288 DEAR HACKER

288 DEAR HACKER

we’d probably never be able to print anything. As far as your “concerns,” let’s get a little real. We’re talking about a major computer system that has a wide open front door into root! Who would we be serving by keeping that to ourselves? Something along these lines is way too bizarre for our tastes. And, sure enough, at least one of our readers was able to provide some valuable insight into this. Had we done it your way and kept it to ourselves and all of the people like you “who know what’s going on,” this nationwide hacker trap would never have been discovered.

Dear 2600:

I read your publication for only one reason—to try to keep up with the enemy. I am responsible for a number of large PBXs, many with voicemail systems. One of my biggest problems is keeping irresponsible hackers and thieves out of my business. You publish on the premise that those who want to know have a right to know. I don’t dispute that until they start poking around in my voicemail system (or anyone else’s) often with less than honorable intentions and do damage or steal from me. They may have a right to know, but they have no right to explore my system or use it for anything other than what I want it used for.

We spend time and money securing our systems. Features we would like to use are turned off because a thief might discover them and could potentially steal from us at the rate of thousands of dollars an hour. I would rather have my technicians doing productive work.

In your last issue, you put the naive kid from Puerto Rico in his place because it is obvious he only had larceny on his mind. Unfortunately, this same kid is going to be educated in how to achieve his objective by your publication. You reinforce (and implicitly encourage) his notion that it can be done and gotten away with. Many of the articles you publish are reports of crimes committed and how it was done by the perpetrators in enough detail to repeat the act, not simply information about how to get behind the locked door. Often you cross over the line to the side of irresponsibility.

OUR BIGGEST FANS

Thanks for listening. I am sure if you publish this letter, thieves and hackers everywhere will discover they offend me (and others) and stop doing what they do. I won’t have to waste time securing my systems. The world will be saved.

Pissed Off in Houston While we understand your frustration, we feel compelled to suggest that you seek

another line of work. If securing your systems is a waste of time to you, you’re not doing anybody any favors. The reason you can’t use those features you want to use is because they’re lousy features with gaping holes you could drive a bus through. Be glad you haven’t fallen victim to them and the outrageous billing schemes the phone companies slap on their customers.

We print facts on weaknesses and vulnerabilities. It’s what we’ve been doing from the start and we’re not about to cut off the information flow because information can be misused. It would be a very scary precedent to set. The information we print can be used by smart people to prevent their becoming victims. Unfortunately, too many think that ignoring what we say or keeping us from saying it will make every- thing unpleasant go away.

Dear 2600: