Re: What is a "hack"?

[Chad Choi Lin <chadlin@nyetcom.com>]

Frank Carney wrote:

> I can't remember the source, but this is true as far as I know.  There
> were two "hackers".  One was continually breaking into computer systems
> and leaving nasty messages on various computer systems in the US.  The
> FBI could not catch him and had been trying for months.  They kept
> asking hacker number two to help catch him.  He already had a good job
> and did not have time.  Some how hacker number one found out about
> hacker number two and challenged him by breaking into his system.
> Hacker number two now took it personal and found hacker number one
> within a week or two.  Now, number one was a good hacker, number two was
> an awesome hacker.

That sounds suspiciously like the Mitnick-Shimomura incident, where a
supposedly malicious hacker (i.e.: a "cracker") got caught by a righteous
hacker who was targetted by said villian. At least, that is the story
according to the FBI, Tsutomu Shimomura, and John Markoff (a writer who had
already covered Kevin Mitnick in his book with Katie Hafner, _Cyberpunks_).
The only problem with this is that these people have a vested interest in
portraying Mitnick as a "Dark Side" hacker who was abusing his computer
skills for destructive purposes -- Shimomura and Markoff had a book deal
that seems to have paid off handsomely for them, and the FBI ...well,
they're the FBI.

I know there are a lot of people who disagree, but if there is one thing I
know it is that you have to be able to look at an issue from the opposite
angle. So many things that we as a country and a society have accepted as
valid have later turned out to be total B.S. -- the Red Scare anti-communist
movement, the Cold War, Reaganomics and The Trickle-Down Theory, etc. And
our federal agencies have a tarnished record when it comes to honesty and
forthrightness: for example, the CIA knew that the Contras were smuggling
illegal drugs such as marijuana and crack cocaine into the U.S. -- and they
informed the White House of what was going on -- yet they made no move to
stop the drug smuggling and they denied any knowledge of the whole
operation! The implications are staggering: while Ronald and Nancy Reagan
were exhorting the nation to "Just Say No!" to drugs, they were knowingly
supporting Nicaraguan rebels to wage an illegal war -- guerillas who also
happened to be supplying to America those oh-so-dangerous illegal drugs! Put
*that* in your pipe and smoke it!

If you have any doubts as to whether or not this is true, here's proof
positive: in October of 1998 the CIA finally 'fessed up and admitted the
whole thing. You can read the story of the Californian news reporter who
first uncovered the truth, lost his newspaper job when he ran the story, and
survived to tell everyone "I told you so" at this website:

http://www.ocweekly.com/ink/archives/99/9lede-webb.shtml

>  Somehow deep down I see number one not deserving the
> title of hacker.  The reason is I guess I have this utopian view of
> hacking in its essence:  The challenge is the whole point, not the
> wanton destruction of personal property.  What I mean is a good (break
> in) hack is to get and get out without a trace.  Anyway, that is why I
> have disdain for the media depiction.
>
> --
> To e-mail me please click here mailto:frankc@cyberhighway.net or remove
> remove "NOSPAM" from the reply-to address.

My feelings exactly, but the distinction between "hacker" (a skilled
craftsman who does what he does for the joy of learning and the love of his
art, whether it involves computers or not) and "cracker" (someone who uses
his computer to break into other people's systems, usually with some
collateral damage) is unfortunately lost on the general public. All the more
reason, in my opinion, that we should question the Official Line being fed
to us from any party, including our government.

For that matter, to get the UNofficial line on Kevin Mitnick, try this URL:

http://www.2600.com


Peace, Love, and Question The Knowledge,
Chad Choi Lin
chadlin@nyetcom.com

**************
Apple II Forever!
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