DIARY OF A HACKER
Part I
What I am about to write about happened in October of 1988,
right after I had turned 16.
Yes, I had a Computer.
Yes, I was a hacker.
Yes, this is my story.
This story is all true. The events in the story are as real
as the noses on your faces. Any attempt to change this story
would be boring, and unnescessary.
Hello. My Handle is The Cuisinart Blade, (I have since changed it)
most people called me C.B., just as another nickname. I
got into computers because I always had a knack for Games,
Programs, Etc... I loved the feel of the keyboard as I typed,
espically around Midnight, when School was only 7 hours away.
That Dickhead in your 1st hour waiting to pick on you at the
stroke of the clock. What little that he knew.
I Loved the feeling of flying through the 'Net, talking to the
other Hackers like me, always trying to impress one another.
They came in all fashions of Handles: The Ax Murderer, Psycho,
The Hacker Kid, Phobia, Etc...the list is nearly endless. And
each with an utterly unique personality, so far advanced from
the Morons we all remember at high school. I loved talking to
these "Wanderers of the Wunderland" so much, I would call all
over the united states just to do that.
I remember back in 1988, 9600 was almost as uncommon as the
newest modems of today. I loved to suck down that Jolt, turn
on the overhead light in the basement, and hack until morning.
Then goto school to have that enormus football jock try to
scare me into submission. I will admit that, yes, he did
scare me. But what a fool he was, thinking that pure brawn
was power. Knowledge IS power. I never did good in High
School. Knowledge is not there, it was in the 'Net! THAT
was where I was a King. That was where I was a God. ANYONE
who has truely roamed the 'Net or been in that type of world
could tell you that, (Right, King Blotto?) hands down.
I loved running home, or taking the bus, right into my
basement! Homework? Bah! What a waste of time it was,
compared to the thrill of Hacking? Homework was little more
than review. I sat down and got onto my Computer and began to
type. I called a rather large BBS in which, Hackers frequented.
Nowadays they are considered "Wandering" Boards. They appear to
wander because they change phone numbers all the time.
Anyway, I called up my favorite Pirate BBS and went onto Multi-
nodal chat to talk to the others about their exploits. Some of
them had told me of their abilities to smash entire phone
networks, others had told me of their A-Typical grade changes,
(Yawn) But most of all I loved to brag. The unwritten rule
in being a hacker, you're nothing unless you have something to
brag about. At the time, I didn't, so I decided to get a name
in the computer Hacking Club and do just that: Hack.
At first I wondered where I should go, what I should do.
I had no idea where to begin. I had been all over the world
in the 'Net, and nothing to show for it, other than just knowing
of everyone, or everything. I needed more. That is the answer
to everything in the mind of a Hacker, the NEED to know.
I decided to try something small.
That night, my friend, (who I will call Dr.Antristo) and I,
called up another Pirate BBS and Downloaded the number of a
rather prominent business, (at the time) and decided to call.
Our biggest fear was being traced, so we got togther and built
what is nowadays almost routine, (from what I hear) a BOX.
I made the call and found myself looking into a Menu System,
that asked for a NAME, and Security ID. I had no idea about
any security ID, or anyone who worked there, so I decided to
Hang up and try in a day or 2, AFTER I did some "Checking Up"
on their Company.
Wednesday came and went, I checked into the Directory, and
looked for a name, someone in the Company. Personal Passwords
were not being used at this company, (and they STILL arn't)
so figuring that out was not important, but finding out the
MAIN USER SYSTEM PASSWORD was. No prob. After finding out
about a fellow who worked their, (Name Withheld), I called
again. This time the Menu popped up again, and I typed his name
again it asked me for a System Password. I knew the Voice
Number to the Company, so I dialed it on my regular phone line
and got some reception lady, you know the type, not too
bright, and just a tad naieve. I told her I was in the
Data Processing Department and was new, and had forgotten
the System Password. It took her all of about 10 seconds
to tell it to me. She didn't even bother for proof. So
with that in my head I went ahead and typed it: X77-SYS1a.
I was in.
My Buddy watched, as I began to move through the menus, I got
to check out the General Bulletin Listing, several up-and-
coming projects, (heh heh 486?) and even got to see who was
late to work this morning. I wanted to get some specs on the
new things they had instore for the Commercial Market, but
I was unsure where to Download them to. I was fearful of doing
that to my own house, so I figured I would find another place.
After rummaging throught the place for about 15 minutes, I
left. Personally, I was estatic. I had done it. I had
gone into a rather large business and gotten to look through
their system. But I needed proof, or so I thought. I wanted
to show the Hackers of America, I was as good as them. I
wanted what we all wanted. To be noticed and respected by
the people who I would call my peers.
Now I will admit that there were MANY who were far better than
me. There were guys who didn't pay a penny for any phone
calls that they made. Ma Bell was sure pissed! There were
others who were what I and others referred to as Professional
Pirates. These were the guys who not only wrote their own
software, but Cracked anything they came across, knew were
to get anything, and Just seemed to be great at anything they
wanted to be. These were the guys everyone tried to be like,
they were the Football stars, Homecoming Kings, and all-american
heroes of the 'Net.
To us they were as close to god as the pope.
Turns out that they were no older than most, but they were
smarter, or had a head start. These guys were, and many of them
still are, unstoppable.
I got talking to another Pirate later that evening, after I had
gone into the Company Mainframe, and told him of what I had
done. I thought at first he'd laugh at me, but instead, he
practically begged me for that Password. He said everyone in
this system at that moment would give me any Wares, (Warez for
you newer Hackers & Pirates) I wanted. Within 2 minutes of
telling this guy, (Handle: Omega Man) the Multi-Node Chat
was filled with over 20 different Hackers, Pirates, and
onlookers asking for the Password, offering me Wares, and
other Numbers in exchange. One guy, I will call Harlock,
offered me something none of the others could. The ability
to USE At&t all I wanted for free. He said he would teach me
how to use their LOOP Numbers and not get caught, also teach me
to call other places, drop to their dos shells, and make hidden
directories where I could put my "borrowed" Wares. All for a
Password.
I accepted.
Without hesitation, he gave me a number to his "Wandering" BBS.
I disconnected with this one, and logged onto his. It was a
long distance call in the 216 area code. I didn't want to stay
too long, otherwise my parents would get REAL mad.
I arrived at the Logon screen to be greeted with an enormus
ANSI of a Kings Crown. Followed by a System Password.
The SysOp of the Board typed it in for me, and took me directly
into Chat. He told me that AT&T has what are called LOOP
numbers, numbers that are out of circulation, but can still
be used. Billing is not used, because the company writes it
off as an expense on their annual tax bracket as for Public
Relations, or Advertising. They don't check up on them,
because with over 500 Million Nodes, and lines in this country
they don't bother with the "Lost" ones. (Currently there are
around 75,000 LOOP Numbers in the 312/708 Area)
He told me that in order to use one, you must find one, by
what he called Garbage Screening. He told me that around
where he lived they just chucked all the paper in the garbage
bin and left it for the trash men on friday. (he thanked god
that Recycling hadn't REALLY started yet) He advised me to do
the same. Once I had the numbers, keep a blacklist of them,
(of which only 1/4th still work to this day.)
Then he explained how to do it. He said I was to dial the
number, wait for 2 "Chimes" then hit the Shift and Ctrl buttons.
With Modem, (I still don't know how, but it worked so I am
telling you) it would give me a Dial Tone, and Wala! I could
then proceed to call anywhere in the world, under AT&T's Tab.
Then he asked me for the Password which I happily gave him, (I
may be a white-collar crook, but I am an Honorable one.)
After writing it down, (I guess) he told me I was welcome to
look around his system. I thanked him for the Info, then
Logged offline. I was Info Hungery!
I had written the Directions for the LOOP numbers down and
wanted to see what I could do. I told Dr.Antristo to power
up the MouseMobile (His Jalopy) 'cause we were gonna go
shopping this evening. 'Round midnight, Dr.Antristo and I
got to Oakbrook, a rather large Communications Hub for the
Greater Chicagoland Area. AT&T had just thrown its garbage
away and there was no one around. I walked over to the bin,
with Doc' in the Getaway Mouse, and looked for any kind of
security measure. It had a padlock, that was no where to be
found. I pushed the door open and took a look. Bags of
paper and more bags. From what Harloack had told me, I
had hit the jackpot. I climbed in, (You must understand, that
this was the cleanest garbage I had ever seen) and began to
look for anything that had to do with numbers. I also grabbed
a pair of hefty bags full of paper with what looked like numbers
then got to the car and we returned home.
I dumped all the stuff onto the floor and began to rummage
through it. I found a lot of office memos to call some
Steve guy, and letters of recommendation, as well as a few
Resumes'. Then Luck. A list of numbers that were said to
be disconnected or transferred to station (52?) for standard
procedure. Another list detailing numbers offline or as it
put it, "Out Of Circulation". At last, O.O.C.'s!
I wanted to know, I had to know. I put one of them into my
Telix Directory and ran it through. After a few seconds of
prayer, I heard a high pitched noise, almost like a Modem,
but it was off a few bars. Then I heard what I can only
describe as a "Chime", then another...I hit the Shift and Ctrl
Keys, and what almost sounded like Line shifting, I got a dial
tone!
Success!
Dr.Antristo and I ran about the room hollering and yelling our
thanks to the great Jolt god and we sat down at the computer and
typed in the name of a Long Distance BBS, we could never call.
Again, Success. It didn't connect because it was busy, but
it went back to Dial Tone again, and we tried another.
The BBS was called Crystal Palace, and it was somewhere in
Canada. We logged into it, ran through the usual newuser crap
and spent an hour talking to the SysOp, who was watching us at
the time. We decided not to try again, until the phone bill
came for the month.
