#### PHRACK PRESENTS ISSUE 17 ####

                  ^*^*^*^ Phrack World News, Part 1 ^*^*^*^

                           **** File 10 of 12 ****


                  -   P H R A C K   W O R L D   N E W S   -
                    (Mainly Compiled By Sir Francis Drake)

                                    2/1/88


BUST UPDATE
===========

     All the people busted by the Secret Service last July were contacted in
September and asked if they "wanted to talk."  No one but Solid State heard
from the S.S. after this.  Solid State was prosecuted and got one year
probation plus some required community service.  The rest:  Ninja NYC, Bill
>From RNOC, Oryan QUEST, etc. are still waiting to hear.  Some rumors have gone
around that Oryan QUEST has cooperated extensively with the feds but I have no
idea about the validity of this.  The following is a short interview with
Oryan QUEST.  Remember that QUEST has a habit of lying.

PHRACK:  Did you hear from the SS in September?  It seems everybody else has.

QUEST:  No.  I haven't heard from them since I was busted.  Maybe they forgot
        me.

P:  What's your lawyer think of your case?

Q:  He says lay low.  He says it's no problem because of my age.

P:  What do your parents think?

Q:  They were REALLY pissed for about a week but then they relaxed.  I mean I
    think my parents knew I went through enough... I mean I felt like shit.

P:  Do you plan to keep involved in Telecom legit or otherwise?

Q:  Uhh, I wanna call boards... I mean I can understand why a sysop wouldn't
    give me an access but... I'm thinking of putting a board up, a secure
    board just to stay in touch ya know?  Cause I had a lot of fun I mean I
    just don't want to get busted again.

P:  Any further words of wisdom?

Q:  No matter what anyone says I'm *ELITE*.  NOOOO don't put that.

P:  Yes I am.

Q:  No I don't want people to think I'm a dick.

P:  Well...

Q:  You're a dick.


- On a completely different note, Taran King who as some of you know was
  busted, is going to be writing a file for Phrack about what happened real
  soon now.


MEDIA
=====

     The big media thing has been scare stories about computer viruses,
culminating in a one page Newsweek article written by good old Sandza and
friends.  John Markoff of the San Francisco Examiner wrote articles on
viruses, hacking voice mailboxes, and one that should come out soon about the
July Busts (centering on Oryan QUEST).  A small scoop:  He may be leaving for
the New York Times or the San Jose Mercury.

     Phreak media wise things have been going downhill.  Besides PHRACK (which
had a bad period but hopefully we're back for good) there is 2600, and
Syndicate Report.  Syndicate Report is dead, although their voice mail system
is up.  Sometimes.  2600 has gone from a monthly magazine to a quarterly one
because they were losing so much money.  One dead and 2 wounded.


MISCELLANEOUS
=============

     Taran King and Knight Lightning are having a fun time in their fraternity
at University of Missouri.  Their respective GPA's are 2.1 and 2.7
approximately.... Phantom Phreaker and Doom Prophet are in a (punk/metal)
band... Lex Luthor is alive and writing long articles for 2600... Sir Francis
Drake sold out and wrote phreak articles for Thrasher... Jester Sluggo has
become vaguely active again...


CONCLUSION
==========

Less and less people are phreaking, the world is in sorry shape, and I'm going
to bed.  Hail Eris.

sfd