R.A.G. T.I.M.E.
Thanx to Pirates Trek
How to be a Real Phreak
The World of Cryton
[414] 246-3965
In the phone phreak society there are certain values that exist in order
to be a true phreak, these are best summed up by the magician: "Many
people think of phone phreaks as slime, out to rip off Ma Bell for all
she is worth. Nothing could be further from the truth! Granted, there
are some who get their kicks by making free calls; however, they are not
true phone phreaks. Real phone phreaks are 'Telecommunications
Hobbyists' who experiment, play with and learn from the phone system.
Occasionally this experimenting, and a need to communicate with other
phreaks (with- out going broke), leads to free calls. The free calls are
but a small subset of a >TRUE< phone phreaks activities.
The Ten Commandments
Reprinted from TAP issue #86. (TAP, Room 603, 147 W. 42 street, New
York, NY 10036. Send a sase for their info sheet "what the hell is TAP?"
and tell them that BIOC Agent 003 told you about it.)
The phone phreak's ten commandments
I. Box thou not over thine home telephone wires, for those who doest
must surely bring the wrath of the chief special agent down upon
thy heads.
Ii. Speakest thou not of important matters over thine home telephone
wires, for to do so is to risk thine right of freedom.
Iii. Use not thine own name when speaking to other phreaks, for that
every third phreak is an fbi agent is well known.
Iv. Let not overly many people know that thy be a phreak, as to do so
is to use thine own self as a sacrificial lamb.
V. If thou be in school, strive to get thine self good grades, for
the authorities well know that scholars never break the law.
Vi. If thou workest, try to be a employee, and impressest thine boss
with thine enthusiasm, for important employees are often saved by
their own bosses.
Vii. Storest thou not thine stolen goodes in thine own home, for those
who do are surely non-believers in the Bell system security
forces, and are not long for this world.
Viii. Attractest thou not the attention of the authorities, as the less
noticable thou art, the better.
Ix. Makest sure thine friends are instant amnesiacs and will not
remember that thou have called illegally, for their cooperation
with the authorities will surely lessen thine time for freedom on
this earth.
X. Supportest thou tap, as it is thine newsletter, and without it,
thy work will be far more limited.
CN/A Numbers
Customer Name & Address bureaus exist so that authorized Bell employees
may obtain the name & address of any customer in the Bell system by
giving the CN/A operator the customer's tel. # all customers are
maintained on file including unlisted #'s. These bureaus have many uses
for phreaks.
Here is how an employee might go about calling cn/a: "Hi, this is John
Doe from the Miami Residental Service Center, can I have the customers
name at (123) 555-1212." The employees usually use these for checking
who belongs to a # that someone claimed they didn't call.
If you sound cheery and natural the operator will never ask any
questions. If you don't sound like a mature adult, don't use it! Always
practice first & so you don't screw up and make the operator suspicious.
Use name that sounds real, not your pirate name either! Also say that
you are from a city that is far away from the one that you are calling.
The CN/A number for the NY area & vicinity (212, 315, 516, 518, 607,
716, & 914) is>>>>>>>>>(518) 471-8111<<<<<< and is open during business
hours.
[don't abuse it!]
AT&T newslines
AT&T newslines are numbers at area phone offices that telco employees
call to find out the latest info on new technology, stocks, etc. The
recorded reports range from very boring to very interesting.
Here are a few of the numbers:
*(201) 483-3800 NJ (518) 471-2272 NY
(203) 771-4920 CT (717) 255-5555 PA
(212) 393-2151 NY (717) 787-1031 PA
(516) 234-9941 NY *(914) 948-8100 NY
Some of these numbers are toll-free, but you can't always count on it.
* These numbers are not always up!
Numbers from other areas are available by request from F) BIOC L) Agent 003.
ANI numbers
ANI numbers identify the phone number that you are calling from. It is
useful when playing in cans (those big silver boxes on telephone poles)
to find out the # of the line. It is also good to find out the # of a
phone that doesn't have it printed on it. In the 914 area code the ANI #
is 990. If you just have to dial the last 4 digits for a local #, ie
congers (268), dial 1-990-1111, where 1111 are dummy digits there is
also a less useful type of ANI # which will identify the area code &
exchange. It is NXX-9901, where NXX is the exchange. In the 212 & 516
area codes the ANI # is 958.
Phreak newsletter
Tap is the "Official" phone phreak newsletter, and has existed since
1971. Each 4 page issue is crammed full of information on phone
phreaking, computer phreaking, free gas, free electricity, free postage,
breaking & entering info, etc. It is largely phone phreak oriented,
however.
A 10 issue subscription costs $8.00, if you get a bulk rate sealed
envelope subscription. I would recommend the first class subscription,
which is $10.
As of this writing (7-16-80), the current issue is #86, and issue #50 is
8 pages instead of the usual 4. Back issues are $0.75 each, and issue
#50 is $1.50. A brief index to the first 80 issues is available for a
sase, or free with a subscription order. Tap is non-profit, and in
desperate need of material (articles), money, and volunteers.
TAP
Room 603
147 W. 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
Believe me: It will be the best $10 you will ever spend...
Black box
The Black box is a device that attached to a called parties phone
that allows him/her to receive free long distance calls from friends who
call. You only need 2 parts: A SPST toggle switch and a 10,000 ohm
(10K), 1/2 watt, 10% resistor. Any electronics place should have these.
Now, cut two pieces of wire, about 6 inches, and attach these to the two
screws on the switch. Turn your normal ddside down and unscrew the 2
screws. Locate the "F" and "RR" screws on the network box. Wrap the
resistor between these 2 screws and make sure that the wires touch only
the proper terminals! Now connect one wire from the switch to the RR
terminal. Finally, attach the remaining wire to the green wire
(disconnect it from its terminal). Now bring the switch out the rear of
the phone and close it up. Put the switch in a position where you get a
dial tone, mark this normal. Mark the other side free.
When your friends call (at a prearranged time), quickly lift & drop the
receiver as fast as possible. This will stop the ringing, if not try
again. It is very important that you do it fast! Now put the switch in
the free position and pick up the phone. Keep all calls short & under 15
minutes. When someone calls you long distance, they are billed from the
moment you answer. The Telco knows when you answer due to a certain
amount of voltage that flows when you pick up the phone. However, the
resistor cuts down on the voltage so it is below the billing range but
sufficient enough to operate the mouthpiece. Answering the phone for a
fraction of a second stops the ring but it is not enough for billing to
start. If the phone is answered for even one full second, billing will
start and you will be cut off when you hang up and switch to free.
Warning: Bell can randomly look for Black boxes so be careful!
---------------------------------------
: :
***Blue wire**>>F< :
: * * :
**White wire**** * :
: * :
: Resistor :
: * :
: * :
: >RR<*******Switch*** :
: * :
****Green wire********************* :
: :
---------------------------------------
Dial locks
Have you ever been in an office or somewhere and wanted to make a free
fone call but some asshole put a lock on the fone to prevent out going
calls? Fret no more phellow phreaks, for every system can be beaten with
a little knowledge! There are two ways to beat this obstacle, first pick
the lock, I don't have the time to teach locksmithing so we go to the
second method which takes advantage of telephone electronics. To be as
simple as possible, when you pick up the fone you complete a circuit
know as a local loop. When you hang-up you break the circuit. When you
dial (pulse) it also breaks the circut but not long enough to hang up!
So you can "push-dial." To do this you >RAPIDLY< depress the switchhook.
For example, to dial an operator (and then give her the number you want
called) >RAPIDLY< & >EVENLY< depress the switchhook 10 times. To dial
634-1268, depress 6 X's pause, then 3 X's, pause, then 4 X's, etc. It
takes a little practice but you'll get the hang of it. Try practicing
with your own # so you'll get a busy tone when right. It'll also work on
Touch-Tone (tm) since a DTMF line will also accept pulse. Also, never
depress the switchhook for more than a second or it'll hang-up!
Finally, remember that you have just as much right to that fone as the
asshole who put the lock on it!
Exchange scanning
Almost every exchange in the Bell system has test #'s and other
"Goodies" such as loops with dial-ups. These "goodies" are usually found
between 9900 and 9999 in your local exchange. If you have the time and
initiative, scan your exchange and you may become lucky! Here are my
findings in the 914-268 exchange:
9900 - ANI (see Separate Bulletin)
9901 - ANI (see Separate Bulletin)
9927 - Osc. Tone (Possible tone side of a loop)
9936 - Voice # to the Telco central office
9937 - Voice # to the Telco central office
9941 - Computer (Digital Voice Transmission?)
9960 - Osc. Tone (Tone side loop) -- may also be a computer in some exchanges
9961 - No response (Other end of loop?)
9962 - No response (Other end of loop?)
9963 - No response (Other end of loop?)
9966 - Computer (see 9941)
9968 - Tone that disappears--responds to certain touch-tone keys
Most of the numbers between 9900 & 9999 will ring or go to a "What #,
please?" operator.
Have phun and remember it's only a local call!
Touch-tone & free calls
There are several ways to make free calls (Sprint, MCI, etc.) using a
Rotary phone. They are:
1. Use a number that accepts voice as well as DTMF. Such a # is (800)
521-8400. As of writing this, a code was 57617895.
A) If using voice, wait for the computer to say, "Authorization #,
please." then say each digit slowly, it will beep after each
digit is said. After every group of digits, it will repeat what
you have said, then say yes if it is correct, otherwise say no.
If the access code is correct, it will thank you and ask for the
destination #, then say the area code + number as above. Another
such # is (800) 245- 8173, which has a 6 digit access code.
(Note: If using touch-tone on this #, enter the code immediately
after the tone stops.)
2. Hook up a touch-tone fone into your Rotary fone. Attach the red wire
from the Touch-tone fone to the "R" terminal inside the fone on the
network box. Then hook the green wire to the "B" terminal. To use
this dial the # using rotary & then use the touch-tone for the
codes. (Don't hang up the rotary fone while doing this though!) If
this doesn't work then reverse the 2 wires. (note: If your line can
accept Touch-tone but you have a Rotary fone then you can hook up a
tone fone directly for all calls but this usually isn't the case.)
Such as Radio Shack's 43-138.
Other alternatives
4. Use a charge-a-call fone. (These also make great extensions if you
remove it using a hex wrench with a hole in the middle on the center
screw! These fones for the benefit of those who don't know are blue
with no coin slots)
5. Use a pay fone that wants your money before the dial tone. Put in
your dime, dial the #; if it's an 800 # then your dime will come
back, immediately put a dime back in (It'll come back when you hang
up!) If it is a tone first fone and it disconnects the keypad (some
don't) then find another fone.
Telco tracing
The good 'ol days:
------------------
Way back before I was a phreak, Ma Bell would have to manually trace a
call if they though something was fucked up. First they would send a
2000 Hz tracing tone, the would be followed by a lot of noise and
clicks. It took about 2-3 minutes to trace a call and alot of people
were involved in the process. So at 1 in the morning they would have to
wake up people for the tracees (Phreak jargon for a pay fone). But never
use the same one more than once or twice because the Gestapo (er..excuse
me mean Bell security) has been know for staking out troubled
fortresses. It's also possible for Travelnet or SP to ask for a trouble
# but the Telco is slow in processing stuff--especially for the
competition--so don't fret phellow phreaks.
Modern technology:
This can be attributed to ESS + CCIS which can be traced in 1 second.
Miscellaneous stuff
Here are a phew (Pushing it on that word) bits of info on telephone
electronics. If you don't appreciate it then I say Phuck U.
Voltages:
When your fone is on hook (ie-hung up) there is a 48 volt DC current
flowing through the line (I have a great idea about hooking a battery
charger up to my fone). When the fone is off hook the voltage drops down
to around 15 V DC. The Black box (see separate articles) exploits this
for free calls since Bell uses this voltage drop when the called party
picks up to start billing. Bell may also reverse the polarity of the
line to start billing--if you have a tone fone the keypad won't work if
the polarity is reversed. Usually, the red wire is called the tip since
it is the more (+) of the 2 wires + the green wire is called the ring
(-).
Ring trip:
When someone calls you Bell has to send 90 volts AC down your line at
about 60 Hz to activate your bell (This is why deaf people can have
light bulbs fans go off instead of a bell). The device that does the
ringing is called a ringing generator and this process of ringing is
called a ring trip. This costs Bell money and they don't like using all
that electricity from the local ripoff power company so let it ring.
This is also, how Bell can check for extra fones from their central
office by seeing how much voltage the line takes while ringing and they
can tell how many fones your not suppose to have. Solution: disconnect
the Bell.
Modern technology:
------------------
The 2 worst enemies to the phreak besides the FBI + Bell Security, are:
ESS + CCIS. ESS stands for Electronic Switching System and it can trace
a call in seconds, it also records all calls and can even tap into lines
(er.. I mean check for line quality) and record calls. CCIS stands for
Common Channel Interoffice Signaling and it allows for control signals
to be sent via separate data links instead of tones over the voice
channel--start kissing your Blue box goodbye.
Sources:
--------
For those of you who want to go more in-depth on the subject of shit, I
recommend the following reading material:
1) Electronics courses A-B, TAP, Room 603, 147 W. 42 St., NY, NY
10036. @ 75 cents ea.
2) Understanding telephone elect.'s, Texas Instruments, Radio Shack
may have it.
3) a Multitester + your fone for your own experimenting.
4) Misc. Info from several sources make friends + get your own connections.
TUCoPS is optimized to look best in Firefox® on a widescreen monitor (1440x900 or better).
Site design & layout copyright © 1986-2024 AOH
