386 DEAR HACKER

386 DEAR HACKER

Dear 2600: I’m always reading your articles about how atrocious the public school

system can get so I thought I’d try to give you an accurate portrayal of the Federal Bureau of Prisons. I am currently serving 18 months for a non-computer-related conspiracy conviction, a charge where no evidence is necessary to convict, only testimony, and it is my first of- fense. When I arrived, I was not provided with a copy of any rules and regulations, nor was I given my customary phone call. I picked up one of the inmate phones and dialed 1-800-COLLECT to get a message through to my family and a voice came on and said “You have dialed an unauthorized number” and the line went dead. A week later I was called up front and informed that a report had been run that identified me, through the use of my PIN, as a violator of Program Statement 53264.06, page 12: “Consistent with the Bureau’s correctional man- agement objectives and except as noted in this program statement, an inmate may not place calls to telephone numbers for which all the actual expenses for the call cannot be directly and immediately deducted from the inmate’s account.” This was a 200 series offense. Other 200 series offenses include extortion and assault.

// buddha

Dear 2600: Hi! With only seven or so hours of incarceration left, I thought I’d

write and thank you for all you have done for me, and for spreading information to the public to help fight the good fight. It was a good experience seeing our country, our society, and our government in action, and I have come to see what 2600 really stands for.

I wish you luck with all your troubles, current and future, and hope for all our sakes that reason and freedom will prevail.

Eric Burns

BEHIND THE WALLS

Welcome back. Putting someone in prison for simply hacking a web page still seems unbelievable to us. But we’re glad you’re out and keeping a positive out- look on the whole thing. Further proof of a non-criminal mind.

Dear 2600:

I am incarcerated at an “unnamed” facility in the Indiana Department of Corrections. The phone system has recently been taken over by AT&T and now, after five to ten collect calls to my family or friends, the phone company puts a restricted block on the frequently called numbers. Then it requires the owner of each number to prepay an account. When the prepay balance is diminished, the restriction kicks in again without notice to the number’s owner. Does anyone know any tips or tricks about this system that may be of assistance to me? The phone setup is like this. Once the receiver is lifted, you are prompted with the following: “Press one for collect call. Press two for a prepaid collect call.” Once I press one or two, I am prompted to dial my phone number, then my six-digit DOC number and four-digit PIN. The call then either goes through or the restricted calls message comes on.

SystemX

Dear 2600:

I felt you should be informed about what is happening here at the Colorado Department of Corrections. I have been a long-time reader of your magazine and decided to start subscribing back in 2000. You have always provided interesting information and commentary.

As a hacker, I believe as many do that information should be free, and that there is no such thing as good information and evil infor- mation. People make their own choice on how they use information. Nonetheless I’m faced with a wall of ignorance. I have worked as a