%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:% : : % Hacker 'Theives' % : : % Typed by: % : *> Silent Rebel <* : % % :%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%: Taken from: Chicago Sun-Times July 18, 1985 HACKER 'THIEVES' Teens' computer cheating probed SOUTH PLAINFIELD,N.J.- Several teenage computer buffs called around the world for free, used other people's credit cards and forced the Pentagon and a telephone company to check for security breaches, authorities said yesterday. They said they were plowing through information the youths stored and checking whether any of the 630 people nationwide whose names have been found were involved in illegal behavior. In the meantime, the seven have been charged with juvenille delinquency in a conspiracy to gain access to computers without proper authorization. Their equipment was confiscated, but they were allowed to stay in the custody of their parents. The case was cracked by Patrolman Michael Grennier, a computer buff who spent 150 hours at his keyboard with South Plainfield Detective George Green to track down the youthful hackers. Green described them as inquisitive teens from normal, everyday families. Of the 630 people whose names were found, he said, "90 percent probably didn't do anything illegal." "Most of the parents do not know that their son is actually doing this; they are intimidated by the system and they're just letting their son go on with whatever he's doing," Grennier said."I suggest that parents get more involved with their sons' computers." Middlesex County Assistant Prosecutor Frank Graves said flatly of the seven hackers: "They're just a bunch of little kids who have computers-and they're thieves." Green said the youths were exchanging information on a computer bulletin board that contained information on false credit card numbers, instructions for making a letter bomb and directions for making devices that trick the telephone company into charging calls to other parties. Grennier said the youths somehow gained access to AT&T manuals that he described as corporate secrets. The information allowed them to make free overseas calls using a satellite, he said. Green said there is evidence the youths got into the computer system of a credit rating company and a medical library that should have been limited to subscribers. Green said two youths have admitted the telephone and credit card charges. He said police know the two received a car speaker stereo system, a radar detector and magazine subscriptions and they suspect that thousands of dollars worth of goods and services were obtained free. Prosecutors said yesterday the youths had access to the private numbers of Defense Department officials,including top generals, and Prosector Allan Rockoff said their activities included "changing the position of satellites." But Graves said later Rockoff was referring to the fact that when phone calls are relayed by satellites, parts must move to make the transmission. "There is absolutely no way computer hackers can interrupt or move satellites,"said Neal Norman,district manager of corporate security for AT&T Communications. The Pentagon also said there was no penetration of its computers. %:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:% : : %This was a production of Silent Rebel% : : %:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:%:% [Ripco] Which 1-60 ?=menu,=abort: [Ctrl-S Stop/Start] [Spacebar to Exit] RIPCO Main G-Phile Menu 7/24/88 --------------------------------------- Sub-menu selections: last updated (1) Telecom Series 7/24/88 (2) Numbers 7/24/88 (3) Anarchy 7/24/88 (4) Telecommunications 7/24/88 (5) Misc. 7/24/88 (6) Apple ][ Files 7/24/88 (7) Newspaper & Law Articles 7/24/ Main Command Level [(>.