Diary of a Hacker 1.TXT

        
                             Diary of a Hacker
                                  Part 1

        
        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.
        Wedensday 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...