==Phrack Magazine==
Volume Five, Issue Forty-Six, File 1 of 28
Issue 46 Index
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P H R A C K 4 6
September 20, 1994
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Volume Five, Issue Forty-Six, File 2a of 28
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Phrack Editorial
If you aren't from America, this editorial really isn't meant for you,
so read on with warning, or go on to the next file.
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Stupid hackers.
We've got to do something to clean up our image.
We truly are "America's Most Valuable Resource," as ex-CIA spook Robert
Steele has said so many times. But if we don't stop screwing over our own
countrymen, we will never be looked at as anything more than common
gutter trash. Hacking computers for the sole purpose of collecting
systems like space-age baseball cards is stupid, pointless and can only
lead to a quick trip up the river.
Obviously, no one is going to stop hacking. I've been lucky in that I've
found people willing to pay me to hack for them rather than against
them, but not everyone can score such a coup. What kind of alternative
can the rest of the community have?
Let's say that everyone was given an opportunity to hack without any
worry of prosecution with free access to a safe system to hack from,
with the only catch being that you could not hack certain systems.
Military, government, financial, commercial and university systems would
all still be fair game. Every operating system, every application, every
network type all open to your curious minds.
Would this be a good alternative? Could you follow a few simple
guidelines for the offer of virtually unlimited hacking with no worry of
governmental interference?
Where am I going with this?
Right now we are at war. You may not realize it, but we all feel the
implications of this war, because it's a war with no allies, and
enormous stakes. It's a war of economics.
The very countries that shake our hands over the conference tables of
NATO and the United Nations are picking our pockets. Whether it be the
blatant theft of American R&D by Japanese firms, or the clandestine and
governmentally-sanctioned bugging of Air France first-class seating, or
the cloak-and-dagger hacking of the SWIFT network by the German BND's
Project Rahab, America is getting fucked.
Every country on the planet is coming at us. Let's face it, we are the
leaders in everything. Period. Every important discovery in this
century has been by an American or by an American company. Certainly
other countries have better profited by our discoveries, but
nonetheless, we are the world's think-tank.
So, is it fair that we keep getting shafted by these so-called "allies?"
Is it fair that we sit idly by, like some old hound too lazy to scratch
at the ticks sucking out our life's blood by the gallon? Hell no.
Let's say that an enterprising group of computer hackers decided to
strike back. Using equipment bought legally, using network connections
obtained and paid for legally, and making sure that all usage was
tracked and paid for, this same group began a systematic attack of
foreign computers. Then, upon having gained access, gave any and all
information obtained to American corporations and the Federal
government.
What laws would be broken? Federal Computer Crime Statutes specifically
target so-called "Federal Interest Computers." (ie: banks,
telecommunications, military, etc.) Since these attacks would involve
foreign systems, those statutes would not apply. If all calls and
network connections were promptly paid for, no toll-fraud or other
communications related laws would apply.
International law is so muddled that the chances of getting extradited
by a country like France for breaking into systems in Paris from Albuquerque
is slim at best. Even more slim when factoring in that the information
gained was given to the CIA and American corporations.
Every hacking case involving international breakins has been tried and
convicted based on other crimes. Although the media may spray headlines
like "Dutch Hackers Invade Internet" or "German Hackers Raid NASA,"
those hackers were tried for breaking into systems within THEIR OWN
COUNTRIES...not somewhere else. 8lgm in England got press for hacking
world-wide, but got nailed hacking locally. Australia's Realm Hackers:
Phoenix, Electron & Nom hacked almost exclusively other countries, but
use of AT&T calling cards rather than Australian Telecom got them a charge
of defrauding the Australian government. Dutch hacker RGB got huge press
hacking a US military site and creating a "dquayle" account, but got
nailed while hacking a local university. The list goes on and on.
I asked several people about the workability of my proposal. Most
seemed to concur that it was highly unlikely that anyone would have to
fear any action by American law enforcement, or of extradition to
foreign soil to face charges there. The most likely form of retribution
would be eradication by agents of that government. (Can you say,
"Hagbard?")
Well, I'm willing to take that chance, but only after I get further
information from as many different sources as I can. I'm not looking
for anyone to condone these actions, nor to finance them. I'm only
interested in any possible legal action that may interfere with my
freedom.
I'm drafting a letter that will be sent to as many different people as
possible to gather a fully-formed opinion on the possible legal
ramifications of such an undertaking. The letter will be sent to the FBI,
SS, CIA, NSA, NRO, Joint Chiefs, National Security Council, Congress,
Armed Forces, members of local and state police forces, lawyers, professors,
security professionals, and anyone else I can think of. Their answers
will help fully form my decision, and perhaps if I pass along their
answers, will help influence other American hackers.
We must take the offensive, and attack the electronic borders of other
countries as vigorously as they attack us, if not more so. This is
indeed a war, and America must not lose.
->Erik Bloodaxe...Hacker...American.
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Ok, so maybe that was a bit much. But any excuse to hack without fear
should be reason enough to exert a bit of Nationalism.
I'd much rather be taken out by the French in some covert operation and
go out a martyr, than catch AIDS after being raped by the Texas
Syndicate in the metal shop of some Federal Prison. Wouldn't you?
==Phrack Magazine==