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==Phrack Inc.==
Volume Three, Issue 27, File 12 of 12
PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
PWN PWN
PWN P h r a c k W o r l d N e w s PWN
PWN ~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~ PWN
PWN Issue XXVII/Part 3 PWN
PWN PWN
PWN June 20, 1989 PWN
PWN PWN
PWN Created, Written, and Edited PWN
PWN by Knight Lightning PWN
PWN PWN
PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN PWN
One of Cliff Stoll's "Wily Hackers" Is Dead (Suicide?) June 5, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
According to West German publications, the "Wily Hacker" Karl Koch, of
Hannover, West Germany, died Friday, June 3, probably by suicide. His body was
found burnt (with gasoline) to death, in a forest near Celle (a West German
town near Hannover where he committed his hacks, as had been observed by German
Post).
Koch was one of the 2 hackers who confessed their role in the KGB hack to the
public prosecutors, therewith bringing the case to public attention. As German
newspapers report, he probably suffered from a psychic disease: He thought he
was permanently observed by alien beings named Illimunates' which tried to kill
him. Probably, he had internalized the role of "Captain Hagbard" (his
pseudonym in the hacking scene), taken from a U.S. book, who (like him)
suffered from supervision by the Illuminates. Police officials evidently think
that Koch committed suicide (though it is believed, that there are "some
circumstances" which may also support other theories; no precise information
about such moments are reported).
According to German police experts, Karl Koch's role in the KGB case as in
daily life can properly be understood when reading this unknown book.
Information Provided by Klaus Brunnstein
(University of Hamburg)
[Illuminates... KGB... whatever... -KL]
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Illuminatus! June 14, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The book in question is believed to be "Illuminatus!" by Harold Shea and Robert
Anton Wilson. The book is a spoof on conspiracy theories, and suggests that
many and probably all human institutions are just fronts for a small group of
"enlightened ones," who are themselves a front for the Time dwarves from
Reticuli Zeta, or perhaps Atlantean Adepts, remnants of Crowley's Golden Dawn,
or even more likely the Lloigor of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. A leading
character in this book is named Hagbard Celine.
"Illuminatus!" is a fun read if you like psychedelia and paranoia. It also
seems to have influenced a lot of subsequent work, most notably Adams'
"Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." It is easy to see how an unbalanced mind,
taking it literally, could be completely absorbed. In fact "Illuminatus!"
seems as if it was written with the intent of just this sort of programming,
referring to it as "Operation Mindfuck."
This is probably not a real danger for the vast majority of sane adults, but it
may, tragically, have been the case here. Or perhaps, no disrespect intended,
Koch may in the course of various hacks really have discovered too much about
the Illuminati. After all, they are supposed to be the secret power behind the
KGB :-)
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For more information on Clifford Stoll and the Wily Hackers of West Germany,
please see:
"Who Is Clifford Stoll?" (No Date) Phrack World News issue XXII/Part 1
"A Message From Clifford Stoll" (1/10/89) Phrack World News issue XXIII/Part 2
And the following articles all found in Phrack World News issue XXV/Part 2:
"German Hackers Break Into Los Alamos and NASA" (3/2/89)
"Computer Espionage: Three 'Wily Hackers' Arrested" (3/2/89)
"Computer Spy Ring Sold Top Secrets To Russia" (3/3/89)
"KGB Computer Break-Ins Alleged In West Germany" (3/3/89)
"News From The KGB/Wily Hackers" (3/7/89)
_______________________________________________________________________________
Sex Put On Probation By Mystery Hacker June 13, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ft. Lauderdale News and Sun-Sentinel
"Yes, you sound very sexy, but I really need a probation officer."
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. -- Callers trying to dial a probation office in Delray
Beach, Fla on Monday, June 12, heard a smorgasbord of sex talk from a panting
woman named Tina instead.
Southern Bell telephone officials said a computer hacker reprogrammed their
equipment over the weekend, routing overflow calls intended for the local
probation office to a New York-based phone sex line.
"People are calling the Department of Corrections and getting some kind of sex
palace," said Thomas Salgluff, a spokesman for the Palm Beach County probation
office.
Southern Bell officials said it was the first time their switching equipment has
been reprogrammed by an outside computer intruder. Southern Bell provides
local telephone service in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and South
Carolina.
"We're very alarmed," said Southern Bell spokesman Buck Passmore. He said such
a feat would require someone with considerable computer knowledge.
The implications of such a computer breach are considerable. Intercepting
corporate communications, uncovering unlisted phone numbers, and tampering with
billing information are all plausible consequences of computer security
breaches at the the phone company.
Hackers have invaded Southern Bell in the past, but they have never
reprogrammed a telephone link, Passmore said.
Security technicians from Southern Bell and AT&T are trying to trace the source
of the computer breach, Passmore said.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Hacking For A Competitive Edge May 12, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Taken from the Los Angeles Times
Two former Tampa, FLA TV news managers have been charged with illegally tapping
into phone lines and computers at another station to gain a news edge over
their competitors. Former new director Terry Cole and assistant news director
Michael Shapiro at WTSP-TV have been charged with 17 counts of computer hacking
and conspiracy in the theft of information from WTVT-TV through computer phone
lines, authorities said. Their arraignment was set for May 19.
If convicted, each could face a maximum prison sentence of 85 years. The two
were fired from WTSP when the station learned of the alleged thefts. The
break-ins began in November, 1988, but were not noticed until January 12, 1989,
when WTVT's morning news producer noticed that files were missing, authorities
said.
Computer experts determined that an intruder had rifled the files. Authorities
said Shapiro knew WTVT's security system thoroughly because he had helped set
it up while working there as an assignment manager before being hired away from
WTVT in October.
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TV News Executives Fired After Hacking Charges From Rival
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tampa, Fla. -- A Florida television station fired two news executives in the
wake of reports that one of them allegedly penetrated a rival station's
computer system and stole sensitive information.
WTSP-TV (Channel 10), an ABC affiliate in St. Petersburg, announced that it had
fired Assistant News Director Michael Shapiro and News Director Terry Cole.
Shapiro was arrested on February 7th on felony charges for allegedly breaking
into a computer system at WTVT-TV (Channel 13) on at least six occasions in
January. He was once employed by WTVT as an assistant manager and was
responsible for administering the station's computer systems.
Law enforcement officials seized from Shapiro's home a personal computer, 200
floppy disks and an operating manual and user guide for software used at the
rival station.
He has been charged with 14 felony counts under Florida Statute 815, which
covers computer-related crimes. Each count carries a maximum sentence sentence
of 15 years and a $10,000 fine.
Vince Barresi, WSTP's vice-president and general manager, refused to comment on
the two firings. However, in a prepared statement, he said that he told
viewers during an 11 PM newscast last Tuesday that the station acted to "avoid
any questions about the objective way we do our business in keeping the public
informed."
Cole, who hired Shapiro last September, has not been charged by Florida law
enforcement officials. He was fired, according to one source, because as
director of the news room operations, he is held ultimately for the actions of
news staffers. Shapiro and Cole were unavailable for comment.
[Another story that discussed this case was "Television Editor Charged In Raid
On Rival's Files" (February 8, 1989). It appeared in Phrack World News Issue
XXIV/Part 2. -KL]
_______________________________________________________________________________
National Crime Information Center Leads To Repeat False Arrest May 14, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
by James Rainey (Los Angeles Times)
Mix ups with the databases at the NCIC have caused Roberto Perales Hernandez to
be jailed twice in the last three years as a suspect in a 1985 Chicago
residential burglary. The authorities confused him with another Roberto
Hernandez due to a single entry in the FBI's National Crime Information Center
computer.
The two Roberto Hernandezes are the same height, about the same weight, have
brown hair, brown eyes, tattoos on their left arms, share the same birthday,
and report Social Security numbers which differ by only one digit!
The falsely imprisoned man has filed suit charging the Hawthorne, California
Police Department, Los Angeles County, and the state of California with false
imprisonment, infliction of emotional distress, and civil rights violations
stemming from the most recent arrest last year.
He had previously received a $7,000 settlement from the county for holding him
12 days in 1986 before realizing he was the wrong man. In the latest incident,
he was held for seven days then freed with no explanation.
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Another False Incarceration May 18, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In his testimony on May 18, 1989 to the Subcommittee on Civil and
Constitutional Rights of the Committee on the Judiciary of the U.S. House of
Representatives, relating to the National Crime Information Center, David D.
Redell cited another case of false incarceration concerning Roberto Perales
Hernandez as well as various cases noted earlier -- such as that of Terry Dean
Rogan [see below]:
"Only last week, a case in California demonstrated the potential
benefit of easy access to stored images. Joseph O. Robertson had
been arrested, extradited, charged, and sent to a state mental
facility for 17 months. During that entire time, mug shots and
fingerprints were already on file showing clearly that he was the
wrong man, but no one had taken the trouble to check them."
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These articles show clear examples of the damage and problems caused by this
"super" database. People like William Bayse (Federal Bureau of Investigation's
Director For Technical Services) and William Sessions (Director of the FBI)
either fail to realize this or perhaps they just do not care (as long as
something similar does not happen to them).
For those of you who are interested in looking into this further, the first
article about this NCIC database was; "'Big Brotherish' Data Base Assailed,"
(November 21, 1988). It appeared in Phrack World News Issue XXII/Part 3.
Another incident similar to the cases mentioned above concerned Richard
Lawrence Sklar, a political science professor at the University of California
at Los Angeles. He was mistaken by the computer for a fugitive wanted in a
real estate scam in Arizona. Before the FBI figured out that they had the
incorrect person, Sklar, age 58, spent two days being strip searched, herded
from one holding pen to another, and handcuffed to gang members and other
violent offenders. For more details on this case and the case concerning Terry
Dean Rogan, please refer to "FBI National Crime Information Center Data Bank,"
(February 13, 1989) which appeared in Phrack World News Issue XXIV/Part 2 (as
well as the Washington Post).
_______________________________________________________________________________
TRW and Social Security Administration May 12, 1989
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The credit bureau of TRW has been working with the Social Security
Administration to verify its database of 140 million names and Social Security
numbers. In order to cover the cost, TRW is paying the Social Security
Administration $1 million, while Social Security Administration will provide a
matching $1 million.
Since the Social Security Administration is asking for a budget increase for
their computer and telecommunications systems, several legislators are outraged
by the fact they they are spending $1 million for this non-government project.
Claiming that the project is "as far away from the mission of the Social
Security Administration as anything I have ever come across," Senator David
Pryor (D-Ark) questioned the competence and credibility of Social Security
Administration Commissioner Dorcas R. Hardy and asked for an investigation by
the HHS inspector general.
In addition, several lawmakers such as Dale Bumpers (D-Ark) believe the project
to be a violation of civil liberties. Said Bumpers, "I don't like any public
institution releasing an individual's private information." The American Law
Division of the Congressional Research Service has already concluded that the
project is a violation of the Privacy Act of 1974.
[A related article, "Verifying Social Security Numbers," (April 11, 1989)
appeared in Phrack World News Issue XXVI/Part 3 (as well as the New York Times
on the same date). -KL]
_______________________________________________________________________________
Phrack World News XXVII Quicknotes
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. The current name assigned to the new network being created by the merger
of BITNET and CSNET is ONENET.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. NPA 903 Assigned to NE Texas (May 10, 1989) -- It was just announced that
those portions of 214 outside Dallas will be changed to 903 in the Fall of
1990.
With 708 assigned to Chicago, 903 assigned to Texas, and 908 assigned to
New Jersey, only 909 and 917 remain to be assigned before the format
changes.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Details On New Area Code 510 (June 6, 1989) -- The press release from
Pacific Bell, quoted in the San Francisco Chronicle, gives the phase-in
dates for the new NPA 510.
Inception is scheduled for October 7, 1991, with a four-month grace period
when NPA 415 will still work for the affected numbers. Final cutover is
scheduled for January 27, 1992.
NPA 510 will encompass Alameda and Contra Costa counties, which currently
have 842,388 customers out of the current 2,005,687 customers in NPA 415.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. New Jersey Area Code To Be Split (April 27, 1989) -- The split is not
supposed to occur until 1991. The new NPA will be 908 and it will basically
cover the southern "half" of the current 201 area. The affected counties
will be Warren, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Union, Monmouth and Ocean, and the
southwest corner of Morris). Counties remaining in 201 will be Sussex,
Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and the majority of Morris.
New Jersey Bell will also start requiring area codes on calls into New York
and Pennsylvania that have been considered part of New Jersey local calling
areas. This will apparently take effect October 2 and free up about 25
exchanges. Information from the Asbury Park Press.
[This last line somewhat contradicts the first line as far as the
dates are concerned. More information as we get it. -- KL.]
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. New Area Codes For London (April 27, 1989) -- British Telecom has announced
that the area code for London is to be changed on May 6th, 1990, due to the
increased number of lines needed in the capital.
The existing code is 01-, and the new codes to be introduced are 071- for
the centre of the city and 081- for the suburbs. A list was published in
the Evening Standard, showing which exchanges will fall in which area.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Member Learns The Hard Way: American Express Is Watching (May 4, 1989) --
This article taken from the San Jose Mercury News describes how American
Express called a member to voice their concern that he might not be able to
pay his recent bill. American Express was able to access his checking
account and find that he had less than what was owed to them. His card was
temporarily "deactivated" after the member refused to give any financial
information except that he would pay up the bill with cash when it came in.
Apparently, the card application, in finer print, declares that "[American
Express reserves] the right to access accounts to ascertain whether you are
able to pay the balance." After some arguments with the company, the
member comments that "I learned a lesson: My life is not as private as I
thought."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Southwestern Bell's QuickSource (April 24, 1989) -- Southwestern Bell
Telephone Company is running a one year trial (March 1989 89 - March 1990)
of two information services: QuickSource (audiotex) and Sourceline
(videotext). The latter requires a terminal of some type, but the former
only requires a touch-tone phone for access. The QuickSource number is
323-2000, but cannot be accessed via 1+713+; SWBTCo has blocked access to
"the Houston metro area served by SWBTCo," according to the script the
woman reads to you when ask for help (713-865-5777; not blocked). The help
desk will send you a free QuickSource directory though.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Telemail, MCI, AT&T Mail Interconnection (May 16, 1989) -- U.S. Sprint's
subsidiary, Telenet has announced an interconnection agreement between
Telemail, Telenet's electronic mail product, MCI Mail, and AT&T Mail.
The new arrangement, scheduled to be in effect later this summer, will
allow the 300,000 worldwide users of Telemail, the 100,000 users of MCI
Mail and the 50,000 users of AT&T Mail to conveniently send email messages
to each other.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Illinois Bell Knocked Out For Four Hours! (May 18,1989) -- Service to over
40,000 Illinois Bell subscribers in the northwest suburbs of Chicago was
disrupted for about four hours because of problems with the computer in the
switching center.
Phones were either dead or inoperative for incoming and outgoing calls
between 9:30 a.m. and 1:40 p.m. because of a software glitch at the central
office in Hoffman Estates, IL. Most of the disruption occurred in Hoffman
Estates, Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Hanover Park, and Streamwood, IL.
The exact nature of the problem was not discussed by the Bell spokesman who
reported that the outage had been corrected. Apparently the backup system
which is supposed to kick in also failed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. SRI Attacked By Kamikaze Squirrels (May 29, 1989) -- It seems that the Data
Defense Network SRI's "no-single-point-of-failure" power system failed at
the hands, or rather the paws, of a squirrel. The power was off for
approximately 9 hours and they experienced no hardware problems. This was
at least the third time that a squirrel has done SRI in.
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11. New York Telephone Freebies (June 10, 1989)(San Francisco Chronicle, p. 2.)
-- 24 pay phones along the Long Island Expressway were in fact free phones
because of a programming/database screw-up. They were being heavily used
for long distance calls by those who had discovered the oversight,
including many to Pakistan (Police found 15 Pakistani men using the phones
when they went to investigate after a shooting). There were no estimates
on the unrecovered cost of the phone calls.
_______________________________________________________________________________
*** END ***