2600 Magazine - The Hacker Quarterly

Winter 1994-1995

UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS - BY ANNALIZA SAVAGE
$25.00, 38 minutes, VHS
REVIEWED BY EMMANUEL GOLDSTEIN


Years in the making, a film on the lives and adventures of computer hackers has presented our world in the way mainstream media has always managed not to. The hackers do the talking and the viewer is left to either nod in appreciation or recoil in horror.

Unauthorized Access has no narrative and does not offer any kind of sappy summing up to either condemn or glorify hackers. Rather, Annaliza Savage uses the time to hear about and see hacker adventures from around the planet. But this isn't the Fred Wiseman, sit-in-a-park-or-mental-Institution-for-several-hours-and-see-what-happens approach. Unauthorized Access has a lively pace, quickly moving from topic to topic, place to place.

The film contains a little bit of all of it and will easily convince any non-believer that we're up to some pretty incredible things. And, as many of us know, this is only the tip of the iceberg.

The film opens with scenes from HoHoCon 1993 where hackers were being accused of trying to break into the hotel phone system by simply standing outside a door. We see an incredible number of security personnel and police converging on a hotel room, apparently unbothered by having it all captured on camera.

The last days of a hacker before he is sent to prison are witnessed with a combination of sadness and bitterness. We see Phiber Optik's last moments on WBAI's Off the Hook before starting a ten month prison sentence.

The story of a hacker informant Agent Steal is told by the closest thing to a recurring narrator - a hacker who seems to know all the gossip on everyone and a silent, ominous-looking sort who stands in the background wearing sunglasses.

We hear from Noah of Oregon who managed to get into an insecure system at Westinghouse. In an interesting twist, Noah's parents tell the story and give their opinions on the prospect of their 14 year-old son being sent to federal prison. "At the time I didn't even know they made nukes," says Noah. "If I knew that I would've stayed the hell away from Westinghouse."

We witness a faceless hacker getting into a file server at Sun, which in itself is kind of funny. This is the only real live computer hacking we see in the documentary and it stops just short of doing anything of a criminal nature.

The phreaking portion contains a great collage of different payphones from around the world. We also see a demonstration of red boxing, and of blue boxing from Amsterdam through Malaysia to the United States. At this point the viewer gets the sense that hackers and phreaks are truly everywhere.

Two areas of Unauthorized Access that are captured particularly well are the ones on the L0pht in Boston and a 2600 meeting in Los Angeles. Both of these hacker gathering places carry a special significance and the historical perspective is not lost. "Everything you're about to see was carried up these stairs," says the L0pht's Count Zero. "Just remeber that when you see the Vax." At the 2600 meeting we see a brief demonstration of cellular hacking. Savage focuses on the eagerness of the participants - these are enthusiasts trading information and being open, not criminals conspiring to do evil things. It's incredible how independent filmmakers are able to see things the networks can never find.

Other highlights include a system administrator addressing a crowd of hackers expressing with great humor the frustration of only being able to trace calls during business hours.

But the thing which makes Unauthorized Access a true success is the world perspective which is evident throughout. Apart from seeing hackers from different parts of the United States, we journey to Holland for a glimpse at lockpicking and a hilarious look at what hackers can do inside a Metro station with the right keys. We also learn all about Hack Tic and the Internet service provided by Dutch hackers. "There is more fun in the Dutch approach," says one with no hint of envy. We learn how the Germans are working to provide Internet connectivity to the war-torn former Yugoslavia, a fitting example of how our knowledge and enthusiasm can be used in significant ways.

If there is any criticism of Unauthorized Access, it would have to be that the film is too short. For those who have never seen a hacker before, 38 minutes is most likely sufficient but for those of us who know how big it all is, hours of footage would be more satisfying. As a cohesive piece, the film stands tall. But some of the bits, particularly those on trashing, Information America, and Hacker Lore just aren't long enough to do the subjects justice.

Technically, Unauthorized Access is edited professionally; the picture and sound are always clear. Its existence is true evidence of the value of independent filmmaking - this is the kind of thing that should show up on the new independent Film Channel.

As a cultural piece, it's what we've been waiting for. Many of us have long suspected that modern-day hackers have a unique and rich culture. Unauthorized Access is something we can point to and prove it.