What's this FAQ all about?                                                  

This FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) was written to benefit you.  It answers the most commonly asked questions that we get every day, and it will, more than likely, give satisfactory answers to all of your questions too.  Please read the entire FAQ before emailing the Hackers.Com Staff with your questions.  Questions that are answered in this FAQ will not be answered via email.

What is Hackers.Com?

Hackers.Com is strictly an underground related domain.  We host only quality files and information as it relates to hacking and the computer underground.  We also offer quality security and internet related services to help out our viewers.  We offer services such as web/graphics design, email accounts, web hosting, etc.  Hackers.Com is a place for freedom of speech, freedom of information, and freedom of the most powerful tool of all, the mind. And moreover,  Hackers.Com itself is a product of the mind.  More information on Hackers.Com can be viewed on the Information section of the site.

What's the purpose of Hackers.Com?

Hackers.Com aims to provide a place for hackers, phone phreaks, and other underground related people, to interact and expand their minds.  Freedom of speech, freedom of information, ethics, and satisfying curiosities is what this site is about.  We provide vast resources on most underground related topics because we believe that the underground is a place to open up your mind and absorb as much information as possible on the technologies that this world has come to rely on.  But, in the tradition of the old school, we provide only ethical information.  If you're looking for warez, carding, or anarchy related materials, this is not the site for you.  We aim to create and educate, not to destroy.

What's HDC mean?

This one is short and sweet: HDC is an abbreviation for Hackers Dot Com.  Hackers.Com is referred to throughout the site as HDC and the Hackers.Com Staff as the HDC Staff.  We thought it'd be easier to succumb to the trend and label ourselves with an acronym.

Who runs Hackers.Com?

Hackers.Com is run by a group of five talented individuals who have many years of experience in various areas of the underground and the Internet.  The HDC Staff list is currently as follows:
HackingWiz, Hyper Viper, Silicon Toad, Revelation, Lady Vyxen, Brimstone, Anasazi and Active Matrix

How can I contact Hackers.Com?

We have setup the Contact section of the site to make it easier for you to get ahold of us for a number of things that you might need to discuss.  Please visit the Contact section for a list of email addresses for various things related to Hackers.Com.

I emailed Hackers.Com but got no response...why?

Either the question was already answered on this FAQ, was not related to the underground or HDC, was stated in an unclear manner, or sent to the wrong address.  View the Contact section of this site for a list of HDC contact addresses and email the one corresponding to what you want to discuss.  Make sure your question is related to the underground or HDC and be sure to state it in a clear, readable manner.  If you follow those simple guidelines your questions/comments/suggestions will receive a reply in a timely manner.

What is the Underground?

The underground is a non-physical arena where hackers, phreaks, and similar persona, interact and trade information. Although this should be more aptly labeled the computer underground, as in general, the underground is said to be that `arena' where illegal and sinister types of activites take place. It's generally a radical hang out of sorts, where those whose views vary from the norm and what is deemed correct by governments escape to indulge in there own freedom. But back to basics:  the underground is a place for the freedom of speech and the freedom of information, as is this site.

What is hacking?

Hacking is the act of penetrating a closed computer system for the knowledge and information that is contained within.  Through the study of technology and computers a hacker can open his mind and expand his knowledge.  Hacking is intended to free information and expand minds, not to be destructive nor for material gain.  Although there is always some debate because of how the term hacker has been both glorified and undermined by common media, but most will say that those who destroy data, hack for money or with illegal intent should be referred to as crackers,  not hackers.

What is phreaking?

Think hacker. Then think telephone system. Combine the two and you have the makings of a phreak. It requires the study of telephone technology in order to learn more about telephones and telephone systems.  It is very difficult (or shall we say rare) to get involved in hacking without having some knowledge of, or receiving some exposure to, phreaking, and vice versa.

I'm a newbie, how do I get started?

This is easily the most commonly asked question that we receive.  And here it is in short:

Reading is the key to learning your new craft, and there are tons of text files available on this site and others that will get you started on your foray into the world of hacking and the computer underground.  Simply read everything you can get your hands on.  Learn about the Internet and the various services available through it (such as WWW, FTP, IRC, Telnet, and so on).  You must try to learn on your own.  Don't go clicking the first email link you see and then asking every question you can think of.  Hacking is about learning and finding out things for yourself, you will not be spoon fed information, you must go out and get it.  Determination and perserverance are key factors to becoming a hacker. And it isn't an overnoght process either.  If you really want it, you will eventually get it.  Start by reading all the underground related text files on this site and experimenting with the programs and utilities in our file archives.  We have setup an email address for serious newbie questions, please view the Contact section of this site for that address. 

In the end, try to find the answer on your own and only use that email address as your last resort.  Here are a couple of honest quick tips:  1)  Get off of AOL if you expect to be taken seriously.  2)  Consider installing some distribution of the Linux (Unix-based) operating system. It'll open up a whole new world of computing for you. More details on this later in the FAQ.

What are boxes and how can I build them?

Boxes (identified by various colors as in Red Box or Beige Box) are electronic devices (usually constructed with parts easily found at a local Radio Shack or similar electronics outlet) that aid the phone phreak in accomplishing various tasks.  You can download all of the schematics and related information from the Phreaking secton of our file archives.

What is Linux and how can I obtain/install it?

Linux is a flavor of the computer operating system Unix.  It is probably the most widely used operating system by hackers because of its capabilities both Internet and programming wise.  You can buy a CD that contains a distribution of Linux on it (such as Slackware, RedHat, Debian, etc.) from your local computer store, or from their respective websites (www.redhat.com etc.)  Or, you could download the preferred distribution from the Internet at a site such as www.linux.org.  Installing Linux has the potential to be a very difficult task if you are not very knowledgable about it and the computer hardware you own.  I suggest you either read the Linux documentaion available on the Internet (you can get it at the site mentioned above) or buy a book on Linux from your local bookstore.  The documentation will guide you through the installation and setup process.  If you are planning on getting seriously into hacking, it would be in your best interest to try and get it up and running. (And yes, you can run Linux and Windows 95 on the same machine).

If you have more serious inquiries, email us and we'll point out more areas of information for you to explore. (But we unfortunately don't have the capacity to act as technical support for those wishing to install it). Although it's a free operating system, it's advisable to spend the $50 or so for the CD's...installation and maintenence will be that much easier.
 

How can I get a Hackers.Com email address?

Hackers.Com is selling custom yourhandle@hackers.com email addresses.  If you are interested in purchasing one please visit the Services section of this site for more information and an order form.  Please note that all the funds generated by HDC Services go to help maintain this server in it's entirety.

How can I get web space on Hackers.Com?

We're very picky when it comes to the sites we host on our server.  The site must be of high quality, both design and content wise.  Create most, or at least most, of your site (in other words, avoid plagerising other sites) and send an email to hosting@hackers.com with a description of your site's content and we will respond letting you know if we'd like to see it.  Decisions and payment for hosting will be dealt with then.  If your site is not of high quality (or just lacks some sort of valuable or worthy content), please refrain from submitting its information.  And as a final note, please do not send us any HTML or graphical files from your site unless requested to do so by someone on the HDC Staff. It's helps cut down our email bandwidth...
 

Can the HDC Staff design my website?

Yes.  Web and graphics design is one of the Internet services that we do offer for both underground and non-underground related sites.  Please visit the Services section of this site for more information.

How can I order HDC services?

Simply go to the Services section of this site and read through the information contained therein.  From that point you can select an order form and submit it for our review.  If you have any suggestions for our current or future services, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Can I join the HDC Staff?

Currently, that's a negative. We are not accepting any more additions to the HDC Staff at this time.  We feel that we have a talented group of individuals and are currently at capacity for what we do. Perhaps in the future...but if that time does come, it will be announced on the home page.
 

What is a shell account?

A shell account is a program that reads and executes commands inputted from the user (in the form of a command-line interface). You will generally be working in a Unix environment when using a shell account, and in basic terms, you will have direct access to utilities such as telnet, email, IRC, job control, command history etc. There are many types of shells available (depending on operating system, ie. Linux). The most important difference between shells is the command language. For example, the C shell (csh) uses a command language based on the C programming language, or the Bourne shell which uses a different command language also. The most popular shell is the Bourne Again Shell (bash) with includes advanced features over the Bourne shell. But we digress...you should get the general idea behind a shell account...if not, grab a Linux book for more info...
 

Can I get a shell account on Hackers.Com?

Unfortunately no, we are not in a position to give out or sell shells on our server, so please do not ask.

What kinds of projects does HDC work on?

The HDC Staff is constantly planning and creating new projects for the underground community.  Everything from text files, to programs and utilities, to new services, all created by the HDC Staff.

Where can I download the HDC projects?

Information and downloads of HDC Projects are available on the Projects section of this site.  If you have any ideas or suggestions on past, present, or future projects, please feel free to drop us a line.

Can you send me files or information?

No.  All of the files and information that we are releasing to the public is available on this site.  Please do not request that we send you files, regardless of the situation, we will not be emailing anyone any files. If you have a problem downloading material, consult the left side of your brain for advice, or your local tech support guru...it should be just as easy to download info as it is to read your email to receive an attachement.
 

What's the disclaimer about?

Because of the gray area a majority of the information on this site resides in, it's in our best interest to provide a disclaimer as it relates to the information found herein.  Ours disclaims responsibility for the use, misuse, or abuse of anything contained on this domain.  Everything on this site is intended for educational purposes only.  It also states our Copyright information for all of the HTML, graphics, slogans, files, etc. that are contained on the site.  Please read the entire Disclaimer before viewing any of the site's content.  We'd appreciate it.
 

This FAQ doesn't answer my question, what should I do?

In the event that this FAQ doesn't answer your question(s) you should visit the Contact section of the site for information on contacting us for various reasons.  Your questions will more than likely be answered through the appropriate email address.