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On the Essentials of Voice Mail Hacking
by the Kryptic Night
-S M C-
This file will describe several simple ways for hacking out
your own voice mail box. It is by no means a comprehensive
document on the subject, but rather, is meant to help those
beginning in the field. I myself have several voice mail boxes,
and have hacked on various systems. I will describe several of
the methods I have used, and try to explain the format for them.
An overview of several common commands:
# (Pound) - Used either to access the password prompt or a
dialing list.
* (Star) - This is either used to abort the current menu, or
to amplify the volume.
0 (Duh) - Used either to access the password prompt, or to chat
with our friend, the operator.
9 - This is occasionally used to hang up.
The First Step
Type of systems to look for
First of all you need a system to hack at. Unless you are a
pre-teenage new kid fan, answering machines usually aren't that
exciting.
Try to look for an 800 voice mail system. I know I don't like
having to pull out codes every time I want to call a VMB, only to
find that their is nothing there worth my while, and I'm sure
other people feel the same. This will not only provide yourself
with a free method for calling your box, but will also allow you
to call it from a payphone, and you can call it anytime, rather
than when you just have a code handy.
Another great advantage is using a system that is up for all
24 hours. This isn't a necessity, but is a great convenience. For
instance, imagine that you just gave out your number to someone
who be beneficial to your VMB as a good source of codes or
general info, but he has better things to do at night than call
VMB systems, with an afterhours VMB, you cut him off, is that what
you want? I'd hope not.
The Second Step
Finding out how many digits the boxes are
Ok, so you now have a system to play with. Let's see if the
system is worth your time, and find out the basics of it.
Now you have to try to ascertain how many digits the box numbers
are, this may take a while if it requires you to press a '#'
(pound) sign after the box number, as these systems usually do not
tell you whether you entered the correct amount of digits or not.
For now, I'd recommend you just ignore these, as they would
require extra work. Try entering any 3 digits, you will in most
cases get an 'incorrect box number' message if the system is only
a 3 digit system. However, if it just hangs, does nothing, then
the odds are it's a four digit system. Try typing 4 digits now,
and if you still get no message, then it's either one of two
things. One, you may need to press a '#' (pound) sign after the
number, or in some cases, before it. Or two, the system is longer
than 4 digits, in which case you should ignore it for now. Some
systems contain a built-in time delay that will tell you a message
if you haven't entered the correct box in a given time, these
should also be avoided for now, as they will say something even if
you only type one digit, or if you type 100 digits.
The Third Step
Finding where the boxes are located
Now comes a rather tedious chore, finding out where on the
system the boxes are located. Unless it is a professional voice
mail company, they will probably have under 100-200 mail boxes in
use at any one time. These boxes may be found on the system in any
of two forms, clumped or scattered. Clumped boxes are when their
are several boxes all in one area of the system. Usually this is
the only area on the system that boxes are located, but
occasionally some systems have scattered clumps all around the
system. Scattered boxes occur when the boxes seem to have no
apparent order for their location, these are more difficult to
find empty boxes on, but not impossible.
Now you need to start looking for the clumps (We will start
with these, as they are generally easier to locate). Start
searching from 100, for a three digit system, or 1000, for a 4
digit system. Increment your searching by 25-50 for a three digit
system, and 100-500 on a four digit system. This will undoubtedly
be inaccurate, but it will allow you a better chance of finding
the clumps than random guessing. You may get several messages
while looking for these, anything from 'Boxes cannot start with
an x' to 'Incorrect box number' Generally these should be self-
explanatory, and you should be able to figure out how to respond
on your own. You are looking for any box with a message in it, any
message. When you find a used box, mark down the number, and scan
around that box in increments of 5 or so. If you find any more,
mark down that location as a clump. Remember however, that if you
get an incorrect box number message, that doesn't mean that that
area isn't a clump, just that that box is empty. This will provide
added inaccuracy to the job, but it's a fact that can't be
overcome by anything other than monotonous scanning by 1.
Try to make this fun, invite your friends over, have a phone
party....they can be fun and profitable if you know what you are
looking for.
As for scattered boxes, I don't have much to say, they aren't
the easiest systems to play with, as you can't tell with any
certainty where on the system a box will be, and if it's a four
digit system, that's 10,000 possible boxes...Not an encouraging
number. If you are on a system with scattered boxes, just ignore
this section and read how to find empty boxes next.
The Fourth Step
The Miraculous Void
Once you've found the system, your real job has just begun.
You now need to find an empty box. Although it is possible to hack
out used boxes, this is usually undesirable, since used boxes tend
to have people who use them (makes sense doesn't it...I thought so
too) When some complaining customer calls and gets a message such
as "To call cosmos and fuck up the entire region, dial...blah blah
blah...remember to slaughter a cat for Halloween...", they will
most likely be a bit suspicious and will call the business
bitching about how they are so unprofessional, and that their
employees really should clean up their mouths...blah blah, you
know, the usual line of bullshit. If that doesn't happen, then the
person who owns the box will check it out, and if that happens,
you can be assured that the box won't last.
Now is the time to pull out that list of clumps you made.
Start searching around these boxes in increments of 1, yes one,
this may take a while...but if you've come this far...you
obviously have too much free time.
What you are looking for is any box that asks you to leave a
message at the tone, and doesn't play a prerecorded message to you
before that. These are relatively easy to recognize, and you
shouldn't have any problems with it. Just look for the anomaly.
The Fifth Step
On the Art of Hacking
This is where the excitement begins, or the agony ends. By
now you should have found an empty box or two. If you haven't,
start over again with a different system. There are several ways
to access the password prompt. Usually most systems tell you right
up front at the main menu how to do it, but since some do not,
I'll explain the most common ways that I know of.
The magical pound sign is the most common way of accessing
the password prompt. From the main menu you should press the #
sign, and then the box number. It will then ask for your security
password, or some other such inane jargon. The other common way of
accessing the prompt is to dial the box number, and press 0 while
the message is playing, or sometime after you dial the box number.
You will then be asked to enter your security password, or
whatever they choose to call it.
A security password is usually, but not always, the same
length as the box number. The most common default password for
voice mail systems is a string of zero's, 000 for three digit
systems and 0000 for four digit systems. Other common passwords
are: The box number, IE - box 2045 would have a password of 2045,
box of 0981 (four digit system) would have a password of 0981, and
a three digit system might have something like 521 for a box
number of 521, a string of some common digits, such as 1111,
2222, 3333, ainsi du suite, the year, or 1234. By no means are
these the only default passwords, but these are the ones I've
seen, and have heard about. You should be able to catch a
significant number of empty boxes with these.
The Sixth Step
You're in, now what
So you think you're cool, right? You've found a box or two
that you can get into. Well, congrats, from here on out everything
is cake. This section and following sections won't tell you too
much that you shouldn't be able to figure out with
experimentation, but I'm trying to be thorough...
You've gotten past the password, and are at a prompt that
asks you to 'send a message to another box' 'read new mail', or
what not. If their are messages in the box, you should read them
and pay attention to the date stamp if it's there. If the message
is only a day or so old, then you might want to make sure you have
other boxes to fall back on. Besides that, just enjoy the thrill
of listening to other people's private mail...I once got a message
from some guy's mistress...Funnier than hell. All the commands for
these options should be readily apparent, and told to you when you
get in.
To configure your system with your message, name, and
password you will need to enter the 'Setup menu' or whatever it is
called. Sometimes this function won't be told to you, but that's
not really a problem, their are only 12 digits to try. Most
systems default to an 8 or a 3. I'll assume you can find it on
your own...
You've gotten into the config menu by now, and you are
confronted with a multitude of options. First you should ALWAYS
change your password to something that you feel is unhackable,
your phone number is not a good choice. Next you should enter your
own personal message. Try to figure out if the message is time
limited to 30 seconds or a minute, a lot of systems do that. These
systems are usually only good for personal message boxes, and not
code lines. Next, change your name if the system allows you to do
that...I don't think you want to be called Edwina Lipshitz when
someone tries to leave you a message.
Their may be other functions, such as message forwarding,
call placements, group messages, message waiting status, etc.
Generally these should be ignored, unless you're adventurous and
willing to risk your box with something like having the system
call you when you get a message.
So, you've done everything, and set up a cool box, eh? Great,
now just for fun, go back to the main system menu, and try to
enter your box as a user would. Type to box number and listen to
your message, if it's satasfactory...You've done it, you now have
a brand new box you can tell your friends.
The Seventh Step
What to do with a VMB
Just for kicks, you might want to figure out what to do with
a VMB once you have it. I'll describe two of these options, their
are infinity more to the imaginative.
Code lines: These are quite possibly the best thing you can
ever have if you are interested in the underground scene. If it is
well advertised, and you post all the info you get, you will have
a popular box. With a popular box, you'll get a vast amount of
information that you wouldn't find on most boards, such as cosmos
dialups, telenet accounts, codes, and other such info. These type
of boxes can get you into trouble quite quickly if the gestapo
finds out about it, as they are a bit more annoyed with someone
who posts all their private information, over someone who just
asks to leave a message at the prompt. But when you live the life
you need to, the risks are not a factor.
Personal boxes are also great for several reasons. You can
post your VMB to people who need to get in touch with you, even
when they don't have a code. You can also use them in the fine
art of carding. When the salesperson asks for your phone number,
tell 'em something like "It's being fixed, but you can call my
voice mail system at XXX-XXX-XXXX." This will make them a lot less
suspicious then if you give them a bad phone number. Of course you
would want to change the box message to that of the person whose
card you used, but that's obvious.
The Eighth Step
How to keep your VMB safe and sound
Once you've gone through all the trouble of hacking out a
VMB, the last thing you want is for it to go bad the next week,
their is little in this more infuriating then spending a lot of
time getting a box, to find it go dead the next day.
Several ways to keep your box safe include...
NEVER hack out more than 1 or 2 boxes at ANY time. If you
need another VMB be kind to yourself, do it on another system.
Their have been too many busts of people who get greedy.
DON'T allow other people to hack on your system. Threats or
warnings will sometimes be effective, threaten them with things
such as ruining their credit ratings with TRW, sending a few
thousand dildo's to their mother, care of them, or whatever...be
imaginative. Or you can offer to hack out a box for them somewhere
else. This may seem like a bitch to do, but it's worth your time
if the person is an asshole.
DON'T post your VMB on lame systems, or on systems where
their are a large amount of people who dislike you. These idiots
usually have less of a life than you, and are not against spending
days trying to hack out your password. Since you probably can't
kill them upfront, just make sure they don't get your number.
The Conclusion
The Usual Bullshit
This file was researched are written by the Kryptic Night. It
was produced as the first in a series of quality SMC text files
released for the private public. In no way do I care whether you
get busted or not, and accept no responsibility for corrupting
your young minds. Thanx go out to the members of SMC, Scooter, and
everyone else who is interested in freedom of speech.
Information is the most powerful weapon one can possess
against the masses.
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