You have programmed your personal computer to dial into Dragonfire, a
computer bulletin board in Gainsville, Texas. But before you get any
information, Dragonfire demands your name, home city, and phone number. So,
for tonight's tour of the electronic wilderness you become "Montana Wildhack"
of San Francisco.
Dragonfire, Sherwood Forrest(sic), Forbidden Zone, Blottoland,
Plovernet, The Vault, Shadowland, PhBI, and scores of other computer bulletin
boards are hangouts of a new generation of vandals. These precocious teen
agers use their electronic skills to play hide and seek with computer and
telephone security forces. Many computer bulletin boards are completely
legitimate: they resemble electronic versions of the familiar cork boards in
supermarkets and school corridors, listing services and providing imformation
some one out there is bound to find useful. But this is a walk on the wild
side, a trip into the world of underground computer bulletin boards dedicated
to encouraging -- and making -- mischief. The phone numbers for these boards
are closely guarded as a psychiatrist's home telephone number. Some numbers
are posted on underground boards, others are exchanged over the telephone. A
friendly hacker provided Dragonfire's number. Hook up and you see a choice
of topics offered. For phone phreaks -- who delight in stealing service from
AT&T and other phone networks -- Phreakenstein's Lair is a potpourri of phone
numbers, access codes, and technical information. For computer hackers --
who dial into other people's computers -- Ranger's Lodge is chock-full of
numbers and passwords for government, university, and corporate computers.
Moving through Dragonfire's offerings, you can only marvel at how
conversant these teen-agers are with the technical esoterica of today's
electronic age. Obviously,they have spent a great deal of time studying
computers, though their grammar and spelling indicate they haven't been as
diligent in other subjects. You are constantly reminded of how young they
are. "Well, it's that time of year again. School is back in session so
let's get those high school phone numbers rolling in. Time to get straight
A's, have perfect attendance (except when you've been up all night hacking
school passwords), and messing up your worst teacher's paycheck."
Moving through Dragonfire's offerings, you can only marvel at how
conversant these teen-agers are with the technical esoterica of today's
electronic age. Obviously,they have spent a great deal of time studying
computers, though their grammar and spelling indicate they haven't been as
diligent in other subjects. You are constantly reminded of how young they
are. "Well, it's that time of year again. School is back in session so
let's get those high school phone numbers rolling in. Time to get straight
A's, have perfect attendance (except when you've been up all night hacking
school passwords), and messing up your worst teacher's paycheck."
