2600 Flash
GTE Raids Still Have Many Unanswered Questions - Computer Owners Concerned
On Wednesday, October 12, at 6:00 AM, the FBI started to raid the homes of over fifteen individuals for allegedly breaking into GTE Telemail, GTE Telenet's massive electronic mail service. While much of the publicity has now died down, questions remain concerning the legality and the overall implications of such computer seizures.
At a December 16 meeting of the Long Island Computer Association (LICA), this topic was addressed. Some members could not understand the rationale for taking away the computers in the first place. "It sounds like scare tactics to me... to keep these kids off of computers," one commented. "To hold the equipment seems like something that should be unlawful and it's something that the public should look at. If it's not justified, we should say that we won't put up with it anymore and to return the equipment." He did not elaborate on precisely what kind of action ~ computer group such as LICA could take.
Legally, the computers can be kept for as long as they are needed in the investigation. Ultimately, a judge will decide how long that can be.
"The allegation," said an attorney familiar with the case, "is that the services of the GTE Telemail bulletin boards were used and the theory that the government is proceeding under is that it was a violation of Section 1343, wire fraud (a scheme with intention to defraud someone else using either television, telephone, or some other communications means). They're saying that if there was use of the bulletin board service, then that was a 'theft of service' and there was intention to defraud GTE."
One member took GTE's side. "These are all nice games these people are playing, but they are a theft of service. Somebody is in the business of providing that service and they're deliberately interfering with their providing that service. They're trying to get something for nothing."
Another disagreed. "You may be on their computer, but it's not costing them anything, if you're not taking up time. Unless the whole system is fully used and you were the last user on, are you really using any of their time? Really and truly?"
Many hackers felt they were unjustly accused. One even said he'd never used the GTE Telemail system. Others said they had looked around once or twice but had never hurt anything. Others, though, admitted to deleting mail and playing tricks, like sending obscene messages back and forth between two innocent executives.
Whether or not the GTE Telemail system was used fraudulently did not seem to be the overriding issue at the LICA meeting. What had members there worried was the way in which the investigation was being carried out. When dealing with computers as evidence, different rules apply, rules that for the most part have not been written yet. "Data can be manufactured just as easily as it can be erased from a personal computer," one member commented. "And the longer that they have the computer in their custody, the less likely that the information that they claim is on it was actually there. Because, as we know, you could enter any date, any time into the computer and have it date- and time-stamp the files."
Meanwhile, a GTE Telenet spokesperson said that the corporation still intends to prosecute and denied that the whole thing was being put on for the deterrent effect that it might have on other people. The spokesperson also said that abuse on the system was discovered in the past, but they didn't prosecute at that time. This time, though, they're serious.
AT&T Credit Cards Make Debut
There's now another way to place telephone calls without dimes. This month, the "true" AT&T credit card phones are making their debut in various airports around the country. This new phone actually takes an AT&T credit card (not those wimpy "calling cards" or "PIN cards." We're talking about a real hunk of plastic, with a magnetic strip and everything) - and there's even a little video screen that gives you directions.
Unless some sort of a bug can be found within the system itself, phone phreaks won't accomplish very much here, unless they can actually get their hands on other people's cards. This, in itself, wouldn't be too difficult, since large numbers of the cards would be sent out on the same day in a particular area. Stealing out of personal mailboxes, though, is an act most phone phreaks would never stoop to. And the folks at AT&T are well aware of this.
Wireless Phones Spell Trouble
With cordless phones popping up all over the place, problems were bound to arise. It's not at all uncommon to hear another cordless conversation on your phone or to hear the electronic pulse-beeping when you're not even dialing. Then there are cordless phone phreaks to deal with, who drive into heavily populated zones holding one of the common cordless models. It's called "cruising for dial tones." And some phones are nice enough to broadcast your conversation on an AM frequency. This feature isn't very good for private conversations. It helped shape a recent drug bust in the state of New York.
Recently, a lady in the Midwest called up her local electric company to tell them that she was going to be away for two months. A member of the 2600 Club heard this on his radio and, being in a good mood, called her and told her that important, personal business should never be discussed on cordless phones. After thanking him, she exclaimed, "That thing's going right back to the Phonecenter Store."
1984 Arrives in Hong Kong
In an effort to "discourage people from driving their cars in heavily congested areas" all 350,000 of Hong Kong's motor vehicles will be fitted with tracking devices that will let government computers know exactly where each car has traveled so that the owner can be billed for road use. This system could be in full implementation by 1987, if the government has its way. Such a system would also allow the police to quickly pinpoint the whereabouts of any vehicle. Tampering with the $45 tracking devices will be illegal and any attempt to do so will trigger street cameras to photograph the license plate of the car.