The VT Hacker
by The Mad Hermit
Welcome to the first installment of the hackers' corner. In this
"electronic magazine", I will be speaking out on various issues relating to
computers, telephones, and other technological devices that have uses their
creators didn't intend them to have. First, I would like to point out a
disclaimer. The information given here will NOT compromise the security of any
institution. It is NOT being distributed with the intent that it will be used
for illegal activities. I (and everyone else here) hereby take NO
responsibility if some mentally deranged person gets bad ideas from this and
does something dispicable. The information in this column will be just that:
freely available items of interest that have been collected from different
sources. Any nasty ideas coming from knowledge of this information are the
fault of the person(s) who read(s) it.
Now that I've gotten rid of that load, I'll tell you about the format
I'd like to try to follow. Typically, I will have feature articles to start
things off. After the feature, I intend to have news articles of interest to
all computer owners, followed by reader mail as space permits. This time, I
have a crash course on the Tech (and other) library's VTLS system including
some of the more esoteric functions available. These articles will more often
be written by me, but submissions are always welcome and WILL BE READ by me.
In future issues, I will talk about hacking on LocalNet, VMS/CMS, Unix/Ultrix,
BitNet, Pick, GTE's TeleNet, and a Hewlett Packard system on which your high
school might still keep grades and records.
I would like to extend a call to all phreakers and hackers to send in
stuff about microcomputers, local BBS's, and bizarre phone #s also.
And Now..............VTLS - Virginia Tech's Library Search Service
FIRST - the basic commands:
A/ = Author Search
B/ = Boolean Word search (Inaccessable)
C/ = Call Letter Search
/C = Return to last item screen (slash cmd)
CA = Catalog listing screen (Local cmd)
H/ = Holdings listing
H = Holdings screen (Local cmd)
HELP = Local help for current screen
/HELP = General help screen
L/ = Videodisk operation (Inaccessable)
M/ = Call Letter Search
MARC = Data file of the book or magazine (Local cmd)
NS = Next Screen (local cmd)
P/ = Professor Reserve listing
PS = Previous Screen (local cmd)
Q/ = Course ID reserve listing
S = Special Book Status (local cmd)
S/ = Subject Search
SHOW = returns user to item list screen (Local cmd)
T/ = Title Search
/T = Show Date and Time (slash cmd)
W/ = Word Search (Inaccessable)
X/ = Videodisk operation (Inaccessable)
The two slash commands, C and T, are interesting because they aren't
exactly in the normal input format. The /C command is especially powerful
because although PS no longer returns you to the last screen after you type
/HELP, /C always will. Note that four commands aren't implemented in this
version of VTLS. Not being one to miss a chance for social engineering,
I asked various librarians some questions and managed to piece together a
rough outline of what is going on. Word search (and its boolean couterpart)
and videodisk services were a part of VTLS when it was first conceived, and the
code that ran them was part of the original system. If, however, these
commands were accessed by someone without the proper hook-ups, the terminal
crashed. As a result, these features were removed. Another problem
encountered was the fact that the terminals could send control sequences
(holding down the control key while hitting another key) that messed with the
system. These have been rendered harmless. Some control sequences are:
CTRL-G = Beep
CTRL-H = Backspace
CTRL-I = Who knows (just beeps)?
CTRL-J = Linefeed only
CTRL-M = Return and Linefeed
CTRL-P = Space
CTRL-X = Prints "!!!" and then return
CTRL-Y = Break key (this used to cause trouble)
CTRL-1 = Displays special characters & turns off scrolling
CTRL-2 = Turns off effects of CTRL-1
CTRL-4 = Turns KeyBeep On/Off
CTRL-6 = Slow Cursor Flash
CTRL-7 = Fast Cursor Flash
CTRL-8 = Fastest Cursor Flash
CTRL-9 = Turns Cursor into an Underline
CTRL-0 = Screen Blowup (alternates between "U" and "*")
CTRL-Home = Clears Screen
Novice vs. Advanced Searches on VTLS
Normally the user operates in novice mode, but enterprising people
have discovered some advanced features including many more help screens than at
first imagined. Simply type "?" and then <return> to get the Novice User's
menu. Though only 7 choices are displayed, there is more than meets the eye.
Info about any of the advanced services can be obtained by typing in the
following command structure : "# ?". The pound sign (#) represents the number
of the service you wish to get advanced help on. What follows is a list of
currently known numbers and what they mean:
1 = Author
2 = Subject
3 = Title
4 = Call Number
5 = ISSN Search
6 = LSSN Search
7 = ISBN Search
8 = Word Search
9 = Boolean Word Search
10 = Professor Reserve
11 = Course ID Reserve
100 to 110 = Reserve Module Numbers (unused)
The Reserve Module is another one of those things that has been
discontinued. There also seems to have been an Acquisitions module, that the
main offices on the Sixth Floor might have used, but I don't know the numbers
for it.
Announcing a 1-800 scan! This phreaker pastime is being resurrected
around campus by several interested parties. Pick an exchange (i.e. 1-800-XXX)
and dial as many numbers as you can, recording the ones that are answered or
return weird noises. The numbers in each exchange go from 1-800-XXX-0000 to
1-800-XXX-9999. This activity is PERFECTLY LEGAL, but the fone company has
been known to get suspicious of calling patterns where numbers in sequence are
dialed. If this happens, tell them that you aren't harrassing anyone or
frauding the fone company. It's free, & informative. To get you started, here
are some I have collected (if they don't work anymore, please tell me):
1-800-221-0226 NBA Hotline
1-800-221-2000 TWA Reservations
1-800-221-2014 Extender
1-800-221-4945 Women USA News
1-800-221-9735 Carrier
1-800-222-0248 Dow Phone
1-800-222-0300 AT&T Toll-Free Wake-Up Service. An AT&T representative will
awaken you in the morning. Call late at night & ignore initial voice messages.
1-800-225-8456 AUTONET
1-800-228-1111 VISA Credit Check
1-800-228-8777 Zip Code Information
1-800-238-5342 National Cotton Council
1-800-242-4022 Los Angeles Smog Report
1-800-248-0151 White House Press
1-800-252-0112 USC Newsline
1-800-253-9892 Up-Time Distribution
1-800-321-1082 Navy Finance Center
1-800-321-3048 Beepers
1-800-321-3049 Beepers
1-800-321-3052 Beepers
1-800-321-3074 Beepers
1-800-323-1146 Carrier-like sounds
1-800-323-1151 Long Distance Diverter
1-800-323-2005 Carrier
1-800-323-3107 Carrier
1-800-323-4279 Carrier
1-800-323-4297 Asks for 7-digit access code
1-800-323-4298 Special Operators
1-800-323-4313 PBX (Private Branch Exchange)
1-800-323-4354 Special Operators
1-800-323-4376 Carrier
1-800-323-4377 Carrier
1-800-323-4462 Carrier
1-800-323-8021 High tone
1-800-323-8039 PBX
1-800-325-0887 Arts Program Guide
1-800-325-9999 Strange tone, then silence
1-800-327-0000 "Announcement three, Dallas" (changes sometimes)
1-800-327-6764 AUTONET
1-800-331-1323 Direct Connection with French Operators
1-800-331-3701 Shell Credit Center
1-800-336-0149 TYMNET Offices
1-800-336-3366 "The Source" Customer Service
1-800-342-1105 Tone
1-800-342-1108 Tone
1-800-342-1143 800 Operator
1-800-342-1119 LOUD Tone
1-800-343-2903 Call America Long Distance Service
1-800-343-6400 PBX with recording
1-800-362-7171 MASTERCARD/VISA No.
1-800-367-4710 San Bernadino Smog Report
1-800-368-1017 Test Number
1-800-368-1018 Test Number
1-800-368-5468 "Satelite Network Control"
1-800-368-5500 Coin Update
1-800-368-5634 MCI Update
1-800-368-5640 Senate Update
1-800-368-5642 Nuclear Regulatory Commission Op.
1-800-368-5667 Business Line
1-800-368-5693 Republican Talk Line
1-800-368-5744 AFL-CIO News Service
1-800-368-5814 National Association of Realtors
1-800-368-5833 American Heritage Foundation
1-800-368-5844 Communications Satelite Corporation
1-800-368-5939 White House Operator
1-800-424-0124 Office of Education News
1-800-424-2424 American Federation of Teachers
1-800-424-5040 N.A.M. Newsline
1-800-424-5201 Export&Import Bank
1-800-424-5900 PBX
1-800-424-6200 Odd Service
1-800-424-8086 National Education Association
1-800-424-8530 Housing & Urban Development
1-800-424-8807 Dept. of Transportation
1-800-424-9090 White House Press Office
1-800-424-9128 Dept. of Energy Newsline
1-800-424-9129 Ditto, but in Spanish
1-800-424-9180 COMMANDER II
1-800-424-9440 COMMANDER II
1-800-424-9494 TELEMAIL
1-800-424-9820 Citizen's Choice News
1-800-424-9864 Edison Energy Line
1-800-521-8426 RSX-11
1-800-524-0000 "Announcement one, Atlanta"
1-800-525-3056 Cattleman News
1-800-525-3085 Cattleman News
1-800-525-7623 American Express Current Exchange Rate
1-800-526-2000 "You've got equipment problems?"
1-800-527-2011 Credit Authorization
1-800-527-2551 Carrier
1-800-528-2121 American Express Voice Credit
1-800-544-6363 Alliance Teleconferencing
1-800-548-0000 "Announcement two, Chicago"
1-800-555-8111 See 1-800-222-0300. This is an alternative.
1-800-621-4562 ?????
1-800-621-8094 American Medical Association
1-800-631-1147 Beepers
1-800-645-5350 UNKNOWN
1-800-622-0858 California Medical Association
1-800-882-1061 AT&T Stock Prices
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