardless of any wider
implications, says Police Chief Warren Wilson, the investigation has
put an end to the calls that terrorized a local family since July 21
and put its members in fear for their lives. Police believe a
13-year-old Gardner (Massachusetts) boy is responsible for the calls.
The police department has evidence of the youth's calls, evidence that
the US Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are
interested in examining, says Wilson.
"Bolton police have not charged the youth with any crime, Wilson said
at press time, because of the 'multi-jurisdictional aspects of the
case.' In addition to federal interest in the case, Acton and
Fitchburg (Mass.) police believe the youth terrorized victims in those
towns from his home using sophisticated computer equipment, says
Wilson. Bolton's reports are being forwarded to the Worcester County
district attorney's office.
"Wilson provided the Common with a broad outline of the investigation
and law enforcement agencies' suspicions. Bolton Officer Bill Blewett
began an investigation after a local family notified police on July 21
that they had received several obscene calls, some of which threatened
murder. With the help of New England Telephone, police installed a
phone trap on the victims' phone, which gave authorities the phone
numbers from which all calls to the victims originated. Several more
of the obscene, threatening calls -- sometimes with more than one
voice on the line -- were traced back to Mount Wachusett Community
College and Heywood Memorial Hospital, both in Gardner (Mass, about 20
miles west of Bolton). Because both have elaborate phone systems,
officials there could not say who might have made the calls.
Police then concentrated on the other phone numbers from which people
placed legitimate calls to the victims.
A Bolton number appeared frequently, often at about the same time as
the obscene calls, and Blewett went to that house to interview the
residents. Information gathered there in an interview with a young
Bolton resident --Wilson refused to be more specific -- led police to
the home of the Gardner youth.
"With a search warrant from Gardner District Court in hand, officers
went through the Gardner home and seized a computer 'with more power
than anything we've got at the station,' says Wilson.
"'The computer contains much evidence of illegal activity,' says
Wilson, 'including voice data, which we have listened to, constituting
harassing and obscene telephone calls.' One custom program in the
computer is named 'Harass.'
"The Gardner boy was allegedly a member of a nationwide computer
hackers' network, whose members can access the phone systems at large
institutions, such as the college and hospital, and charge thousands
of dollars worth of phone calls to the institutions. The seized
computer contains records of thousands of phone calls, says Wilson,
many of them one-minute or less. These are indicative of computer
hackers trying to gain access to other computer systems, Wilson says.
"The hackers' network may have had the capability 'to penetrate the
New England [electric] power structure,' Wilson says he learned when
the federal agencies became involved. 'The computer contents are being
held for analysis by the Secret Service at their request.' The Common
has learned from a source close to the case that the group may have
attempted to access the computer system at at least one nuclear power
plant in Massachusetts.
The victims, whom Wilson declined to identify, have expressed
'tremendous relief' that the caller has been identified. The dozens of
phone calls, some at 2 and 3 a.m., had shaken the family so badly that
they were about to hire special duty police officers to guard their
home at night. The 13-year-old suspect did not know his victims, says
Wilson. 'It was not a personal vendetta.'
"Wilson summed up the progress of the wider investigation: 'More to
come.'
And now, back to Mayberry.
"A domestic rabbit was found on Old Shirley Road on August 20. Anyone
missing a rabbit should call police ... "
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 28 Aug 1993 18:28:32
From: jmbell@DARMOK.WIN.NET(Jonathan Bell)
Subject: File 3--Re: A Class Like None Other [revised]
((MODERATORS' NOTE: For parsimony, we reproduce here only the first
and last two paragraphs of Johnathan Bell's paper, which summarize
his central themes. His points are well-argued, and the copious
footnotes should be of value to scholars. The entire paper can be
obtained from the CuD ftp archives. We recommend it)).
A CLASS LIKE NONE OTHER: HOW THE TRADITIONAL MEDIA CLASSIFICATIONS
FAIL TO PROTECT IN THE ELECTRONIC FRONTIER
by Jonathan Bell
August 4, 1993
Mass Communications Law and Ethics
Dwight Teeter - Summer 1993
Imagine the mass communications functions of publisher, distributor,
broadcaster, advertiser and utility rolled into one and you might find
that the beast before you is being operated out of your own home -- or
at least that of a friend or neighbor. The computer bulletin board
(BBS) offers a variety of services to its users: shopping, electronic
mail, public discussion of hot topics, free software, free advice,
news. All that may sound idealistic but it is here. The only thing
endangering BBS' and their system operators' (sysops') ability to run
them is a legal system unclear and uneducated about the First
Amendment held dearly by those who keep them going, whether they are
the users or the operators.
Exactly where BBS' stand in the legal structure has not been
definitively decided by anyone. Getting sysops to agree has yet to be
accomplished, users see things differently and lawyers and government
often have views widely divergent from the thoughts of the other two.
The simple fact that the proper status of bulletin boards has yet to
be answered reasonably opens up the dire need for a new media
classification system. No one sees eye to eye, and assurances that the
right thing will always be done do not work.
*************************
It may seem shocking for users today to learn that more than ever they
are responsible for what they write and what they distribute. The
ability to have your voice heard is unprecedented but so is the
capability to harm. The media lessons of copyright, privacy and
defamation still are being taught on the networks today. They will
continue as more people log on to the networks at hand, spreading
their personage electronically.
Education can answer many of the problems facing the electronic world
today. But no puzzles are solvable until computer information systems
and bulletin boards are granted the highest degree of First Amendment
rights and freedom from liability necessary to keep the waves of
public exchange coming throughout the future.
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 6 Sep 93 03:04 PDT
From: john@ZYGOT.ATI.COM(John Higdon)
Subject: File 4--Imaginary Government Reply to Jim Warren's Model Letter
((MODERATORS' NOTE: While we often share John's cynicism, which he
expresses satirically below, it appears that Jim Warren's idealism and
belief in collective action were *not* misplaced. A few minutes ago,
CuD learned that Jim Warren's (and others') efforts to pass the
California electronic access bill that would increase availability of
public documents to the public were rewarded. Warren's model letters
and other strategies were instrumental in today's final passage of the
legislation. See File #11, below)).
+++++++
Jim Warren presented a substantial argument in his "Model Letter" to
John Burton. But it is entirely based upon the premise that anyone in
the California state government gives two hoots or a holler about the
citizenry. Therefore I appoint myself official (tongue-in-cheek)
spokesperson for our state legislature and answer each of Mr. Warren's
arguments against the charging of fees for on-line access to state
documents. (My apologies for anything that seems true enough to be
mistaken for seriousness.)
Mr. Warren writes:
> I ask that you reconsider your demand for fees, for at least ten reasons:
>
> 1. BAD PRECEDENT -- FREE FOR OLD-FASHIONED PAPER VS. FEES FOR MODERN ACCESS
Mr. Warren, you obviously think that any of us here in Sacramento give
a damn about how much anything in government costs. The money comes out
of your pocket, not ours. We collect it from you in taxes. We even will
track you down after you retire in another state to make sure we get
our pound of flesh. I hope that answers your concern regarding costs.
> 2. CREATES TWO CLASSES OF PUBLIC ACCESS BASED ON WEALTH AND POSITION
Mr. Warren, where on earth have you been all of your life. Of course
people with money and position have the power. We have campaign
contributions to work off here. Actually, there are several issues at work.
Newspapers are our friends. They give us mindless, unquestioning access
to the public with our press hand-outs and print what we make
convenient. On the other hand, people who are too poor to pay fees for
on-line document access are probably radical trouble makers. We don't
need that kind of riff-raff examining what we do here in Sacramento.
> 3. YOU WOULD EXCLUDE SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, STUDENTS, LIBRARIES, HOMELESS, ETC.
Naturally. Students have always been a pain in our rear. Thankfully, as
a group, their voting record stinks. The last thing we want to do is
incite these children into recklessly exercising their rights. And for
heaven's sake, why on earth would we want a bunch of homeless bums to
know what is going on in Sacrmento? And the beard and glasses types
that frequent libraries--well, need I say more?
> 4. BUREAUCRACY AND FEES WOULD DETER MOST LOW-COST PUBLIC ACCESS
No shit Sherlock! Did someone lead you to think that we had some desire
to make our silly shenanigans public?
> 5. IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE; WOULD INCITE WIDESPREAD VIOLATION OF YOUR LAW
Did you ever consider that maybe money is not the issue here, but
rather denial of access? Give us some credit. But a nice bonus in
having fees built into the system is the fact that we know perfectly
well that people will ignore the law. This gives us carte blanche to
"round up all the usual suspects" should we decide that someone has
spoken the wrong thing at the wrong time. When we want to "put someone
away", it is most useful to have some trumped up charge. Not paying
fees is made to order.
> 6. A TECHNICAL NIGHTMARE -- WHO PAYS? HOW MUCH SURVEILLANCE OF USERS?
Mr. Warren, we KNOW that. In addition to the above, we are provided
with a great excuse to monitor and search and seize to our hearts'
content.
> 7. SUPPORT -- DON'T SUPPRESS -- DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH-TECH SMALL BUSINESS
Don't get us wrong--we support high-tech. But only in big corporations.
These garage operations, "loose cannons" if you will, scare the bloody
crap out of us. The idea that ordinary people can, unsupervised and in
private, create, develop, and manipulate data seen and read by other
ordinary people--using high-tech means, no less--strikes at the very
core of our benevolent purpose. That purpose is to protect you and
other citizens from unnecessary contact with data and devices that you
need not know anything about. We, and our corporate contributors--er, I
mean the corporations who are under our thumb--oops, rather the high
tech industry will handle everything and take care of you.
> 8. FREE LAND-FILL PAPER VS. FEES FOR RECYCLABLE ELECTRONS
Green stuff is only for serving our agenda. Do not try to use that
"green" nonsense on us. We invented the hype so we could raise your
taxes. We are pleased that it has been effective. But do not attempt to
con your government. We invented the practice.
> 9. PRECEDENTS FOR ELECTRONIC SPEECH, ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLY, ELECTRONIC PRESS
> I understand you plan to exclude subscription newspapers from your fee-for-
> fee mandate.
Mr. Warren, as I explained earlier, the mindless newspapers are our
friends. Your rabble-rousing "electronic publishers" say things we
don't like, and have a "readership" that we would just as soon not see the
material. Remember the key word "access". Access is something that all
of us in government would just as soon you and all the other bozo
constituents NOT have.
> 10. YOUR PRECEDENT FOR THE PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO PETITION THEIR GOVERNMENT
Hey, if we had our druthers, we would turn that off in a minute. All we
have between us and you clowns is a mountain of paperwork and
procedures. Are you seriously asking us to strip that away? You think
we WANT to hear from you between elections? Get real, son.
(End of comments as tongue-in-cheek government spokesperson.)
While the above may be pulling at the corners just a little, it is my
personal opinion that there is contained more truth than fiction. There
are two things to always remember about government bureaucrats: cost is
never an issue; and none wants you to know what really goes on in
government. After all, you pay the bill and what you don't know won't
hurt you.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 1993 17:41:21 CDT
From: CuD Moderators <cudigest@mindvox.phantom.com>
Subject: File 5--'Zine Watch: CRYPT, GRAY AREAS and BOARDWATCH
CRYPT NEWS LETTER
The Crypt Newsletter is an electronic document which delivers deft
satire, savage criticism and media analyses on topics of interest to
the editor and the computing public. The Crypt Newsletter also
reviews anti-virus and security software and republishes digested news
of note to users of such. The Crypt Newsletter ALSO supplies analysis
and complete source code to many computer viruses made expressly for
the newsletter. Source codes and DEBUG scripts of these viruses can
corrupt - quickly and irreversibly - the data on an IBM-compatible
microcomputer - particularly when handled imperfectly. Ownership of
The Crypt Newsletter can damage your reputation, making you unpopular
in heavily institutionalized settings, rigid bureaucracy or
environments where unsophisticated, self-important computer user
groups cohabit.
Files included in the latest issue (#17):
CRPTLT.R17 - this electronic document
TEST.PAK - Aristotle's PAK "device" bomb demonstrator
TREKWAR.ASM - TREKWAR source code
YB-X.ASM - YB/Dick Manitoba virus source code and analysis
CLUST.ASM - TridenT Cluster virus, advanced stealth example, and analysis
VECTOR.ASM - Kohntark's interrupt vector lister utility, in source code
YB-X.SCR - scriptfile for YB
TREKWAR.SCR - scriptfile for TREKWAR
CLUST.SCR - scriptfile for CLUSTER
VECTOR.SCR - scriptfile for Kohntark's vector lister
To obtain a subscription or more information, contact Urnst
Kouch at:
70743.1711@compuserve.com