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The Phreaker's Glossary
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1XB - No.1 Crossbar system. See XBAR for more information.
2600 - A hack/phreak oriented newsletter that periodically was
released and still is being released. See Phile 1.6 for more information on
the magazine and ordering.
4XB - No.4 Crossbar system. See XBAR for more information.
5XB - No.5 Crossbar system. The primary end office switch of Bell
since the 60's and still in wide use. See XBAR for more detail.
700 Services - These services are reserved as an advanced forwarding
system, where the forwarding is advanced to a user-programed location which
could be changed by the user.
800 Exceptional Calling Report - System set up by ESS that will log
any caller that excessively dials 800 numbers or directory assistance. See
ESS for more information.
800 Services - Also known as WATS. These services often contain WATS
extenders which, when used with a code, may be used to call LD. Many LD
companies use these services because they are toll-free to customers. Most
800 extenders are considered dangerous because most have the ability to
trace.
900 Services - Numbers in the 900 SAC usually are used as special
services, such as TV polls and such. These usually are $.50 for the first
minute and $.35 for each additional minute. Dial (900)555-1212 to find out
what the 900 services currently have to offer.
950 - A nationwide access exchange in most areas. Many LD companies
have extenders located somewhere on this exchange; however, all services on
this exchange are considered dangerous due to the fact that they ALL have
the ability to trace. Most 950 services have crystal clear connections.
ACCS - Automated Calling Card Service. The typical 0+NPA+Nxx+xxxx
method of inputting calling cards and then you input the calling card via
touch tones. This would not be possible without ACTS.
ACD - Automatic Call Distributor.
ACD Testing Mode - Automatic Call Distributor Test Mode. This level of
phreaking can be obtained by pressing the "D" key down after calling DA.
This can only be done in areas that have the ACD. The ACD Testing Mode is
characterized by a pulsing dial tone. From here, you can get one side of a
loop by dialing 6, the other side is 7. You may also be able to REMOB a
line. All possibilities of the ACD Test have not been experimented with.
See silver box for more details.
ACTS - Automated Coin Toll Service. This is a computer system that
automates phortress fone service by listening for red box tones and takes
appropriate action. It is this service that is commonly heard saying, "Two
dollars please. Please deposit two dollars for the next three minutes."
Also, if you talk for more than three minutes and then hang up, ACTS will
call back and demand your money. ACTS is also responsible for ACCS.
Alliance - A teleconferencing system that is apart from AT&T which
allows the general public to access and use its conferencing equipment. The
equipment allows group conversations with members participating from
throughout the United States. The fone number to Alliance generally follows
the format of 0-700-456-x00x depending on the location the call originates
from and is not accessible direct by all cities/states.
AMA - Automated Message Accounting. Similar to the CAMA system; see
CAMA for more info.
analog - As used for a word or data transmission, a continuously
varying electrical signal in the shape of a wave.
ANI - Automatic Number Identification - This is the system you can
call, usually a three digit number or one in the 99xx's of your exchange,
and have the originating number you are calling from read to you by a
computer. This is useful if you don't know the number you are calling from,
for finding diverters, and when you are playing around with other fone
equipment like cans or beige boxes. The ANI system is often incorporated
into other fone companies such as Sprint and MCI in order to trace those
big bad phreaks that abuze codez.
ANIF - Automatic Number Identification Failure. When the ANI system of
a particular office fails.
APF - All PINs Fail. This is a security measure which is designed to
frustrate attempts at discovering valid PINs by a hacking method.
aqua box - A box designed to drain the voltage of the FBI lock-in-
trace/trap-trace so you can hang up your fone in an emergency and
phrustrate the Pheds some more. The apparatus is simple, just connect the
two middle wires of a phone wire and plug, which would be the red and green
wires if in the jack, to the cord of some electrical appliance; ie, light
bulb or radio. KEEP THE APPLIANCE OFF. Then, get one of those line
splitters that will let you hook two phone plugs into one jack. Plug the
end of the modified cord into one jack and your fone into the other. THE
APPLIANCE MUST BE OFF! Then, when the Pheds turn their lame tracer on and
you find that you can't hang up, remove your fone from the jack and turn
the appliance ON and keep it ON until you feel safe; it may be awhile. Then
turn it off, plug your fone back in, and start phreaking again. Invented
by: Captain Xerox and The Traveler.
BAUDOT - 45.5 baud. Also known as the Apple Cat Can.
BEF - Band Elimination Filter. A muting system that will mute the 2600
Hz tone which signals hang-up when you hang up.
beige box - An apparatus that is a home-made lineman's handset. It is
a regular fone that has clips where the red and green wires normally
connect to in a fone jack. These clips will attach to the rings and tips
found in many of MA's output devices. These are highly portable and VERY
useful when messing around with cans and other output devices the fone
company has around. Invented by: The Exterminator and The Terminal Man.
BITNET - Nationwide system for colleges and schools which accesses a
large base of education-oriented information. Access ports are always via
mainframe.
bit stream - Refers to a continuous series of bits, binary digits,
being transmitted on a transmission line.
black box - The infamous box that allows the calling party to not be
billed for the call placed. We won't go in depth right now, most plans can
be found on many phreak oriented BBS's. The telco can detect black boxes if
they suspect one on the line. Also, these will not work under ESS.
bleeper boxes - The United Kingdom's own version of the blue box,
modified to work with the UK's fone system. Based on the same principles.
However, they use two sets of frequencies, foreword and backwards.
Blotto box - This box supposedly shorts every fone out in the
immediate area, and I don't doubt it. It should kill every fone in the
immediate area, until the voltage reaches the fone company, and the fone
company filters it. I won't cover this one in this issue, cuz it is
dangerous, and phreaks shouldn't destroy MA's equipment, just phuck it up.
Look for this on your phavorite BBS or ask your phavorite phreak for info
if you really are serious about seriously phucking some fones in some area.
blue box - An old piece of equipment that emulated a true operator
placing calls, and operators get calls for free. The blue box seizes an
open trunk by blasting a 2600 Hz tone through the line after dialing a
party that is local or in the 800 NPA so calls will be local or free for
the blue boxer. Then, when the blue boxer has seized a trunk, the boxer may
then, within the next 10-15 seconds, dial another fone number via MF tones.
These MF tones must be preceded by a KP tone and followed with a ST tone.
All of these tones are standardized by Bell. The tones as well as the inter-
digit intervals are around 75ms. It may vary with the equipment used since
ESS can handle higher speeds and doesn't need inter-digit intervals. There
are many uses to a blue box, and we will not cover any more here. See your
local phreak or phreak oriented BBS for in depth info concerning blue boxes
and blue boxing. Incidentally, blue boxes are not considered safe anymore
because ESS detects "foreign" tones, such as the 2600 Hz tone, but this
detection may be delayed by mixing pink noise of above 3000 Hz with the
2600 Hz tone. To hang up, the 2600 Hz tone is played again. Also, all blue
boxes are green boxes because MF "2" corresponds to the Coin Collect tone
on the green box, and the "KP" tone corresponds to the Coin Return tone on
the green box. See green box for more information. Blue boxing is
IMPOSSIBLE under the new CCIS system slowly being integrated into the Bell
system.
blue box tones - The MF tones generated by the blue box in order to
place calls, emulating a true operator. These dual tones must be entered
during the 10-15 second period after you have seized a trunk with the 2600
Hz tone.
700: 1 : 2 : 4 : 7 : 11 : KP= Key Pulse
Parallel Frequencies 900: ** : 3 : 5 : 8 : 12 : ST= STop
2= Coin Collect 1100: ** : ** : 6 : 9 : KP : KP2= Key Pulse 2
KP= Coin Return 1300: ** : ** : ** : 10 :KP2 : **= None
(green box tones) 1500: ** : ** : ** : ** : ST :
: 900:1100:1300:1500:1700: 75ms pulse/pause
BLV - Busy Line Verification. Allows a TSPS operator to process a
customer's request for a confirmation of a repeatedly busy line. This
service is used in conjunction with emergency break-ins.
BNS - Billed Number Screening.
break period - Time when the circuit during pulse dialing is left
open. In the US, this period is 40ms; foreign nations may use 33ms break
periods.
break ratio - The interval pulse dialing breaks and makes the loop
when dialing. The US standard is 10 pulses per second. When the circuit is
opened, it is called the break interval. When the circuit is closed, it is
called the make interval. In the US, there is a 60ms make period and a 40ms
break period. This is often referred to as a 60% make interval. Many
foreign nations have a 67% make interval.
bridge - I don't really understand this one, but these are important
phreak toys. I'll cover them more in the next issue of TPH.
British Post Office - The United Kingdom's equivalent to Ma Bell.
busy box - Box that will cause the fone to be busy, without taking it
OFF-HOOK. Just get a piece of fone wire with a plug on the end, cut it off
so there is a plug and about two inches of fone line. Then, strip the wire
so the two middle wires, the tip and the ring, are exposed. Then, wrap the
ring and the tip together, tape with electrical tape, and plug into the
fone jack. The fone will be busy until the box is removed.
cans - Cans are those big silver boxes on top of or around the
telephone poles. When opened, the lines can be manipulated with a beige box
or whatever phun you have in mind.
calling card - Another form of the LD service used by many major LD
companies that composes of the customers fone number and a PIN number. The
most important thing to know when questioned about calling cards are the
area code and the city where the calling card customer originated from.
CAMA - Centralized Automatic Message Accounting. System that records
the numbers called by fones and other LD systems. The recording can be used
as evidence in court.
CC - Calling Card.
CC - Credit Card.
CCIS - Common Channel Inter-office Signaling. New method being
incorporated under Bell that will send all the signaling information over
separate data lines. Blue boxing is IMPOSSIBLE under this system.
CCITT - The initials of the name in French of the International
Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee. At CCITT representatives of
telecommunications authorities, operators of public networks and other
interested bodies meet to agree on standards needed for international
intermarrying of telecommunications services.
CCS - Calling Card Service.
CCSS - Common Channel Signalling System. A system whereby all
signalling for a number of voice paths are carried over one common channel,
instead of within each individual channel.
CDA - Coin Detection and Announcement.
CF - Coin First. A type of fortress fone that wants your money before
you receive a dial tone.
Channel - A means of one-way transmission or a UCA path for electrical
transmission between two or more points without common carrier, provided
terminal equipment. Also called a circuit, line, link, path, or facility.
cheese box - Another type of box which, when coupled with call
forwarding services, will allow one to place free fone calls. The safety of
this box is unknown. See references for information concerning text philes
on this box.
clear box - Piece of equipment that compromises of a telephone pickup
coil and a small amp. This works on the principal that all receivers are
also weak transmitters. So, you amplify your signal on PP fortress fones
and spare yourself some change.
CN/A - Customer Name And Address. Systems where authorized Bell
employees can find out the name and address of any customer in the Bell
System. All fone numbers are listed on file, including unlisted numbers.
Some CN/A services ask for ID#'s when you make a request. To use, call the
CN/A office during normal business hours, and say that you are so and so
from a certain business or office, related to customers or something like
that, and you need the customer's name and address at (NPA)Nxx-xxxx. That
should work. The operators to these services usually know more than DA
operators do and are also susceptible to "social engineering." It is
possible to bullshit a CN/A operator for the NON PUB DA number and policy
changes in the CN/A system.
CO Code - Central Office code which is also the Nxx code. See Nxx for
more details. Sometimes known as the local end office.
conference calls - To have multiple lines inter-connected in order to
have many people talking in the same conversation on the fone at once. See
Alliance and switch crashing for more information.
credit operator - Same as TSPS operator. The operator you get when you
dial "0" on your fone and phortress fones. See TSPS for more information.
CSDC - Circuit Switched Digital Capability. Another USDN service that
has no ISDN counterpart.
DA - Directory Assistance. See directory assistance.
DAO - Directory Assistance Operator. See directory assistance.
data communications - In telefone company terminology, data
communications refers to an end-to-end transmission of any kind of
information other than sound, including voice, or video. Data sources may
be either digital or analog.
data rate - The rate at which a channel carries data, measured in bits
per second, bit/s, also known as "data signalling rate."
data signalling rate - Same as "data rate." See data rate.
DCO-CS - Digital Central Office-Carrier Switch.
DDD - Direct Distance Dialed.
Dial-It Services - See 900 Services.
digital - A method to represent information to be discrete or
individually distinct signals, such as bits, as opposed to a continuously
variable analog signal.
digital transmission - A mode of transmission in which all information
to be transmitted is first converted to digital form and then transmitted
as a serial stream of pulses. Any signal, voice, data, television, can be
converted to digital form.
Dimension 2000 - Another LD service located at (800)848-9000.
directory assistance - Operator that you get when you call 411 or
NPA-555-1212. This call will cost $.50 per call. These won't know where you
are calling from, unless you annoy them, and do not have access to unlisted
numbers. There are also directory assistance operators for the deaf that
transfer BAUDOT. You can call these and have interesting conversations. The
fone number is 800-855-1155, are free, and use standard Telex abbreviations
such as GA for Go Ahead. These are nicer than normal operators, and are
often subject to "social engineering" skills (bullshitting). Other
operators also have access to their own directory assistance at
KP+NPA+131+ST.
diverter - This is a nice phreak tool. What a diverter is is a type of
call forwarding system done externally, apart from the fone company, which
is a piece of hardware that will foreword the call to somewhere else. These
can be found on many 24 hour plumbers, doctors, etc. When you call, you
will often hear a click and then ringing, or a ring, then a click, then
another ring, the second ring often sounds different from the first. Then,
the other side picks the fone up and you ask about their company or
something stupid, but DO NOT ANNOY them. Then eventually, let them hang up,
DO NOT HANG UP YOURSELF. Wait for the dial tone, then dial ANI. If the
number ANI reads is different from the one you are calling from, then you
have a diverter. Call anywhere you want, for all calls will be billed to
the diverter. Also, if someone uses a tracer on you, then they trace the
diverter and you are safe. Diverters can, however, hang up on you after a
period of time; some companies make diverters that can be set to clear the
line after a set period of time, or click every once in a while, which is
super annoying, but it will still work. Diverters are usually safer than LD
extenders, but there are no guarantees. Diverters can also be accessed via
phortress fones. Dial the credit operator and ask for the AT&T CREDIT
OPERATOR. They will put on some lame recording that is pretty long. Don't
say anything and the recording will hang up. LET IT HANG UP, DO NOT HANG
UP. Then the line will clear and you will get a dial tone. Place any call
you want with the following format: 9+1+NPA+Nxx+xxxx, or for local calls,
just 9+Nxx+xxxx. I'd advise that you call ANI first as a local call to make
sure you have a diverter.
DLS - Dial Line Service.
DNR - Also known as pen register. See pen register.
DOV - Data-Over-Voice.
DSI - Data Subscriber Interface. Unit in the LADT system that will
concentrate data from 123 subscribers to a 56k or a 9.6k bit-per-second
trunk to a packet network.
DT - Dial tone.
DTF - Dial Tone First. This is a type of fortress fone that gives you
a dial tone first.
DTI - Digital Trunk Interface.
DTMF - Dual-Tone-Multi-Frequency, the generic term for the touch tone.
These include 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 as well as A,B,C,D. See silver box for
more details.
DVM - Data Voice Multiplexor. A system that squeezes more out of a
transmission medium and allows a customer to transmit voice and data
simultaneously to more than one receiver over the existing telefone line.
emergency break-in - Name given to the art of "breaking" into a busy
number which will usually result in becoming a third party in the call
taking place.
end office - Any class 5 switching office in North America.
end-to-end signalling - A mode of network operation in which the
originating central office, or station, retains control and signals
directly to each successive central office, or PBX, as trunks are added to
the connection.
ESS - Electronic Switching System. "The phreak's nightmare come true."
With ESS, EVERY SINGLE digit you dial is recorded, even mistakes. The
system records who you call, when you call, how long you talked, and, in
some cases, what you talked about. ESS is programed to make a list of
people who make excessive 800 calls or directory assistance. This is called
the "800 Exceptional Calling Report." ESS can be programed to print out
logs of who called certain numbers, such as a bookie, a known communist, a
BBS, etc. ESS is a series of programs working together; these programs can
be very easily changed to do whatever the fone company wants ESS to do.
With ESS, tracing is done in MILLISECONDS and will pick up any "foreign"
tones on the line, such as 2600 Hz. Bell predicts the whole country will be
on ESS by 1990! You can identify an ESS office by the functions, such as
dialing 911 for help, fortress fones with DT first, special services such
as call forwarding, speed dialing, call waiting, etc., and ANI on LD calls.
Also, black boxes and Infinity transmitters will NOT work under ESS.
extender - A fone line that serves as a middleman for a fone call,
such as the 800 or 950 extenders. These systems usually require a multi-
digit code and have some sort of ANI to trace suspicious calls with.
facsimile - A system for the transmission of images. The image is
scanned at the transmitter, reconstructed at the receiving station, and
duplicated on some form of paper. Also known as a FAX.
FAX - See facsimile for details.
FiRM - A large cracking group who is slowly taking the place of PTL and
the endangered cracking groups at the time of this writing.
fortress phone - Today's modern, armor plated, pay fone. These may be
the older, 3 coin/coin first fones or the newer, 1 coin/DT first fones.
There are also others, see CF, DTF, and PP. Most phortresses can be found
in the 9xxx or 98xx series of your local Nxx.
gateway city - See ISC.
Gestapo - The telefone company's security force. These nasties are the
ones that stake out misused phortresses as well as go after those bad
phreaks that might be phucking with the fone system.
green base - A type of output device used by the fone company. Usually
light green in color and stick up a few feet from the ground. See output
device for more information.
green box - Equipment that will emulate the Coin Collect, Coin Return,
and Ringback tones. This means that if you call someone with a fortress
fone and they have a green box, by activating it, your money will be
returned. The tones are, in hertz, Coin Collect=700+1100, Coin
Return=1100+1700, and Ringback=700+1700. However, before these tones are
sent, the MF detectors at the CO must be alerted, this can be done by
sending a 900+1500 Hz or single 2600 Hz wink of 90ms followed by a 60ms
gap, and then the appropriate signal for at least 900ms.
gold box - This box will trace calls, tell if the call is being
traced, and can change a trace.
grey box - Also known as a silver box. See silver box.
group chief - The name of the highest ranking official in any fone
office. Ask to speak to these if an operator is giving you trouble.
high-speed data - A rate of data transfer ranging upward from 10,000
bits per second.
H/M - Hotel/Motel.
ICH - International Call Handling. Used for overseas calls.
ICVT - InComing Verification Trunk.
IDA - Integrated Digital Access. The United Kingdom's equivalent of
ISDN.
IDDD - International Direct Distance Dialing - The ability to place
international calls direct without processing through a station. Usually,
one would have to place the call through a 011, station, or a 01, operator
assisted, type of setup.
IDN - Integrated Digital Networks. Networks which provide digital
access and transmission, in both circuit switched and packet modes.
in-band - The method of sending signaling information along with the
conversion using tones to represent digits.
INS - Information Network System. Japan's equivalent of ISDN.
Intercept - The intercept operator is the one you get connected to
when there are not enough recordings available to tell you that the number
has been disconnected or changed. These usually ask what number you are
calling and are the lowest form of the operator.
intermediate point - Any class 4X switching office in North America.
Also known as an RSU.
international dialing - In order to call across country borders, one
must use the format PREFIX + COUNTRY CODE + NATION #. The prefix in North
America is usually 011 for station-to-station calls or 01 for operator-
assisted calls. If you have IDDD, you don't need to place this prefix in.
INTT - Incoming No Test Trunks.
INWARD - An operator that assists your local TSPS '0' operator in
connecting calls. These won't question you as long as the call is within
their service area. The operator can ONLY be reached by other operators or
a blue box. The blue box number is KP+NPA+121+ST for the INWARD operator
that will help you connect to any calls in that area ONLY.
INWATS - Inward Wide Area Telecommunications Service. These are the
800 numbers we are all familiar with. These are set up in bands; 6 total.
Band 6 is the largest, and you can call band 6 INWATS from anywhere in the
US except the state where the call is terminated. This is also why some
companies have a separate 800 number for their state. Band 5 includes the
48 contiguous states. All the way down to band 1, which only includes the
states contiguous to that one. Understand? That means more people can reach
a band 6 INWATS as compared to the people that can access a band 1 INWATS.
IOCC - International Overseas Completion Centre. A system which must
be dialed in order to re-route fone calls to countries inaccessible via
dialing direct. To route a call via IOCC with a blue box, pad the country
code to the RIGHT with zeroes until it is 3 digits. Then KP+160 is dialed,
plus the padded country code, plus ST.
IPM - Interruptions Per Minute. The number of times a certain tone
sounds during a minute.
ISC - Inter-Nation Switching Centers. Most outgoing calls from a
certain numbering system will be routed through these "gateway cities" in
order to reach a foreign country.
ISDN - Integrated Services Digital Network. ISDN is a planned
hierarchy of digital switching and transmission systems. Synchronized so
that all digital elements speak the same "language" at the same speed, the
ISDN would provide voice, data, and video in a unified manner.
ITT - This is another large LD service. The extenders owned by this
company are usually considered dangerous. The format is
ACC-ESS#,(NPA)Nxx-xxxx,1234567.
KP - Key Pulse. Tone that must be generated before inputting a fone
number using a blue box. This tone is, in hertz, 1100+1700.
KP2 - Key Pulse 2. Tone that is used by the CCITT SYSTEM 5 for special
international calling. This tone is, in hertz, 1300+1700.
LADT - Local Area Data Transport. LADT is a method by which customers
will send and receive digital data over existing customer loop wiring. Dial-
Up LADT will let customers use their lines for occasional data services;
direct access LADT will transmit simultaneous voice and data traffic on the
same line.
LAN - Local Area Network.
LAPB - Link Access Protocol Balanced.
LD - Long Distance
Leave Word And Call Back - Another new type of operator.
local loop - When a loop is connected between you and your CO. This
occurs when you pick the fone up or have a fone OFF-HOOK.
loop - A pair or group of fone lines. When people call these lines,
they can talk to each other. Loops consist of two or more numbers, they
usually are grouped close together somewhere in the Nxx-99xx portions of
your exchange. The lower number in a loop is the tone side of the loop, or
the singing switch. The higher number is always silent. The tone disappears
on the lower # when someone dials the other side of the loop. If you are
the higher #, you will have to listen to the clicks to see if someone
dialed into the loop. There also are such things as Non-Supervised loops,
where the call is toll-free to the caller. Most loops will be muted or have
annoying clicks at connection, but otherwise, you might find these useful
goodies scanning the 99xx's in your exchange. Some loops allow multi-user
capability; thus, many people can talk to each other at the same time, a
conference of sorts. Since loops are genuine test functions for the telco
during the day, most phreaks scan and use them at night.
MA - Ma Bell, the Bell Telesys Company. Telco, etc. See Ma Bell for
more information.
Ma Bell - The telephone company. The Bell Telesys Phone Company. The
company you phreak and hack with. The company that doesn't like you too
much. The company you often phuck with, and sometimes phuck up. The company
that can phuck u up if u aren't careful.
make period - The time when, during pulse dialing, the circuit is
closed. In the US, this period is 60ms; however, foreign nations may use a
67ms make period. Make periods are also referred to in percentages, so a
60ms make period would be 60%, a 67ms as 67%.
marine verify - Another type of operator.
MCI - Yet another LD service that owns many dial-ups in most areas.
However, the codes from various areas may not be interchangeable. Not much
is known about MCI; however, MCI probably has some sophisticated anti-
phreak equipment. The format is ACC-ESS#,12345,(NPA)Nxx-xxxx.
MCI Execunet - The calling card equivalent of the regular MCI LD
service, but the codes are longer and interchangeable. For the local access
port near you, call (800)555-1212. The format for the port will be
ACC-ESS#,1234567,(NPA)Nxx-xxxx.
Metrofone - Owned by Western Union. A very popular system among fone
phreaks. Call Metrofone's operator and ask for the local access number at
(800)325-1403. The format is ACC-ESS#,CODE,(NPA)Nxx-xxxx. Metrofone is
alleged to place trap codes on phreak BBS's.
MF - Multi-Frequency. These are the operator and blue box tones. An MF
tone consists of two tones from a set of six master tones which are
combined to produce 12 separate tones. These are NOT the same as touch
tones. See blue box tones for frequencies.
mobile - A type of operator.
NAP/PA - North American Pirate/Phreak Association. A large group of bbs
boards which include a lot of pirates/phreakers. I'm not quite sure where the
group will go from here.
NIA - Network Information Access. A new group ( 29DEC89 ), that has come
onto the scene, they deal in good hard facts, and are not proned to doing the
usual files on Explosives, Phreaking, Hacking, though there are PLENTY of
groups that do just that, they branch out and try to get some good TECHNICAL
INFORMATION, and up-to-date current information. Give them a browse, and maybe
you might want to even call them.
NON PUB DA - A reverse type of CN/A bureau. You tell the service the
name and the locality, they will supply the fone number. However, they will
ask for you name, supervisor's name, etc. Use your social engineering
skills here (aka, bullshitting skills). You also can get detailed billing
information from these bureaus.
NPA - Numbering Plan Area. The area code of a certain city/state. For
example, on the number (111)222-3333, the NPA would be 111. Area codes
never cross state boundaries sans the 800, 700, 900, and special exchanges.
Nxx - The exchange or prefix of the area to be dialed. For example of
the number (111)222-3333, the Nxx would be 222.
OGVT - OutGoing Verification Trunk.
OFF-HOOK - To be on-line, to have the switchhook down. To have a
closed connection. At this point, you also have a local loop.
ON-HOOK - To be off-line, to have the switchhook up. To have an open
connection.
ONI - Operator Number Identification. Identifies calling numbers when
an office is not equipped with CAMA, the calling number is not
automatically recorded by CAMA, or has equipment failures, such as ANIF.
OPCR - Operator Actions Program. Standard TBOC or equivalent "0"
operator.
OPEN - Northern Telecom's Open Protocol Enhanced Networks World
Program.
OSI - Open System Interconnection. Form of telecommunication
architechture which will probobly fail to SNA.
OST - Originating Station Treatment.
OTC - Operating Telefone Company.
out-of-band - Type of signaling which sends all of the signaling and
supervisory informations, such as ON and OFF HOOK, over separate data
links.
output device - Any type of interface such as cans, terminal sets,
remote switching centers, bridging heads, etc., where the fone lines of the
immediate area are relayed to before going to the fone company. These often
are those cases painted light green and stand up from the ground. Most of
these can be opened with a 7/16 hex driver, turning the security bolt(s)
1/8 of an inch counter-clockwise, and opening. Terminals on the inside
might be labeled "T" for tip and "R" for ring. Otherwise, the ring side is
usually on the right and the tip side is on the left.
OUTWATS - Outward Wide Area Telecommunications Service. These are WATS
that are used to make outgoing calls ONLY.
Paper Clip Method - This method of phreaking was illustrated in the
movie War Games. What a phortress fone does to make sure money is in a fone
is send an electrical pulse to notify the fone that a coin has been
deposited, for the first coin only. However, by simply grounding the
positive end of the microphone, enough current and voltage is deferred to
the ground to simulate the first quarter in the coin box. An easy way to
accomplish this is to connect the center of the mouthpiece to the coin box,
touch tone pad, or anything that looks like metal with a piece of wire. A
most convenient piece of wire is a bend out of a paper clip. Then you can
send red box tones through the line and get free fone calls! Also, telco
modified fones may require you to push the clip harder against the
mouthpiece, or connect the mouthpiece to the earpiece. If pressing harder
against the mouthpiece becomes a problem, pins may be an easier solution.
PBX - Private Branch eXchange. A private switchboard used by some big
companies that allow access to the OUTWATS line by dialing a 8 or a 9
after inputting a code.
PCM - Pulse Code-Modulated trunks.
PC Pursuit - A computer oriented LD system, comparable to Telenet,
which offers low access rates to 2400 baud users. Hacking on this system is
virtually impossible due to the new password format.
pen register - A device that the fone company puts on your line if
they suspect you are fraudulently using your fone. This will record EVERY
SINGLE digit/rotary pulse you enter into the fone as well as other
pertinent information, which may include a bit of tapping. Also known as
DNR.
Phortune 500 - An elite group of users currently paving the way for
better quality in their trade.
PHRACK - Another phreak/hack oriented newsletter. See reference
section, phile 1.6 for more information.
PHUN - Phreakers and Hackers Underground Network. They also release a
newsletter that is up to #4 at the time of this writing. See phile 1.6 for
more information on finding this phile.
PIN - Personal Identification Number - The last four digits on a
calling card that adds to the security of calling cards.
plant tests - test numbers which include ANI, ringback, touch tone
tests, and other tests the telco uses.
Post Office Engineers - The United Kingdom's fone workers.
PP - Dial Post-Pay Service. On phortress fones, you are prompted to
pay for the call after the called party answers. You can use a clear box to
get around this.
PPS - Pulses Per Second.
printmeter - The United Kingdom's equivalent of a pen register. See
pen register for more info.
PTE - Packet Transport Equipment.
PTL - One of the bigger cracking groups of all time. However, the group
has been dying off and only has a few nodes as of this writing.
PTS - Position and Trunk Scanner.
PTT - Postal Telephone Telegraph.
pulse - See rotary phones.
purple box - This one would be nice. Free calls to anywhere via blue
boxing, become an operator via blue box, conference calling, disconnect
fone line(s), tap fones, detect traces, intercept directory assistance
calls. Has all red box tones. This one may not be available under ESS.
rainbow box - An ultimate box. You can become an operator. You get
free calls, blue box. You can set up conference calls. You can forcefully
disconnect lines. You can tap lines. You can detect traces, change traces,
and trace as well. All incoming calls are free. You can intercept directory
assistance. You have a generator for all MF tones. You can mute and redial.
You have all the red-box tones. This is an awesome box. However, it does
not exist under ESS.
RAO - Revenue Accounting Office. The three digit code that sometimes
replaces the NPA of some calling cards.
RBOC - Regional Bell Operating Company.
red box - Equipment that will emulate the red box tone generated for
coin recognition in all phortress fones.
red box tones - Tones that tell the phortress fone how much money was
inserted in the fone to make the required call. In one slot fones, these
are beeps in pulses; the pulse is a 2200+1700 Hz tone. For quarters, 5 beep
tones at 12-17 PPS, for dimes it is 2 beep tones at 5-8.5 PPS, and a nickel
causes 1 beep tone at 5-8.5 PPS. For three slot fones, the tones are
different. Instead of beeps, they are straight dual tones. For a nickel, it
is one bell at 1050-1100 Hz, two bells for a dime, and one gong at 800 Hz
for a quarter. When using red box tones, you must insert at least one
nickel before playing the tones, cuz a ground test takes place to make sure
some money has been inserted. The ground test may be fooled by the Paper
Clip Method. Also, it has been known that TSPS can detect certain red box
tones, and will record all data on AMA or CAMA of fraudulent activity.
regional center - Any class 1 switching office in North America.
REMOB - Method of tapping into lines by entering a code and the 7
digit number you want to monitor, from ACD Test Mode. A possibility of this
may be mass conferencing.
ring - The red wire found in fone jacks and most fone equipment. The
ring also is less positive than the tip. When looking at a fone plug on the
end of typical 4 wire fone line from the top, let's say the top is the side
with the hook, the ring will be the middle-right wire. Remember, the ring
is red, and to the right. The three "R's" revived!
ring-around-the-rosy - 9 connections in tandem which would cause an
endless loop connection and has never occurred in fone history.
ringback - A testing number that the fone company uses to have your
fone ring back after you hang up. You usually input the three digit
ringback number and then the last four digits to the fone number you are
calling from.
ring trip - The CO process involved with stopping the AC ringing
signal when a fone goes OFF-HOOK.
rotary phone - The dial or pulse phone that works by hooking and un-
hooking the fone rapidly in secession that is directly related to the
number you dialed. These will not work if another phone with the same
number is off-hook at the time of dialing.
Rout & Rate - Yet another type of operator; assists your TSPS operator
with rates and routings. This once can be reached at KP+800+141+1212+ST.
RPE - Remote Peripheral Equipment.
RQS - The Rate Quote System. This is the TSPS operator's rate/quote
system. This is a method your '0' operator gets info without dialing the
rate and route operator. The number is KP+009+ST.
RSU - Remote Switching Unit. The class 4X office that can have an
unattended exchange attached to it.
RTA - Remote Trunk Arrangement.
SAC - Special Area Code. Separate listing of area codes, usually for
special services such as TWX's, WATS, or DIAL-IT services.
SCC - Specialized Common Carriers. Common Nxx numbers that are
specialized for a certain purpose. An example is the 950 exchange.
sectional center - Any class 2 switching office in North America.
service monitoring - This is the technical name of phone tapping.
SF - Supervision Control Frequency. The 2600 Hz tone which seizes any
open trunk, which can be blue boxed off of.
short-haul - Also known as a local call.
signalling - The process by which a caller or equipment on the
transmitting end of a line in: forms a particular party or equipment at the
receiving end that a message is to be communicated. Signalling is also the
supervisory information which lets the caller know the called know the
called party is ready to talk, the line is busy, or the called party has
hung up.
silver box - Equipment that will allow you to emulate the DTMF tones
A,B,C,D. The MF tones are, in hertz, A=697+1633, B=770+1633, C=852+1633,
D=941+1633. These allow special functions from regular fones, such as ACD
Testing Mode.
Skyline - Service owned by IBM, Comsat, and AEtna. It has a local
access number in the 950 exchange. The fone number is 950-1088. The code is
either a 6 or 8 digit number. This company is alleged to be VERY dangerous.
SNA - System Network Architechture, by IBM. A possible future standard
of architechture only competed by OSI.
SOST - Special Operator Service Treatment. These include calls which
must be transferred to a SOST switchboard before they can be processed;
services such as conferences, appointments, mobile, etc.
SPC - Stored Program Control. Form of switching the US has heavily
invested in.
Sprint - One of the first LD services, also known as SPC. Sprint owns
many extender services and is not considered safe. It is common knowledge
that Sprint has declared war on fone phreakers.
SSAS - Station Signaling and Announcement System. System on most
fortress fones that will prompt caller for money after the number, usually
LD numbers, has been dialed, or the balance due before the call will be
allowed to connect.
stacking tandems - The art of busying out all trunks between two
points. This one is very amusing.
STart - Pulse that is transmitted after the KP+NPA+Nxx+xxxx through
operator or blue boxed calls. This pulse is, in hertz, 1500+1700.
station # - The last four digits in any seven digit fone number.
STD - Subscriber Trunk Dialing. Mechanism in the United Kingdom which
takes a call from the local lines and legimately elevates it to a trunk or
international level.
step crashing - Method of using a rotary fone to break into a busy
line. Example, you use a rotary fone to dial Nxx-xxx8 and you get a busy
signal. Hang up and dial Nxx-xxx7 and in between the last pulse of your
rotary dial and before the fone would begin to ring, you can flash your
switchhook extremely fast. If you do it right, you will hear an enormous
"CLICK" and all of a sudden, you will cut into your party's conversation.
STPS - Signal Transfer PointS. Associated with various switching
machines and the new CCIS system.
switchhook - The button on your fone that, when depressed, hangs the
fone up. These can be used to emulate rotary dial fones if used correctly.
SxS - Step-By-Step. Also known as the Strowger Switch or the two-
motion switch. This is the switching equipment Bell began using in 1918.
However, because of its limitations, such as no direct use of DTMF and
maintenance problems, the fone company has been upgrading since. You can
identify SxS switching offices by lack of DTMF or pulsing digits after
dialing DTMF, if you go near the CO it will sound like a typewriter testing
factory, lack of speed calling, lack of special services like call
forwarding and call waiting, and fortress fones want your money first,
before the dial tone.
TAP - The "official" phone phreak's newsletter. Previously YIPL.
T&C - Time and Charge.
tapping - To listen in to a phone call taking place. The fone company
calls this "service monitoring."
TASI - Time Assignment Speech Interpolation. This is used on satellite
trunks, and basically allows more than one person to use a trunk by putting
them on while the other person isn't talking.
Telenet - A computer-oriented system of relay stations which relay
computer calls to LD numbers. Telenet has a vast array of access ports
accessible at certain baud rates.
Tel-Tec - Another LD company that usually give out a weak connection.
The format is (800)323-3026,123456,(NPA)Nxx-xxxx.
Tel-Tex - A subsidiary of Tel-Tec, but is only used in Texas. The
number is *800)432-2071 and the format is the same as above.
terminal - A point where information may enter or leave a
communication network. Also, any device that is capable of sending and/or
receiving data over a communication channel.
tip - The green wire found in fone jacks and most fone equipment. The
tip is the more positive wire compared to the ring. When looking at a fone
plug from the top, lets say the hook side is the top, the tip will be the
middle wire on the left.
toll center - Any class 4 switching office located in North America.
toll point - Any class 4P switching office in North America.
Toll LIB - Reverse CN/A bureau. See NON PUB DA for more info.
touch tone phone - A phone that uses the DTMF system to place calls.
touch tone test - This is another test number the fone company uses.
You dial the ringback number and have the fone ring back. Then, when you
pick it up, you will hear a tone. Press your touch-tone digits 1-0. If they
are correct, the fone will beep twice.
trace - Something you don't want any fone company to do to you. This
is when the fone company you are phucking with flips a switch and they find
the number you are calling from. Sometimes the fone company will use ANI or
trap and trace methods to locate you. Then the local Gestapo home in and
terminate the caller if discovered.
trap and trace - A method used by the FBI and some step offices that
forces a voltage through the line and traces simultaneously, which mean
that you can't hang up unless the Pheds do, and pray you aren't calling
from your own house. Trap and trace is also known as the lock-in-trace.
trap codes - Working codes owned by the LD company, not a customer,
that, when used, will send a "trouble card" to Ma Bell, no matter what
company the card is coming from, and ESS will immediately trace the call.
Trap codes have been in use for some time now, and it is considered safer
to self-hack codes opposed to leeching them off of BBS's, since some LD
companies post these codes on phreak oriented BBS's.
Travelnet - Service owned by GM that uses WATS as well as local access
numbers. Travelnet also accepts voice validation for its LD codes.
TSPS - Traffic Service Position System. Operator that usually is the
one that obtains billing information for Calling Card or 3rd number calls,
identifies called customer on person-to-person calls, obtains acceptance of
charges on collect calls, or identifies calling numbers. These operators
have an ANI board and are the most dangerous type of operator.
TWX - Telex II consisting of 5 teletypewriter area codes. These are
owned by Western Union. These may be reached via another TWX machine
running at 110 baud. You can send TWX messages via Easylink (800)325-4122.
USDN - United States Digital Network. The US's version of the ISDN
network.
videotext - Generic term for a class of two-way, interactive data
distribution systems with output typically handled as in teletext systems
and input typically accepted through the telephone or public data network.
WATS - Wide Area Telecommunications Service. These can be IN or OUT,
see the appropriate sections.
WATS Extender - These are the LD companies everyone hacks and phreaks
off of in the 800 NPA. Remember, INWATS + OUTWATS = WATS Extender.
white box - This is a portable DTMF keypad.
XBAR - Crossbar. Crossbar is another type of switching equipment the
fone company uses in some areas. There are three major types of Crossbar
systems called No.1 Crossbar (1XB), No.4 Crossbar (4XB), and No.5 Crossbar
(5XB). 5XB has been the primary end office switch of MA since the 60's and
is still in wide use. There is also Crossbar Tandem (XBT) used for toll-
switching.
XBT - Crossbar Tandem. Used for toll-switching. See XBAR.
YIPL - The classic "official" phreak's magazine. Now TAP.