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Activist Times #36
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Hi, We're Back!!
Issue 36
May 1, 1989
>> Special May Day Issue!! <<
/ /
/ /
Activist Times, Inc. ATI is a
journalistic, causistic, /
/cyberpolitical /
/organization, / 4 more info?
/trying to / send SASE
/help y'all, and us / stamps???
change the world / to:
radically, in less / ATI
than two minutes / P.O. Box 2501
increments. / Bloomfield, NJ
- - - - - - - - - 07003
Hello. Welcome to ATI36. Tonight's a
night for insomnia and indigestion for
me, so what better time to write ATI36?
No time like the present!
Ok, first things first. I promised the
Doc Telecom/Raider article for this
issue, which unfortunately I can't
deliver. It's going to be a mammoth
project, because I want it to be really
excellent. I feel that a lot of people
can benefit from reading their story.
So, it WILL be done, and soon. But not
this time around. Sorry, folkz!
In this issue, we have lots of info for
you all: Illegal tapping by telcos,
Earth Day, Madonna, Phone terrorism,
media antics, and more.. First off, we
have Mad Pirate (201):
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Well, Here I am in my first real
excursion into writing for a large
group of people. Here it goes.
I have a few really good Ideas on how
to get revenge on people...By thrashing
the insides of their motorized vehicle
engines... Here they are:
Car Engines
To really screw somebody's day up,
you first get your hands on some nice
steel filings. (The bigger the chunks
The faster it wreaks its damage) I
find that steel works better. You
then pour the filings (about a cup
or so) into a container large enough
so that you can add roughly a quart
of oil. Then mix this up,so that the
filings are equally suspended in the
oil, and pour the entire concoction
into the engine, as if you were
adding oil to it. The Person that
is driving the car will suddenly
develop severe problems with their
car!
There are other ways to ruin a car...
Pour Water into the gas
Pour a water and sugar mixture into
the gas.
I'm sure there are many more ways,but
due to limited space,I can't print
them all.
(II) Transmissions
Using aforementioned steel filings,
substitute transmission fluid for oil
and pour it down respective tube
leading into transmission.
(III) Dirt Bike Engines (2-stroke)
To Kill a person's Dirt bike, pour
sand, steel filings, or even a few
nuts and bolts into the crankcase,
via the oil port.
Another particularly vicious way to
do in a dirt bike is to make a solution
of sugar and water,and add this to the
gasoline. When the engine is running,
it will evaporate the water. The sugar
will then solidify,and burn because
the heat of the engine will cook it,
causing an ugly mess of carbon and goo
to form inside the cylander. Needless
to say,the person will not be very
happy about this as the engine will
no longer continue to run.
If you have time to spare,you can drain
the gas which contains oil which lubri-
cates the piston while the engine is
running, and replace it with oil free
gasoline. The next time the person
attempts to ride,his engine will seize.
Well,that's all I can think of for now.
And remember...Revenge is a dish that
is best served cold.
----------------
-The-Mad-Pirate-
----------------
(If you need to get in touch with me,
to offer advice,suggestios on what to
write next,or whatever, call Red Phone
BBS and leave me E-Mail. The Number is
201-748-4005. Happi Hacking!)
+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
---> Music Department <---
After I took over producing ATI, I
noticed that we have been lacking in
the musical commentary that used to be
ever present in older ATI issues. So...
I decided to say a few words about pop
music, more specifically, Madonna's new
song. And where Madonna is concerned,
the term "music" is of course used
very loosely (Pun intended!).
"When you call my name
It's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees
I wanna take you there"
NICE lyrics! Yeah, that's what we
can expect from Madonna. But her new
song and video, "Like A Prayer" tells
us things about Madonna we didn't know.
We know that carries herself like
a prostitute. We know that she's the
epitome of bad taste. And we know that
she has no talent nor class whatsoever.
But what we didn't know that she would
show disrespect for the church as she
did in her video. Now, I'm not a
religious type, but I find the sight of
Madonna rolling around atop an alter to
be offensive. Not to mention the sight
of her smooching with a religious
statue that comes to life in the video.
Even worse is the sight of holes
opening up in her hands resembling the
way Jesus' hands were torn by his being
nailed to the cross. Is she trying to
liken herself to Christ? I should hope
not. At least not in THAT outfit!
We also didn't know that someone
as apolitical and as uninterested in
social issues would make a vain attempt
to use the issue of racism in her video
to promote her song. In the video, a
young Black man is accused of assault-
ing a white woman after 3 white men had
actually comitted the crime. Madonna
then skips into jail flipping her hair,
and has him released. And we wonder, as
Madonna sings out of key standing in
front of 5 burning crosses, why she's
attempting to cash in on this sort of
thing when her superficiality and
insincerity obviously shine through.
We don't know Madonna's motivation
for presenting such offensive trash.
But--what we do know is that Madonna
and her "music" are of little worth
or consequence. Indeed...
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Some brief news items I decided to
include:
It seems that a previous issue of ATI
gave some incorrect information. We
stated that Joe Friday (918) was busted
for toll fraud. This was incorrect
because WE were lied to by a friend of
his! It seems that Joe decided to let
out a false rumor of him being busted
deliberately. I asked Joe why he did
this, and his response was "becase I
was getting too many phone calls, and
I figured a bust rumor would scare them
into not calling". Gee Joe, the rest
of the modern world CHANGES THEIR
NUMBER when encountered with that
situation!
We here at ATI completely and utterly
disapprove of the intentional spreading
of false rumors, especially false bust
rumors. Since there is more than ample
confusion and panic in the phreaking
community, we feel that false bust
rumors add to the paranoia greatly. I
myself have observed that about 1/3
of the busts I've heard about were
completely fabricated, usually by the
person who was supposedly "busted"!
Apparently Joe Friday has run into a
windfall of computer equipment and put
up a "phreak" BBS. We will obtain the
number, call it and give you a full
report in a future ATI! In the
meantime, Joe is invited to provide an
eager audience with his side of the
story. I'll give him the last word.
And here's an unrelated item: It has
been proposed that the NCIC's online
records become expanded. The NCIC
(National Crime Investigation Center)
is a governmental mainframe that
receives millions of inquiries each day
by over 70,000 agencies. It provides
info on people who have been convicted
of felonies. But it's been proposed
that the NCIC's records include info
on people who are only SUSPECTED of
committing felonies. If this is to come
about, some severe intrusions on
privacy of millions of Americans will
come about. And if you're a political
activist, phone ohreak, etc.. expect
YOUR info to be in the NCIC soon.
If it's not already there..
Also: A 28 year-old investment banker
in NYC was attacked by as many as 12
youths in Central Park while she was
jogging. She was beaten over the head
with a pipe and other objects and
raped by many assailants. Since then,
she has been in a coma, and after two
weeks is only starting to come out now.
There has been a lot of furor over the
attack. NYC mayor Ed Koch said, "We
will see how the justice system will
perform in this incident..", meaning
that some kind of "example" must be
set. Soon after he said that, eight
Black teens were arrested for the
attack, ranging in age from 14 to 17.
They have been held without bail and
arraigned, and it has been reported
that they said the attack was "fun"
and showed no remorse.
Reverend Al Sharpton said that the
teens should be "excused" from the
crime due to their age and the fact
that they grew up in a "bad" environ-
ment. And recently, tycoon Donald
Trump took out full-page ads in all
four major NYC newspapers saying,
"Bring back the death penalty...Bring
back the police!", in huge bold print.
The ad preaches absolute intolerance
for the teens, and has made many
people angry, including myself. What
right does he have to demand the death
penalty for criminals when he is one
himself? And what right does he have to
plaster his opinions everywhere just
because he's rich? What makes his
opinion more important that anyone's?
Indeed, as Koch said, we WILL see how
the justice system performs in this
case. Should be an interesting show..
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And now, some more news items of
interest written by Nightcrawler (516):
=============================================================================
Nightcrawler's News from the Net
=============================================================================
Today's Independent newspaper contains an advert by BMW which provides yet
further evidence of the automative industry's flagrant disregard for the
possible risks associated with new computer-based technology. The main text o
the advert is reprinted below, in its entirety, followed by a brief note of
some of what I regard as the more obvious risks.
BEFORE A BMW WILL START IT WEIGHS UP WHO'S DRIVING
First BMW brought you ABS, for safer braking in the wet. Then came ASC, to
help counter wheelspin during acceleration. Today, they can unveil DWS:
probably the most significant advance in anti-theft technology to occur in
recent years.
DWS stands for Driver's Weight Sensor. A unique system that compares the
driver's weight with a pre-programmed value stored in the sensor's computer
memory. If the two values do not match, the car simply refuses to start.
Clearly, this represents a whole new level of anti-theft sophistication.
But one that has only be made possible thanks to recent advances in space
satellite PHAT technology. This remarkable new material - Poly Halide Anodal
Tritium - exhibits a highly predictable change in electrical conductivity
according to the pressure exerted upon it. By harnessing these properties,
BMW's engineers have devised a wafer-thin pressure pad that, when
incorporated into the driver's seat, can electronically assess the occupant's
weight to within 10 grams accuracy.
Such is the system's intelligence, it will take account of bodyweight
variations that occur according to the time of day, or even the time of year.
This it achieves by interlocking with the car's on-board 365-day digital
clock. Accurate allowance can then be made for weight increases that may be
expected immediately after meal times, and those that are caused by
multi-layer clothing during the winter months.
Despite its space age technology, the operation of DWS is simplicity itself.
On entering the car, the driver inserts the ignition key, at which point the
words ?Code Enter' flash up on the dashboard LED display. Up to five of these
codes can be stored for five different drivers. The driver now enters his
personal code on the key pad and his weight appears on the light-up display,
expressed in either pounds or kilos. (Lady drivers who would prefer this
visible display switched off should consult their BMW dealer, who will carry
out the small necessary adjustment free of charge.)
The sensor weight reading is then compared to the programmed weight in the
memory, and providing this falls to within +-5%, the car will start normally.
If, however, the figure exceeds these tolerances, then a discreet gong
sounds, and the entire ignition system shuts down.
Should persistent attempts be made to restart the car, an alarm system is
triggered, and the headlights flash alternately until the unauthorised person
vacates the seat and re-closes the door.
At the same time a pre-recorded message is transmitted on the standard
police radio frequency, notifying all walkie-talkie equipped police officers
within 350 metres of the car's registration number.
If you'd like to know whether the Driver's Weight Sensor anti-theft system
can be fitted to your car, contact your local BMW dealer, or post off the
Some likely risks:
Just when you have arrived back from a week-end backpacking, and are desperate
to get to MacDonald's before they close, the car is likely to refuse to
recognise you. (The opposite problem is perhaps not so bad - for example, it
would be good for you to be occasionally forced to walk or jog to
WeightWatcher's class.)
Suppose the car does consent to take you to MacDonald's, the weight display,
which I assume is dynamically updated, will be an additional and dangerous
distraction while you drive home eating your Big Mac. (A head-up display would
reduce this risk.)
A person's weight variations over the year are strongly correlated to cultural
racial, and religious factors. Almost certainly, therefore, this system will
provide another example of "computerized discrimination".
There is even a security-related risk. By periodically dieting, a spy could us
the occasional transmissions of the pre-recorded message as a covert signallin
channel to a near-by embassy, say.
============================================================================
GALACTIC HACKER PARTY
2nd, 3rd, 4th of August 1989
PARADISO, AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND
During the summer of 1989 the world as we know it will go into overload.
An interstellar particle stream of hackers, phone phreaks, radioactivists
and assorted technological subversives will be fusing their energies into a
media melt-down as the global village plugs into Amsterdam for three
electrifying days of information interchange and electronic capers.
Aided by the advanced communications technology to which they are accustomed,
the hacker forces will discuss strategies, play games, and generally have a
good time. Free access to permanently open on-line facilities will enable the
to keep in touch with home base -- wherever that is.
Those who rightly fear the threat of information tyranny and want to learn wha
they can do about it are urgently invited to interface in Amsterdam in August.
There will be much to learn from people who know. Celebrity guests with
something to say will be present in body or electronic spirit.
The Force must be nurtured. If you are refused transport because your laptop
looks like a bomb, cut off behind enemy lines, or unable to attend for any
other reason, then join us on the networks. Other hacker groups are requested
to organize similar gatherings to coincide with ours. We can provide low-cost
international communications links during the conference.
For further information, take up contact as soon as possible with:
HACK-TIC PARADISO
P.O. box 22953 Weteringschans 6-8
1100 DL Amsterdam 1017 SG Amsterdam
The Netherlands The Netherlands
tel: +31 20 6001480 tel: +31 20 264521 / +31 20 237348
fax: +31 20 763706 fax: +31 20 222721
============================================================================
PC WEEK (March 27, 1989) reports:
"The recent rash of remote local area network software
packages has thrust the PC industry into a national
controversy over electronic monitoring and workers'
rights to privacy.
At question is whether or not products such as . . .
Microcom Inc.'s Carbon Copy, which can be configured to
allow undetected monitoring of PCs, violate workers'
Fourth Amendment rights 'of people to be secure in
their persons, houses, papers and effects, against
unreasonable searches and seizures.'
In answer to complaints from Massachusetts unions that
workers' rights are being violated, the Massachusetts
Coalition of New Office Technology (CNOT) plans to set
up some guidelines to regulate employers who opt for
electronic monitoring. The group's first step is to
file a bill with the Massachusetts Dept. of Labor that
would force employers to notify job applicants of any
electronic monitoring . . . and to inform workers when
they are being monitored."
Carbon Copy is usually perceived as software which allows one PC to be
controlled from another remotely located one. But programs like Carbon Copy
can be configured to observe network activity without a user's permission,
detection, or override. Lisa Morel of Microcom reports that: "the ones who
While monitoring software can provide important network trouble- shooting and
tuning help, users may view its secret operation as "condoned tapping."
Monitoring differs from event logging. More than recording what the user does
monitoring software clones the user's activity on the observer's terminal.
Interest in using undetected monitoring programs may increase with growing
concern about network security and management. These programs are not limited
to PC platforms. Moreover, serious reservations reach beyond the nasty
business of how managers gather employee performance data.
o The observer may monitor user access to organizationally
sensitive information.
o Secret monitoring conflicts with the Information Resource
Management (IRM) principle of user data ownership.
o From a lay legal view:
- In a Federal government environment (including
contractors), secret monitoring of user access to
personnel information could lead to violation of the
Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579).
- Undetected monitoring of a third-party's remote session
could violate the Electronic Communications Privacy Act
of 1986 (Public Law 99-508).
In efforts to preserve security and integrity, are system managers and their
parent organizations prepared to handle the ramifications of secret monitoring
===========================================================================
Subject: Computer blunders blamed for massive student loan losses
Bank of America and possibly other major international banks stand to lose
as much as $650 million on bad student loans, due to computer problems at
United Education and Software.
The 'Wall Street Journal' for Friday, March 10, provides the first hints of
details I've seen on the nature of the "computer blunders" which earlier
stories hinted at. The article, by Charles F. McCoy and Richard B.
Schmitt, is headlined UNITED EDUCATION'S COMPUTER BLUNDERS FORM VORTEX OF
BIG STUDENT LOAN FIASCO. Excerpts:
Computers at United Education and Software, Inc. ... ran wild for at
least eight months. They rejected payments from overdue borrowers
and addressed collection notices intended for New Yorkers to such
places as "Radio City, N.Y.," among other gaffes. United Education
and its colossal computer mistakes are at the heart of what is
emerging as one of the most tangled loan fiascos in years...
The U.S. Dept. of Education has refused to honor guarantees on certain
federally backed student loans serviced by United Education. That
raises the possibility that BankAmerica or other banks that backed
the loans with letters of credit will have to shoulder huge defaults.
Citicorp and several Japanese banks, dispute how much of the liability
United Education's beserk computer produced records that are so fouled
up that nobody knows how much the losses eventually will be.
United Education and Software, oringinally a trade-school operator,
began servicing student loans in 1983, and grew rapidly, developing
a portfolio of more than $1 billion in less than five years... The
computer problems apparently stemmed from United Education's switch
to a new system in October 1987. According to officials familiar with
the problems, United Education's programmers introduced major software
errors and failed to properly debug the new system.
Among the results, according to a Dept. of Education audit report:
United Education sent delinquency notices to students who were still
in school and thus weren't scheduled even to begin payments on the loans.
It placed students who were supposed to have been granted deferments
into default. It didn't inform many laggard borrowers that they were
delinquent, while informing some current borrowers that they were. The
computers also apparently logged telephone calls that were never made
and didn't log calls that were. United Education applied payments to
interest when they were supposed to be applied to interest and principal...
Aaron Cohen, president of United Education, called the depth of the
problems identified by the audit a "shock." He said the company was
aware of bugs in the new software that were causing accounting errors,
but had no idea its loan servicing operation had run amok. He thought
any problems were routine. "Software companies have problems all the
time," he said...
------------------------------
Subject: Prisoner access to confidential drivers' records
>From a story by Leo Wolinsky in the 'Los Angeles Times' 5-March-89:
way, state prisoners soon will be put to work sorting through
confidential motor vehicle records as part of the governor's plan
to keep inmates working and save taxpayers money.
But the program, which is set to begin July 1, is prompting con-
cern among some lawmakers and other officials who worry that the
records -- which include names, addresses and some financial
information about California motorists -- might end up in the
hands of career criminals.
"The concept boggles the mind," said Assemblyman Richard Katz,
chairman of the Transportation Committee. "They may be car thieves...
They may have killed people or molested kids and now we're going to
It seems like an open invitation for trouble."
.... No one is sure what illicit uses, if any, inmates might make
of the information. But the Legislature's nonpartisan analyst
charged in a report that procedures employed by the state "may not
be adequate" to ensure the security of the documents. "From our
position, there is a fair amount that could be done even with this
officers said they believe the inmates were searching for addresses
of prison officials .....
PS. It is not clear from the newspaper article whether the records involved
would be paper or on-line, so, strictly speaking, this may not involve any
computer-based system RISK.
------------------------------
VIRUS HITS HOSPITAL COMPUTERS
A "virus" infected computers at three Michigan hospitals last
fall and disrupted patient diagnosis at two of the centers in
what appears to be the first such invasion of a medical computer,
it was reported last week.
The infiltration did not harm any patients but delayed diagnoses
by shutting down domputers, creating files of nonexistent patients
and garbling names on patient records, which could have caused more
serious problems.
"It definitely did affect care in delaying things, and it could have
affected care in terms of losing this information completely," said
Dr. Jack Juni, a staff physician at the William Beaumont Hospitals
in Troy and Royal Oak, Mich., two of the hospitals involved. "It
was pretty disturbing."
If patient information had been lost, the virus could have forced
doctors to repeat tests that involve exposing patients to radiation,
Juni said. The phony and garbled files could have caused a mix-up
in patient diagnosis, he said.
"This was information we were using to base diagnoses on," said Juni,
who reported the case in a letter in the New England Journal of
Medicine. "We were lucky and caught it in time."
=========================================================================
Date: Tue, 28 Mar 89 08:06:39 PST
Subject: Prank Virus Warning Message
An individual placed a time bomb message on a government service system in the
San Francisco Bay Area saying, "WARNING! A computer virus has infected the
system!" The individual is learning that such a prank is considered almost as
funny as saying that you have a bomb in your carry-on luggage as you board a
plane.
Bruce Baker, Information Security Program, SRI International
===========================================================================
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 89 13:27:32 BST
Subject: Subversive bulletin boards
This week's (26 March.) Sunday Times (UK) has an article relating to a Bulleti
Board being run by a 14-year-old boy in Wilmslow, Cheshire, England, which
contains information relating to such things as making plastic explosives.
Anti-terrorist detectives are said to be investigating for possible breaches o
the Obscene Publications Act. Apparently reporters were able to easily gain
access to this bulletin board and peruse articles on such subjects as credit
card fraud, making various types of explosive, street fighting techniques and
dodging police radar traps. One article was obviously aimed at children and
described how to make a bomb suitable for use on "the car of a teacher you do
not like at school," which would destroy the tyre of a car when it was started
The boys parents did not seem to think that their son was doing anything wrong
preferring him to be working with his computer rather than roaming the streets
A London computer consultant, Noel Bradford, is quoted as having seen the
bulletin board and found messages discussing "how to crack British Telecom, ho
to get money out of people and how to defraud credit card companies. Credit
card numbers are given, along with PIN numbers, names, addresses and other
details."
====================================================================
From: "David.J.Ferbrache" <[email protected]>
Subject: UK Computer Threat Research Association
For those of you interested an umbrella organisation has been established
in the UK to co-ordinate information on, and research into all aspects of
computer security. In the first instance one of the organisations primary
concerns will be combatting the threat posed by computer viruses by
acting as a clearing house for virus information and control software.
Below is a copy of an initial letter mailed to prospective members:
The Computer Threat Research Association
The computer threat research association, CoTra is a non-profit making
organisation that exists to research, analyse, publicise and find solutions fo
threats to the integrity and reliability of computer systems.
The issue that caused the formation of CoTra was the rise of the computer
virus. This problem has since become surrounded by fear, uncertainty and doubt
To the average user the computer virus and its implications are a worry of an
unknown scale. To a few unfortunates whose systems have become a critical issu
The key advantage of CoTra membership will be access to advice and information
Advice will be provided through publications, an electronic conference (a
closed conference for CoTra's members has been created on the Compulink CIX
system) as well as other channels such as general postings direct to members
when a new virus is discovered.
CoTra membership will be available on a student, full or corporate member
basis. All software that is held by CoTra that enhances system reliability,
such as virus detection and removal software, will be available to all members
It is intended to establish discounts with suppliers of reliability tools and
services. A library of virus sources and executables and other dangerous
research material will be made available to members who have a demonstrable
need.
A register of consultants who have specific skills in the systems reliability
field will be published by CoTra and reviews of reliability enhancing software
will be produced.
Your support of CoTra will ensure that you have the earliest and most accurate
information about potential threats to your computer systems.
CoTra, The computer threat research association,
c/o 144 Sheerstock, Haddenham, Bucks. HP17 8EX
Part of the organisation's aim is to establish reciprocal links with other
similar organisations worldwide to facilitate the sharing of experience and
rapid flow of information on new threats.
To this end if you are involved in, or have contacts with, a similar
organisation in your country, please write to CoTra (or by email to me, and I
will forward your correspondence) outlining your organisation and its aims.
Yours sincerely,
Dave Ferbrache, Dept of computer science, Heriot-Watt University, 79 Grassmark
==============================================================================
Guess what? We've run out of space!
So we will spill everything else we
have for you into ATI37. Go download
OK
it now.... OK?
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