----==== An -=RDT Special Report ====---- BCS Speech/Discussion by John Markoff, co-author of _Cyberpunk: Outlaws and Hackers on the Computer Frontier_ or Weenie-fest '92: People Who Have No Clue Special thanks to Craig Neidorf for informing me of this meeting...otherwise, I would have missed it... "Boston Computer Society General Meeting, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 7:30pm. Katie Hafner, co-author with husband John Markoff of _Cyberpunk_, talks about computer ethics [ya, right] and computer crimes. _Cyberpunk_ details the stories of three computer hackers: Kevin Mitnick, an expert phone phreak, who carried his hacking to obsession [isn't that a perfume?] and addiction-wreaking havoc [holy SHIT!] with computer networks and top-secret research; Pengo, from Germany, who penetrated US military computers and sold information to the Soviet Union; and Robert Morris, a Harvard and Cornell graduate, who released a virus [WORM!] program that crippled thousands of computers on Internet. This discussion may change how you think about computer accessibility [sure changed MY life..jeesh]." That's how the ad appeared in the Boston Computer Society's UPDATE mag (w/o my bracketed snide comments, of course). KL informed me of this meeting via E-mail, and I read it the DAY it was happening. I read about half of the book _Cyberpunk_, and I know most of you have already checked it out. Yes, it is a piece of shit. A great deal of the info is *fabricated*, and the authors attempt to explain hacking as a 'social disorder'...on par with juvenile delinquency. True, a lot of hacking is just kids screwing around, but there is MORE to the scene than just that. What about the violation of civil liberties? What about privacy on the nets? What about the REAL DRIVE behind most of the hacking going on today...the search for TECH KNOWLEDGE? These things were NOT covered adequately in the book. Seeing this meeting a GREAT opportunity to grill Ms. Hafner and to hear what members of the BCS had to say, I attempted to quickly mobilize the entire RDT crew into attending. Alas, I was the *only* person able to make it. "What the hell," I figured, "I'm sure there'll be plenty of other people there who'll make the discussion lively and *heated*." Boy, was I wrong... For starters, Ms. Hafner was unable to attend. Instead, her husband and co-author, John Markoff [Whackoff?] showed up. I had never been to a BCS meeting before, and figured that the members would be relatively intelligent about computers and computer ethics. Well, about 80 ppl filled the lecture hall, and ALL of them were older than me (I'm 24). Looked like mostly yuppie trash ("Gee, I just bought this 486...I wonder what it does..guess I'll join the BCS!") and some old professor-types. Suddenly, I felt a chill... *Weenie-alert* Two bozos behind me were trying to discuss how to write an MS-DOS CONFIG.SYS file: "Bob, my computer is all messed up. Doesn't work" "Gee, well, maybe you need one of those set device equals things!" NOTE: ALL quotes are REAL...yes, truth is stranger than fiction... O well...Finally, John Markoff came onstage (BTW, he looks a lot like Dustin Hoffman). He started out by talking for 15 min on the definitions of "hacker", "cracker", and "cyberpunk". This is when my migrane started, a small throbbing pulse in my left temple. He discussed the origin of the term "cyberpunk" and made MANY references to *BILL* Gibson. Guess he wanted to stroke himself and make his 'personal' relationship with Gibson known to all. Then, he talked in DETAIL about how HE figured out who set loose the Internet worm. "I told them to 'finger RTM'...and the name Robert T. Morris popped up." Boy, some SERIOUS tech wizardry going on there. Markoff patted himself on the back for about 10 min more, and seemed proud of his dealings with Cliff Stoll (he plugged _The Cuckoos Egg_ about 5 times). Stroke, stroke, stroke... He seemed really *proud* at having discovered all this info about the computer underground (even tho his book is ONLY about *3* fucking case studies!!). "We wanted to get inside these cultures..." Well his book was basically just a REPORT of WHAT HAPPENED (not even factual half the time)...NOT about the CULTURE...NOT about what really made these people tick...NOT about what REALLY ATTRACTS ppl to the computer underground. He was just a *reporter*, looking for a scoop. Nothing more. After describing his book, he opened up the presentation to discussion. The FIRST question was by some BCS dork: "Do you know anything about the printer-ROM virus used in the Iraqi computer systems?" Holy shit...I got a sick feeling in my stomach. Markoff talked about this for 10 min...with comments by other BCS members thrown in. ARRRGH. Anyway, the NEXT question was a real winner: "What about those computers that took the Turing test recently.. did they pass? Could you explain what a Turing test is?" Uh, yeah..ok, so maybe the BCS ppl *weren't* that up on things. Maybe none of them read the book. Maybe none of them have ever read Phrack or 2600. Maybe *all* of them have their heads shoved up their butts? Finally, I made my move. I asked him: "What do you think of the punishments given to convicted 'cyberpunks'? Do you think they're fair? What about seizure of equipment w/out charges, taking examples from Operation Sundevil?" Markoff: "I think the government is just using scare tactics. It's a shame that equipment is seized. It's unconstitutional." Uh, that's IT? Yep..that's all he had to say about it. No comments on the *police state* that's evolving on the nets. Nothing about what's being done to *protect* computer users' free speech. Next question of mine: "What do you think really drives 'cyberpunks'...how 'serious' do you think the *crime* of *hacking* is?" Markoff: "It's just juvenile delinquency. Most of it has nothing to do with tech wizardry. It's mostly con-artists. I hope there's a 'fad element' to this cyberpunk thing. Hopefully they'll grow out of it." Yeah, this guy has his damn FINGER on the PULSE of the underground. We're just a bunch of delinquent, juvenile con-artists. We'll grow out of it. Really. Man, I was steamed. What he said was full of *half-truths*..leaving out IMPORTANT things, like the drive for exploration of highly complicated networks and machinery...but I wasn't going to pick a fight with this guy.. I calmed down and asked the next question on my list: "What do you think of publications like Phrack and 2600? How do you feel about the E911 bust that tried to suppress Phrack?" Markoff: "I don't buy their 'exploration' excuse. I don't want people testing the locks on MY computer. It's just juvenile delinquency." How insightful. Completely ignored my question about the E911 affair. So much for understanding the underground. Ya, we all read stuff like Phrack and 2600 JUST so we can FUCK UP things. ***ONE interesting thing he mentioned was that MOST hacker-related crimes are INSIDE JOBS. Trusted people working on the INSIDE. Well, that was the ONLY thing he said that I totally agreed with. At least Markoff isn't trying to start a 'Cyberpunk Witch-hunt'...not like OTHER people (Geraldo, Don I., etc.). This gets REAL funny now. Other BCS members seemed to have NO interest in talking about hacking/phreaking/civil liberties/hacker ethic/etc. ONE guy asked: "Is piracy a big problem in the US?" Another asked: "Do pirate bulletin boards still exist?" Some *insightful* BCS member said: "Yeah, but it's dangerous. Lawyers call up and check to see if you have copywrited software. You can go to jail for it!" Markoff: "Yes, piracy is still rampant. I can't give you any numbers but I know many exist." BCS member responds: "You mean I can just call a number and get Pagemaker for free?" At this point, I vomited violently..at least my BRAIN did. Many other inane questions were asked, but I won't torture you further ("What about the IBM/Apple merger?"...that sort of thing). I managed to get in ONE LAST question: "What do you think of 'reformed cyberpunks'...for instance, the security consulting company 'Comsec' formed by ex-LOD members?" Markoff: "I think that any company that hires them should know what they're getting into. I'm skeptical. *I* wouldn't hire them." You should know that at this point MOST of the BCS dorks laughed out loud, in annoying, weenie-like chuckles of mirth. It took all of my strength not to get up and crack skulls. So much for intelligent discussions. Actually, throughout MOST of the meeting, people were laughing for no apparent reason. Guess they knew something *I* didn't? In the final analysis, the meeting confirmed my suspicions that Markoff is just a reporter trying to make a buck. Cashing in on half-truths. Not at all interested in the 'cyberpunk's' point of view. Not interested in the ETHICS and MORAL RAMIFICATIONS of hacker busts. He's just reporting the "news". At least he wasn't trying to stir up a 'witch-hunt'...but then again, he isn't contributing much to the awareness of the underground and what it "really" means...hacking is NOT a sickness...it is NOT something to 'grow out of'... .it means freedom of speech...freedom to explore (to an extent..heh).. and the DESIRE to explore... MUCH more than juvenile delinquency. I hope *someone* writes a book from that perspective someday. I also got an insight into the BCS community. Clueless. Need I say more? Hope you enjoyed this phile...look for more 'Special Reports' in the near future.. count0@world.std.com : -=Restricted -=Data -=Transmissions : : : : "Truth is cheap, but information costs." : ..oooOO Count Zero OOooo.. -=RDT