High-Tech Happenings
The Hacker "Threat"
We thought it would be amusing to share some leaked information that was received in Holland from Lawrence Livermore Laboratory and then passed over to us. It concerns the potential threat that Dutch hackers pose to the free world.
"At least some of the Netherlands attacks originate from Eindhoven University. Our hacker sources also allege that there are actually two sets of attacks. In the first set of attacks the attackers may be using X.25 carriers to access a machine called 'LC' or possibly 'ELSIE' (we have since learned that there is a domain of computers at MIT with the address of lcs.mit.edu). From LC or LCS, there is a phone connection to TERMINALS at MIT... The first set of attacks may, according to our hacker sources, yield accounts to more systematically penetrate later. The second set of attacks is through an unknown route. During these attacks someone apparently breaks into accounts discovered during the first set of attacks and transfers files. One hacker claimed that a hacker from the Netherlands was bragging that he had been using AUTOVON, the unclassified U.S. military telephone network, to break into systems; subsequently, other sources within the U.S. Army have informed us that they have recently found that AUTOVON has been illegally used for data transfer between computers. Our hacker sources claim that two Dutch individuals, Rop (alias 'Ron') Gonggrijp and Maurice Katz, are principal players in these attacks, although there may be as many as twelve hackers involved. Gonggrijp is allegedly a contributor or co-editor of Hack-Tic, a magazine for hackers, in Amsterdam. He is linked with the second set of attacks. He is the individual who allegedly has bragged about his ability to break into the AUTOVON system. Army Intelligence describes him as hardened and capable of making considerable trouble.
In one electronic conversation two months ago with a system manager at the University of Chicago, a person identifying himself as 'Ron' claimed he has spent one year in jail (three days ago the FBI informed me that 'Gonggrijp' is an alias). Gonggrijp is, according to our hacker sources, presently in the United States on business. Maurice Katz is an alias for Marcel P. K., a 23-year old who lives in the Netherlands. He allegedly is responsible for the first set of attacks. His resume indicates that he is interested in the United States defense system, and several sources have informed us that he will be traveling to the United States within a week to interview for computer-related jobs with defense contractors. According to these sources, K. was fired from his job as system manager at Eindhoven University. Some time later he allegedly destroyed a number of systems at Eindhoven in retaliation. Our hacker sources have informed us that both individuals have had a substantial increase in standard of living over the last few months. Both are said, for example, to travel more frequently and to now travel first class. Several sources maintain that either One Magazine or Der Spiegel in West Germany is paying these individuals a large sum of money for military information for U.S. computers. This information allegedly will be published in one issue, although one unidentified source suggested that countries hostile to the U.S. are supplying the money and funneling it through one of these magazines."
This was actually written a couple of years ago and nearly everything they consider to be fact has been proven false. Since we know the people accused quite well, we can say confidently that this is all a load of garbage and probably entirely based on hearsay or wishful thinking. But this is dangerous garbage because it comes from powerful people and is sent to even more powerful people. And there is nothing more dangerous than a group of powerful paranoids.
Foul-Ups and Blunders
The computer that selects people for federal grand juries somehow reached the conclusion that everybody in Hartford, Connecticut was dead. It actually happened because the "d" in Hartford somehow slipped into a column where a "d" meant "dead." Apparently, federal workers grew curious as to why nobody from Hartford ever seemed to be selected for a grand jury. Hartford has been dead for the past three years.
Late last summer, the presses at de Gelderlander (a Dutch newspaper) stopped functioning, resulting in delayed deliveries. Lots of angry subscribers called the paper by dialing its phone number: 650611. The number got jammed, resulting in only the last four-digits getting through in many cases. It just so happens that 0611 is the national emergency number in the Netherlands. You can probably guess the rest.
According to a computer that's supposed to log these things, a freeway emergency phone in Orange County, California had 25,875 minutes of calls attributed to it. We don't know how many of those minutes were emergencies but the calls spanned the globe.
Advances in Technology
In December, British Telecom launched a new redesigned telephone bill, designed to be simpler and more understandable. According to British Telecom, new elements of the bill include the following: information is presented in a clear, logical way; the front sheet summarizes the charges, which are detailed on subsequent sheets; clear language replaces obscure jargon and codes; the format contains details of customer options and itemization; the itemized pages spell out the locality of the called number; on the summary sheet, charges appear on the left so the eye alights on them first.
The New Jersey State Senate has voted 31-to-2 to expand the state's wiretap laws to allow tapping of beepers, modems, and fax machines.
Southwestern Bell customers in Kansas and Missouri can now ask for ZIP Codes whenever they call information in their area code. It seems logical that anyone calling information in those two states would be able to get ZIP Code information since they'd be connecting to the same information operators. But, according to Southwestern Bell, this is only a local thing.
According to the Network Reliability Council (an FCC advisory group), local and long distance phone companies have had 91 major outages since April, each of which affected at least 30,000 lines.
The Postal Service is getting a new voice network. It will consist of Northern Telecom Meridian 1 PBXes and AT&T and WIN Communications key systems.
Prophone - National Edition is a collection of three CD-ROMs from ProCD supposedly containing most of the nation's residential and business telephone directory listings. It consists of one business CD and two residential. It's available for only $349, a fraction of what Bell Operating Companies have been asking for such information. ProCD is reachable at: 617-631-9200
AT&T has a new service called Fax Mailbox, which allows users to get faxes while traveling. Any AT&T calling card holder can get a mailbox number where faxes and voice messages can be stored. They can be retrieved through an 800 number for 70 cents a page or 35 cents per message.
The following appeared in our local newspapers: "On November 2, 1992, AT&T filed tariff revisions with the Federal Communications Commission to reduce the number of Special Rate Occasions (occasions when special lower rates apply to Evening and Night/Weekend Dial Station calls) from ten (10) Evenings and nine (9) Night/Weekends to zero (0), and to reduce the number of Floating Holidays (those holidays over and above the regular ten (10) federal holidays) from four (4) to zero (0)." If we're able to successfully read into this, it appears that AT&T is doing away with all holiday rates. If this is so, it's hard to imagine why more of a fuss hasn't been made. If it's not so, it's high time these announcements were printed in English so people can understand what they're trying to say.
Modem Mate I is a device made by Phonetics of Aston, PA to supposedly foil hackers. According to their brochure, "The device answers the phone with a realistic-sounding 'Hello.' The hacker will not realize that a computer system exists on the other end and simply hang up [sic]. Only someone who knows what to do can gain access to the modem." Modem Mate II uses Caller ID to deny access to anyone not on the list.
Northern Telecom is allowing end users to restrict calls themselves using an authorization code rather than go through the phone company. So far, this is being tested on DMS-10 switches.
It's now possible to use Visa cards to pay for calls from British Telecom phones in the United Kingdom by dialing 144. The Visa card can also be used to call U.K. Direct from other countries. Before using the card, callers will have to get a four-digit PIN which will differ from the PIN used to withdraw cash.
Abuse of Power
It's interesting how the government wants to treat copies of electronic documents as valuable property when they're prosecuting computer hackers. However, Bush and Reagan administration people want to destroy the White House's electronic mail, claiming it's not the same as files that would ordinarily be preserved in the National Archives. Many people rightfully believe that such electronic mail provides valuable insight into how this country is run, as demonstrated during the Iran/Contra hearings. For the moment, democracy is safe; a federal judge has ordered the Bush White House staff not to delete anything.
As of January 1, 1993 all driver license renewals require a Social Security number in the state of California. The SSN is not printed on the license, nor is the digitized thumb print everyone is now required to get.
Numbers
Here are Cable & Wireless access numbers from overseas:
Australia: 0014-800-127-195 Bahrain: 800-113 Belgium: 078-11-8845 Denmark: 8001-8749 Finland: 9800-112-40 France: 05-906701 Germany: 01308-17976 Greece: 00-800- 122-394 Hong Kong: 800-3072 Hungary: 00-800-11627 Ireland: 1-800-557-002 Indonesia: 00800-015-7338356 Israel: 177-150-1367 Italy: 1678-71361 Japan: 0066-33-810-072 Luxembourg: 0-800-4399 Malaysia: 800-0338 Netherlands: 06-022-6436 New Zealand: 0800-446636 Norway: 050-12890 Portugal: 0501-8-13-694 Singapore: 800-9886 South Korea: 008-14-800-00-57 Sweden: 020-792-558 Switzerland: 155-09-16 Taiwan: 0080-14904-8 Thailand: 001-800-13-733-8769 United Kingdom: 0800-89-2305