==Phrack Magazine==
Volume Five, Issue Forty-Six, File 18 of 26
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(*) A Complete 'N Easy Guide to Hacking and the (*)
(*) Usage of "StarTalk" Voice Mail Systems (*)
Written By: The Red Skull
07/25/94
Introduction
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are many types of different voice mail systems out there, that
run on phone systems they are compatible with. You have probably seen a lot
of text files about hacking voice mail systems, on your local bulletin
boards. The popular ones you might have heard about are systems like, Aspen
(Automatic Speech Exchange Network), TMC (The Message Center), Audix, and
Meridian Mail. There are VMB hacking programs that are suppose to hack vmbs
for you. I really don't believe in those kind of programs. When I say this,
I am not talking about programs like Tone Locator or Blue Beep, I am talking
about programs like 'The Aspen Hacker' and any other *VMB* hacking programs.
I am just saying this, so you don't mix this guide up with a vmb hacking
program.
General Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have decided to write a hacking/user's guide for the StarTalk Voice
Mail System because there is no guide for the StarTalk Voice Mail System,
and almost no one has heard about it. Since this will be the first one for
it, I will try and explain it as simply as possible. You might have heard
of Northern Telecom. They are the makers of StarTalk, but they are also the
makers of a very popular user-friendly Voice Mail System called 'Meridian
Mail'. Both StarTalk and Meridian Mail run on the Norstar telephone system.
StarTalk is designed to function as an extension of the Norstar telephone
system. All the StarTalk software operation is done on a Norstar telephone
set, so that means it doesn't run on a computer terminal. There are 3
different sizes and configurations that the StarTalk Voice Mail System
comes with -
o Model 110 - 2 voice channels, with 1 hour and 50
minutes total storage.
o Model 165 - 4 voice channels, with 2 hours and 45
minutes total storage.
o Model 385 - 4 voice channels, with 6 hours and 25
minutes total storage.
The capabilities of StarTalk Model 385
can be further expanded through an
enhancement option, available in 4, 6
or 8 channel versions, which provides
a total of 9 hours an 45 minutes of
storage.
Right now, you might be wondering what the hell i'm talking about, but
it's simple. The number of voice channels means how many voice mail users
could be using their voice mail. So for example, 4 voice channels, means only
4 voice mail users could be on the voice mail system. The Model 110 can hold
about 25 boxes, the Model 165 can hold 50 boxes and the Model 385 can hold 120
boxes and higher. So, it's better if you find a StarTalk Voice Mail System
that is running Model 385. The part that says 'with 6 hours and 25 minutes
total storage', means how many hours of messages it can store. The Model 385
is also upgradable. I could go on about the models but that's all we need to
know for now. So now that we've finished this, we will get into the part
that you've been waiting for.
Finding a StarTalk Voice Mail System
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You will probably not be able to recognize a StarTalk voice mail system
if you find one using a war dialer, because when a StarTalk system answers,
it will only have the company's personalized automated greeting. There are
only two ways to get a StarTalk system: you either scan it out yourself or
get it from someone else. If you get it from someone else, all the boxes
will probably be gone, used or just not safe.
Recognizing a StarTalk Voice Mail System
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, now let's say you have come across a StarTalk system, how do you
know that it's a StarTalk? As I said, you will not be able to tell if it's a
StarTalk system by just calling it. If the system is a Startalk, when the
company's personalized greeting answers, press '*' and it should say -
"Please enter the mailbox number, or press the # sign to use the directory"
Remember, if you press '*' and just sit there, it will repeat the message
one more `time, and then say "Exiting the system."
If you hit '**' it should say -
"Please enter your mailbox number and your password, then press # sign"
If you don't get anything like this, that means it's not a StarTalk Voice
Mail System. If you are still not sure that you have a StarTalk System,
then you can always call 416-777-2020 and listen to the voice and see
if it matches with what you have found.
Finding a Virgin Box
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is a very interesting step and also an easy one. Once you have
found a StarTalk Voice Mail System, the first thing you'll want to do is
get some boxes on it. The interesting part is that you are always guaranteed
to get one box on a StarTalk System. This is because every StarTalk System
has a box that is for the voice mail users to leave any problems they are
experiencing with their vmb. This is the box that almost always has a default
on it, but if the System Admin is smart he will change it. So far, on all the
StarTalk systems that I have come across the default for this box hasn't been
changed. The box number is '101' and the defaults for StarTalk Voice Mail
systems are '0000'. So the first thing you should do is call up the system
and press *101 and the default greeting on the box should say (this greeting
is for box 101 only) -
"This is the Trouble-Report mailbox, if you are experiencing difficulty
using the messaging features, please leave your name, mailbox # and a
detailed description of the problem" *BEEP*
If it says that, press '**' and then when it asks you to enter your mailbox
number and your password, enter '1010000' and press the # sign. If you've
followed everything I've said and the System Admin hasn't changed the
default on this box, it should go ahead and ask you to enter your new
personal mailbox password. There is another box number which is sometimes
at the default which is the System Admin's box at 102. Although this is a
System Admin box, the only System Admin option it has available is to leave
a broadcast message, which leaves a message to all boxes on the system.
This box will have the regular default greeting which is -
"This mailbox is not initialized and cannot accept messages, please
try again later"
Do the same thing you did before, If it says that, press '**' and then when
it asks you to enter your mailbox number and your password, enter '1020000'
and press the # sign. If everything is fine, it should ask you to enter your
new personal mailbox password. This is called Initializing your mailbox, and
I'll talk about this later in this file. So, there you go, you've got your
box on a StarTalk System. All StarTalk Voice Mail Systems that I have run
into so far have had 2-3 digit mailboxes. Now, to hack any other boxes
through the system, you would have to go and keep on trying 3 digit mailbox
number starting with 1XX, until you find an empty box with a regular default
greeting. Let's say you find another empty box at box number 130, you will do
the same thing, press '**' and when it asks you to enter your mailbox number
and your password, enter '1300000' and press the # sign. One thing I like
about box number '101' is that, a lot of System Admin's are not aware that it
even exists, that is because they probably have a lousy TSR (Technical Service
Rep). (This is the person that is suppose to help them install the Voice
Mail System.)
What to do After you've Got A StarTalk Voice Mail Box
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The rest of the file will concentrate on all the inside functions and
options that a StarTalk Voice Mail Box has. We will be covering all
these topics -
o Initializing a Mailbox
o Your Mailbox Greeting
o Recording a Greeting
o Choosing a Mailbox Greeting
o Listening To Messages
o Off-premise Message Notification
o Setting Up Off-premise Message Notification
o Disabling Off-premise Message Notification
o Changing Off-premise Message Notification
o Leaving a Mailbox Message
o Message Delivery Options
o Assigning the Target Attendant
o Quick Reference Tips
Your Mailbox
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Before you can use your mailbox, you must:
- open your mailbox
- change your password
- record your name
- record your personal mailbox greeting(s)
This is called Initializing your mailbox.
Initializing a Mailbox
----------------------
To open and initialize your mailbox:
1. Press * * and Mailbox #
2. Enter the default password '0000'
3. To end the password, press #
4. The StarTalk voice prompt, asks you to enter your new personal mailbox
password.
5. Using touchtones, enter your new mailbox password. Your password can
be from 4 to 8 digits long, but it cannot start with zero.
6. To end your password, press #
7. After you have accepted your password, you are asked to record your name
in the Company Directory, At the tone, record your name.
8. To end your recording, press #
9. To accept your recording, press #
You are now ready to record your personal mailbox greetings. Once your
greetings are recorded, you have the option of selecting either your primary
or alternate greeting. If you do not select a greeting, your primary
greeting plays automatically.
Note: Initializing a mailbox is only done the first time you open your
mailbox. You have to initialize your mailbox to receive messages.
Your Mailbox Greeting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Each mailbox has a primary and alternate greeting recorded by you.
After you have recorded your personal mailbox greetings, you can choose
which greeting you play to callers reaching your mailbox.
Recording a Greeting
--------------------
To record your greetings, you must first open your mailbox. Once you have
opened your mailbox:
1. Press 8
2. To select Greeting Options, press 2
3. To record your greeting, press 1
4. Select which greeting you are going to record.
Note: You can choose to record either your primary or alternate mailbox
greeting.
5. To record your greeting, press 1
6. At the tone, record your greeting.
7. To end your greeting, press #
8. To accept this recording, press #
Choosing a Mailbox Greeting
---------------------------
After the mailbox greeting is recorded, you can choose which greeting you
are going to use. If you do not choose a mailbox greeting, Startalk
automatically plays your primary greeting. To choose a mailbox greeting
you must open your mailbox. Once you have opened your mailbox:
1. Press 8
2. To select Greeting Options, press 2
3. Press 2
4. Select which mailbox greeting your mailbox is going to use.
Listening To Messages
---------------------
Each time you open your mailbox, StarTalk plays any Broadcast messages left
by the System Admin (don't reply to them!), and also tells you how many other
messages are in your mailbox. Messages are played beginning with any Urgent
messages, followed by the first message left in your mailbox.
To listen to messages, you must open your mailbox. Once you have opened
your mailbox:
1. To listen to messages, press 2 or to listen to your saved messages,
press 6
Your first message starts to play. While listening to a message, or after
a message has played, you can:
Replay the message : 1 1
Back up 9 seconds : 1
Pause and Continue : 2 to pause then 2 to continue
Forward 9 seconds : 3
Skip to the end of message : 3 3
Play the previous message : 4
Forward the message : 5
Skip to the next message : 6
Play time and date stamp : 7
Save a Message : 7 7
Erase the message : 8
Reply to the message : 9
Volume control : *
Note: After listening to the messages left in your mailbox and exiting
StarTalk, all messages you do not erase are automatically saved.
Off-premise Message Notification
--------------------------------
Off-premise Message Notification, to a telephone number or a pager, alerts
you when messages are left in your mailbox. Off-premise Message Notification
is enabled in the StarTalk Class of Service designation by the System
Coordinator.
Setting Up Off-premise Message Notification
-------------------------------------------
To set up Off-premise Message Notification, you must first open your
mailbox. Once you have opened your mailbox:
1. Open the mailbox admin menu, press 8
2. Open the message notification menu, press 6
3. To set up message notification, press 1
4. To select a line, press 1
Note: You can also select line, pool or intercom.
(YOU HAVE TO SELECT LINE)
5. Enter a line, pool or IC number, press #
Note: You have to enter '1', or '01' as the line if 1 doesn't work.
6. To accept the line, pool or IC number, press #
7. Enter the destination telephone number, press #
Note: While you are entering a telephone number, you can press a dialpad
number to represent dialtone recognition or other telephone number options.
When StarTalk is installed with PBX or Centrex and you want to access an
outside line, you must enter the command to recognize dial tone. For
example enter 9 to access an outside line, press # then enter 4 to
recognize dialtone press 2 followed by the destination number, press #
and any required pauses. Each pause entered is four seconds long.
8. To end the telephone number, press #
9. To accept the telephone number, press #
10. To accept the destination type telephone, press # and move to step 12.
To change the destination type to pager, press 1
Note: The destination type can be either telephone or pager. StarTalk
automatically selects telephone. When the pager destination
type is selected, a pause must be inserted. The number of pauses
required depends on the pager system being used.
11. To accept the destination type, press #
If the message destination type is a telephone, you must set a start time.
12. Enter the time when Off-premise Message Notification is to start.
Note: This is a four-digit field. Any single digit hour and minute
must be preceded by a zero.
13. Press 1 for AM, 2 for PM.
14. To accept the start time, press #
15. Enter the time when Off-premise Message Notification is to stop.
Note : This is a four-digit field. Any single digit hour and
minute must be preceded by a zero.
16. Press 1 for AM, 2 for PM.
17. To accept the stop time, press #
18. To accept the message type NEW, press #
To change the message type to URGENT, press 1
Note: The default message type is NEW. This means you are notified
whenever you receive a new message. Changing the message type changes
NEW to URGENT. This means you are only notified when you receive an
urgent message.
19. To accept the message type, press #
The Off-premise Message Notification will begin as soon as the start time
is reached. You will be called whenever you receive a message.
Disabling Off-premise Message Notification
------------------------------------------
To disable Off-premise Message Notification, you must first open your
mailbox, Once your mailbox is open:
1. Open the mailbox admin menu, press 8
2. To access the message notification menu, press 6
3. To listen to the options, press 2
4. To disable message notification, press 1
Off-premise Message Notification is disabled.
Changing Off-premise Message Notification
-----------------------------------------
To change Off-premise Message Notification, you must first open your mailbox,
Once you have opened your mailbox:
1. Open the mailbox admin menu, press 8
2. Open the message notification menu, press 6
3. To change message notification press 1
4. To select a line, press 1
5. Press 1
If you wish to change the line, press #
6. Enter the new line number.
7. To end the line number, press #
8. To accept the line number, press #
9. Press 1
If you do not wish to change the destination telephone number, press #
10. Enter the new destination telephone number.
11. To end the telephone number, press #
12. To accept the telephone number, press #
13. To change the destination type, press 1
14. To accept the destination type, press #
15. To change the start time, press 1
If you do not wish to change the time, press #
16. Enter the time when Off-premise Message Notification is to start.
17. Press 1 for AM, 2 for PM.
18. To accept the start time, press #
19. To change the stop time, press 1
If you do not wish to change the time, press #
20. Enter the time when Off-premise Message Notification is to stop.
21. Press 1 for AM, 2 for PM.
22. To accept the stop time, press #
23. To change the message type, press 1
24. To accept the message type, press #
Leaving a Mailbox Message
-------------------------
You can leave a message directly in any StarTalk mailbox, as long as that
mailbox has been initialized.
To leave a mailbox message:
1. Enter the mailbox # and at the tone, record your message.
2. To end your recording, press #
3. For delivery options, press 3
4. To send your message, press #
Message Delivery Options
------------------------
StarTalk provides you with four message delivery options, which are:
Certified 1 - This delivery option sends you a message and tells you if
the person received and read your message, but this is
only if the message is inside the system.
Urgent 2 - This delivery option marks the message, and plays it before
playing other messages left in your mailbox.
Private 3 - This delivery option prevents a message from being forwarded
to another mailbox.
Normal # - This delivery option sends a message to a mailbox. Normal
messages are played in the order in which they are received,
and can be forwarded to other mailboxes.
After you have recorded your mailbox message, press 3 to access delivery
options. To use one of the delivery options, press the right delivery
option number.
Note: When leaving a message, you can press 9 to listen to StarTalk voice
prompts in the alternate language.
Assigning the Target Attendant
------------------------------
Anyone that presses [0] when they are connected to your box will be
transferred to an operator if your Target Attendant is set to [0] or her
mailbox #.
To change from the Operator to the Target Attendant -
1. Press 8
2. Press 5
3. Press 1
4. Enter <desired extension>
5. Press *
Quick Reference Tips
--------------------
- To save time, you can just interrupt most prompts by press # or selecting
a StarTalk option.
- If you get lost using StarTalk options, press * to replay the option list
```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
Ok, this is the end of the StarTalk voice mail guide. I tried my best
to make it as simple as I could with respect to both hacking it
and using it. I plan on writing my next file on Smooth Operator, a
PC-based information processing system. I will probably focus more on
the terminal part of it. I will try and cover the logins and all other
things needed to get around the system. If any readers out there have
comments or suggestions on this article, or on my next article, please
contact me.
If you would like to talk about this, you can find me on IRC with the nick
'redskull' or you can write me a message on my Internet Address.
Internet Address : redskull@io.org
I'd like to thank S. Cleft for giving me some tips and also discovering
some of the things I've mentioned in this file.
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