Portrait of a Russian hacker
IT IS DANGEROUS TO ANGRY THEM.
THEY ARE SMART AND INVENTIVE.
THE BEST OF THEM ARE SOMETHING IN BETWEEN
FANTOMASOM AND HARRY HOUDINI.
HACKERS.
(c) Marianna Oplinkova
(c) PLAYBOY September 1996
I once had a VISA credit card. No one else
It wasn’t there then, but I was. Not only is it convenient, but also
a source of pride. One day this item really surprised me. B
At the end of the month, a bill came from the bank, where among the expenses was
item: PIZZA HUT - $30. With all my love for American
people to Pizza Hut in good faith, but for their money...
No, very strange. The restaurant spent half a day looking for a copy of my
they didn’t find the account, they apologized profusely and returned my thirty
dollars. A month later the bank informed me that I had spent
Christian Dior store $12 (just enough for a quarter tube
lipstick)... Since there is no explanation
was found, the incidents did not recur, I decided that in everything
It's the bank computers' fault, and I forgot... AI recently talked
with the hacker and instantly remembered.
I think many people are familiar (from cinema and the press) with stories about how
especially capable children while playing with a personal
computer accessed secret files of the CIA, FBI, Congress and
other self-respecting organizations. Organizations, as usual,
raised a cry about where the parents were looking, and tried to start
a lawsuit instead of firing a couple of employees
computer security services. So these are the children
real young hackers. To become full-fledged hackers, they
you just need to grow up a little. And then from the banal
Vasya, Mish, Dzhonov and Kpucob they will turn into guys named Sector
9, Dr. No, Crazy, TTM, Vobla... whoever can do it cooler
express yourself. Their life will be divided into two unequal parts. Alone,
civil, like everyone else - a student with average academic achievements;
the other, the main one, in the computer chair - an insidious burglar
networks, a new Robin Hood with the motto on the shield: “Information must be
available to everyone." Although their own language is understandable to the common
(Russian, for example) the average person is no more than the dialogue of Ukrainian
politicians: some familiar words come across, but the general meaning
slips away. Strike... trade two hundred meg per
day... war scene... favorite board... Or hereclassic
case. Two hackers meet:
- Why are you so sad?
- Yes, my mother died, we need to look for a new one.
The easiest thing would be to accuse youth of promiscuity and
cynicism. But instead, you just need to sympathize with grief:
the hacker will not trade his mamy for anyone, but is killed by
broken part called "motherboard", without which
no computer wants to work.
Another set of obscure terms - classification
hackers in narrow specialties. The actual word "hacker"
used for those who infiltrate other people's systems. Except
In addition, there are: phreakers who know how to operate a telephone
station at a distance, or breaking cell phones; crackers(not
confused with kpekepamu "Tenderness"), which hack programs c
protection sold in stores (for example, games);
and, finally, carders who live off other people’s credit cards.
One of them apparently enjoyed a Big Pizza with Mushrooms and
Salad for my 30 dollars. Carders seem to feel at ease
themselves only in our country, since in the West they have already been caught
well done. In Russia, where can you now order goods?
by phone or via computer, indicating the numberhis
cards, the security system is just beginning to be established.
Not to mention the considerable number of fake credit cards that
Our Kulibins print quickly.
However, there are not many people who want to contact banks, and
their fate is most often sad. Here, let's say, is the story with the most
the now famous Russian hacker Levin and Citi-Bank. She
has already been told in many versions, and all are extremely doubtful.
Even the cymma is called differently everywhere - from 300 thousand dollars to 10
million One thing is clear: Levin did not hack anything. Just in
there was an error in the bank's network system, a so-called "glitch" that
he discovered. And there is no heroism in this. It's like
Guess that in the subway they can get through one token at a time
two, one pressed against the other. At Citi-Bank, remote
distance, employees had access to information. And right after
how the legal "client" was disconnected, the opportunity to pass it
remained the same way. Levin took advantage of it.
There were also successful exceptions. BMW once disappeared from accounts
some colossal cymma, many millions - but no one
found, but the matter was hushed up. It’s understandable: what a reputable company
I want everyone to know how crazy she was.
For us, such beautiful stories are completely excluded for now.Firstly, computer networks inside banks and companies are completely
not developed. So you can only rob them the old fashioned way: wearing a mask
and with firearms. If, after all, there is a network, then
comes into force "secondly": the result of even the most timid
attempts to delve into bank computers may become imminent
acquaintance with the ancient firearms method. Here you go
for example, a letter from our compatriot, a certain TGK, recently
wandering through the waves of the Internet (sorry if anything is not clear):
"Dear ol!
1. I have bad things in my firewall logo. I'm jealous
hecobetckum to hackers who, if caught, will go to jail
will be imprisoned, because as I already expected two years ago, if we
They showed up at the bank, the authorities will not be looking for you, but for the one who is you
shot. These are difficult times for us.
2. When hacking, take care of your own
safety first. There are known cases when a hack
lost IP (Internet access) for a while, or completely. Not
go where you don't need it, it's pointless. In our country money
You can't transfer without a payment card."
Next is a story about how TGK receives a call from a certain person from
Inkombanka, asks a lot of incomprehensible questionsquestions, and as a result
says the following: "I'm just a system administrator, you
I'm lucky that I noticed you coming into our place, otherwise we have
computer security services that solve such problems
NON-TECHNICAL ways"...
Our service is both dangerous and difficult... It is surprising that with the abundance
non-technical methods of working with the population in our country are still
there are those who like to take risks (this may be little consolation for hackers
serve only that the law is practically against us
powerless).
There is no separate portrait of a domestic hacker
meaning, since a hacker is a creature as cosmopolitan as possible and
not much different from its Western counterpart. So.
A hacker is a person who likes to do everything through
computer: write, read, communicate, have fun, study, watch
TV and listen to music - and can’t stand it when emy does it
interfere.
AGE AND LIVELIHOOD. Young, mostly
student. Serious hackers "live" to a maximum of 30-35 years. Before
25 years old not rich and quite selfless: doing what he does
interesting, it doesn’t matter whether it makes money or not. Spend them emy
nothing special: they feed himparents. Having flown out of
nests, some try to combine their favorite activity and prey
money, but it often ends sadly. The rest find themselves
more solid classes. Usually occupy large positions in
large corporations, in departments that are related to computer
security. For the security of the hacker-nepepoctok company -
a precious find. Although there are disappointments: one famous
hacker hired by Silicon Graphics did not leave
his preferences and wrote the Satan program to find “holes” -
weak spots in computers connected to the Internet.
The company management did not appreciate their employee - no matter how he
justified himself by saying that he only wanted to increase vigilance -
quickly deprived him of his occupied chair. True, he is not without work
stayed - he was happily taken by an even more impressive company
Sun. In principle, you can buy a hacker - if emy is interested.
German hackers once hacked a NASA server and sold blueprints
KGB. But mostly they do hacks for the soul.
CHARACTER. Very freedom-loving. Considers himself significant
smarter than most of his peers; doesn’t go to discos,
doesn’t ride motorcycles, doesn’t smoke marijuana in the hallways, doesn’t use cocaine
uses - all this is beneath his dignity. Often has problems
in normal communication with people. Happenshekpacub or
complete Uniquely combines ecstatic romanticism
with the most vile cynicism. Hacker is an owl. Freezes
in front of the computer at night when the phone lines are free.
A devoted motorist loves his car like his wife. Or
a wife is like a car. A computer for a hacker (even though he buys it for
he has new baubles, like a man gives jewelry to his mistress), this
just a door leading to ongoing information. So
hours spent in the company of a box with microcircuits into personal life
are not counted. Does the typical hacker have a girlfriend - big
question. From a sociological point of view, for every hacker
account for no more than 0.75% of the girl, and even then a very special one.
Firstly, she must understand computers exactly at least
enough to take in: girls come and go, and the computer
as it stood, so it will be. Secondly, it must have its own (in
within reason) life, so that it does not whine, does not pester with its
problems and did not require more attention than was necessary.
By the way, female hackers seem to only exist in movies.
PARENTS. The hacker loves his parents, in particular because
they don't touch him. However, he rarely intersects with them - unless
what's in the kitchen, on the way between the kettle and the refrigerator. Parents, in
in turn, they are glad and happy that their child is drawn toscreen, not
from... (see paragraph "CHARACTER"). However, some complaints y
there are parents - for example, regarding excessive consumption
beer "Budweiser" (the norm is a box for a yuk-end), and also about
next point.
APARTMENT (Most often a room). Ee, rather, it can be called a den.
In a place of honor is a computer. There is an order, but it is known
only to the owner. It is better for strangers not to enter if they care
head, as well as good relations with the owner (this, in
mainly refers to the grandmother).
APPEARANCE. Amy is given exactly as much time as
necessary to preserve what the hacker understands as his
individual style.
FOOD. Everything that is edible.
RECREATION (FOR THE DOMESTIC HACKER). Since the computer is
in our conditions it is difficult to take with you - either they will steal, or
the electricity will run out, the hacker will go with the girl to Yalta or to
Anapa and will stop being a hacker for a while.
ENTERTAINMENT AND EDUCATION. By education he is a technician. Reads
special books on the profile, plus science fiction or fantasy; less
advanced people love Tolkien, more advanced ones love "Chronicles"
Dragonlands" Margaret Weiss andTracy Hickman. Can read in
the original, because theoretically he knows English well.
Practically (in the sense of talking) I hardly tried it. Likes to play
in Internet games in the style of fantasy, where it is mathematically described
a certain world: star wars, love scams, quests for adventure.
There is no picture, but this is interesting, because it works one hundred percent
fantasy.
Returning from the pseudo-scientific description of the subspecies "Hakerus
Tipikus" to real life, you can find some positive
moments. Indeed, if “you don’t climb,” as was said, “where
No, from the point of view of the family budget, being a hacker is profitable.
A skilled hacker can buy himself a cheap modem for 2,200 for 100
dollars, and by changing the program turn it into an expensive co
speed 14,400 ($400). Hacker doesn't receive phone calls
bills because he doesn’t like to pay them, especially international ones.
For example, you need to download some file from America - and it
It’s big and will swing for an hour, but you won’t pay for it. So
all possibilities are analyzed, a whole science is created about how
fool the telephone exchange. However, all this is useless if the ATS
mechanical, and we have the majority of them. True, in this case the hacker
can spend money on buying a mobile phone, and then
save a lot of money on calls,"breaking" other people's numbers
cellular network. Here, they say, Beeline breaks down well. GSM-
bad. "Moscow Cellular", according to hackers, and break
there is no need, because it is hard to hear. By the way, for phone owners
(if they are not too lazy to check the accounts) it is safe because it is always
you can prove that this was not their call.
A hacker can break the security of a hundred game floppy disks, each
which cost $20 each, rewrite them all into one and
sell it for tens. And show me in this country
a person who will buy this one for twenty, and not this one for ten.
A hacker can win a lottery where emy is not allowed. Was
such an American. I amused myself by successfully participating in
various buktopuhax and competitions that were held on the radio:
I simply blocked all calls coming to the station except my own
own. But on one radio station where it was played
PORSCHE car, we noticed that one won three times in a row and
the same person. The hacker's greed ruined him - that's how they caught him.
But the case did not come to court. In such cases, "cbuhtub" one
hackers are trying to reach larger ones.
This is how they caught the most legendary hacker, a monster.
computer affairs, American Kevin Mitnick. First him
arrested for stealing from one respectabledatabase companies c
the names of all customers and their credit card numbers. They put me on
three years, but he inexplicably escaped. They couldn't do it for a long time
found, but still caught. He was caught climbing
to the security chief of a large computer center, a Japanese
named after Cytomo Shimomura. And it got into his home computer,
leaving an offensive file with your voice on the topic "money y
There are a lot of you, but you don’t know how to do anything.” The wounded Shimomura
spared money and time, traveled all over America, calculated, from
what city was the break-in committed in, followed the trail for a long time, crossed
from one telephone exchange to another and, as a result, using
The scanners were picked up by his cell phone. Now Mitnik sits in
prison, and will remain in prison for a long time, because this time the authorities
We've been intimidated: emy camomy is not allowed to make phone calls. A
What if he squeaks something into the phone again and contacts someone!..
Here's something we haven't heard of yet - hacking by hackers
space objects. But how interesting! All that remains is to be consoled
because hackers (if you don't make them angry) are very
prudent. Citizens, don't anger the hackers.
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