112 DEAR HACKER

112 DEAR HACKER

it tells the server when you tried to use their phf and your email ad- dress. There might be a few more things that it writes down in the log, but then again this is only a guess. Remember this the next time you try this because I don’t know all of the details. Can anyone tell me if using phf in any way is illegal?

The Hemroid

We don’t believe testing a security flaw is something that people should get in trouble for. But rules vary depending upon where you are and who your enemies are. In theory we live in a fair-minded democracy but in actuality our nation is com- prised of smaller sections where democratic ideals are not necessarily held in high esteem—such as your school, your workplace, or Tennessee.

Dear 2600: Two people in my area (Ocala, Florida), have been caught for talking,

that’s right, just talking to 13-year-old girls and making the mistake of letting them know exactly where they were going to be at a particular moment in time. While you may think this is “wrong” at first, buying into the socially acceptable and popular concepts of what is right and wrong, think first of the implications.

These two people have been arrested, not for their actions, but for what they have said. These are two people who do not have the resources for great lawyers that would eat the government alive for issues such as free speech and entrapment... but two regular people, much like ourselves were arrested for just speaking to a minor. Think about that: just speaking to someone online is enough to get you arrested and have the media speculate grossly about the so-called “porn” they’ve found on your hard drive. Talking to a minor and possessing legal pornog- raphy are enough to get you arrested with trumped up charges that “protect” the children.... I contend that it is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children not to meet strangers, etc. They should teach the children logic instead of trying to shirk off their responsibility to the government to the detriment of the rest of society.

Anonymous

THE CHALLENGES OF LIFE AS A HACKER

All of the sensationalism in the media has helped create this paranoid and suspi- cious society where the worst is always assumed of everyone. There are dangers to children and they should be addressed. But somehow, this kind of reactionary thinking is far scarier for all of us.

Dear 2600:

I recently found myself in a disturbing situation. I was at a shopping mall and needed to make a phone call. I went to a payphone, inserted the proper coinage, then I used my Sony Magic Link as a phone di- aler and proceeded with my call. Minutes later, I was approached by two mall security guards. One grabbed my Magic Link and the other grabbed the phone out of my hand and hung it up. They told me they were detaining me until the police arrived. At this point my head was spinning, when I asked them for what reason, they told me it was for illegal use of the payphone. I could not understand what they meant. When I asked, they stated that I used an illegal electronic device to steal telephone service. Then they proceeded to turn on my Magic Link, however, it was password protected. They told me to enter the password. I refused, stating that to do so is in violation of my right to privacy. Then they proceeded to escort me to the security office like a common criminal. When the police arrived, a videotape was reviewed showing me approaching the phone, inserting money, then using my Magic Link. When the officer saw this, he told them there was nothing that he could do and that it was incorrect to have apprehended me in the first place. They told me to leave. On my way out, one of the security guards yelled to me, “Don’t let us catch you with that thing in our mall again!” What I really want to know is, was it actually

a violation of my rights asking me to enter the password? Doing so would give them access to all of my personal information. Any help is much appreciated.

X-Ion Noize You absolutely do not have to show these idiots anything that’s password pro-

tected. They can pursue it but to do so would involve their having knowledge of some sort of a crime having been committed. In this case, they had nothing.