============================================================================ THE SYNDICATE REPORT INFORMATION TRANSMITTAL NO. 16 (PART 2) RELEASED OCTOBER 21, 1987 FEATURING: EXPOSITION / AUTHOR'S NOTE (SR;35-51) PCS AND PHONE COMPANIES NOT IDEAL COUPLES (B.W 10\10;74) JAPAN IS GETTING A TRULY SMART CREDIT CARD (B.W 10\10;90) VISA USA TAKES TO THE AIRWAVES TO NAIL THIEVES (B.W 10\10;109) NJ BELL TESTS SERVICE THAT DISPLAYS INCOMING CALLS (DIG.LG 10\10;) WANG & ITT CONSIDERED MERGER (CIS 10\20;) PACTEL PROPOSES DEFINITION FOR BELL INFORMATION SERVICES (CIS 10\20;) TSR EDITOR GETS VISIT FROM LOCAL VMS OFFICIALS (SR 10\20;) SYNDICATE REPORT BRIEF NOTES (DIGEST 9\17;175) BY THE SENSEI ============================================================================ EXPOSITION: TSR ONCE AGAIN, TSREPORT NOW EXCEPTS OUTSIDE SOURCES. ANYONE CAN WRITE/PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE SYNDICATE REPORT. ARTICLES/INFORMATION MAY BE PROVIDED THROUGH TSR NEWSLINE (SEE BELOW), VIA VOICE VMS SYSTEM. ANY INFO SUCH AS BUSTS, PHREAKING, HACKING, DATA / TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS ON ANY THE PREVIOUS MENTIONED SPECIALITIES WILL BE: ACCEPTED, LABELED, AND GIVEN FULL ACTUAL CREDIT BY THE ARTICLE/INFO PROVIDER(S), OR WRITER(S). -- ALL ARTICLES HAVE BEEN PRESENTED BY ME UNLESS SHOWN AT THE END OF THE ARTICLE AS THE INFORMATION PROVIDER(S), OR WRITER(S). SYNDICATE VOICE MAIL SYSTEM - 415-468-2950 BOX #2005 ============================================================================ AUTHOR'S NOTE: TSR WELCOME TO PART 2 OF TSR #16. NOT MUCH MORE TO SAY, I TYPED OUT A SUMMARY OF THIS MONTH IN PART 1 PRETTY WELL. JUST A FEW THINGS ON NOTE: PHRACK INC. HAS A TRANSFER SYSTEM. IT'S RUNNING UNDER A UNIX V SYSTEM. NOW FOR YOU HACKERS THAT ARE LICKING THEIR LIPS AT UNIX V'S...THE LOGIN SHELL IS ALL AUTOMATIC...NO COMMANDS. THIS MAY CHANGE, BUT I DOUBT IT. PHRACK UNIX V TRANSFER SYSTEM: (SET UP BY THE DISK JOCKEY) 317-962-0277 LOGIN: PHRACK HERE'S MY UNIX V SYSTEM INFO....ACT'S MUCH THAT SAME AS PHRACK'S BUT YOU HAVE TO ENTER 'MAIL' WHEN LOGGED IN. SYNDICATE REPORT XFER SYSTEM: 612-829-2298 LOGIN: LARRYL -HAPPY HACKING. ============================================================================ PCS AND PHONE COMPANIES NOT IDEAL COUPLES: TSR WHEN THE SEVEN REGIONAL BELL PHONE CO'S WERE FIRST ALLOWED TO FLEX THEIR MUSCLES, COMPUTER STORES LOOKED LIKE A GREAT OPORTUNITY. BUT NOT THE BABY BELL'S EXPERIMENTS IN COMPUTER RETAIING LOOK LIKE AN EXPENSIVE LESSON IN FREE ENTERPRISE. BELL ATLANTIC CORP. IS CLOSING 24 OF ITS 40 REMAINING COMPUSHOP INC. STORES -- ATER SHUTTERING 27 A YEAR AGO -- AND LAYING OFF 30% OF ITS COMPUTER SALES FORCE. NYNEX CORP., WHICH BUILT A 92-STORE CHAIN LARGELY BY ACQUIRING 81 FORMER INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORP. OUTLETS, IT TELLING ANALYSISTS THAT, AFTER THREE YEARS, ITS STORES WILL FINALLY BREAK EVEN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER. :::::::::::::::::INFORMATION PROVIDED BY SUICIDAL TANDEMCIES:::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ JAPAN IS GETTING A TRULY SMART CREDIT CARD: TSR VISA INTERNATIONAL HAS PLANS TO EST 2,00 SUPERSMART CREDIT CARDS IN JAPAN NEXT FALL. IF ALL GOES WILL, FULL-SCALE PRODUCTION COULD BEGIN IN 1990. THECARDS LOOKS LIKE A CREDITCARD ONT THE FRONT. ON THE BACK, IT LOOKS LIKE A CALCULATOR. INSIDE, IT HAS THE SMARTS OF A PORTABLE COMPUTER, INCLUDING A MICROPOCESSOR AND MEMORY. WHEN A PURCHASE IS MADE, THE AMOUNT OF THE TRANSACTION PLUS AN IDENTIFICATION CODE MUST BE ENTERED. IF ALL IS IN ORDER, THE CARD AUTHORIZES THE PURCHASE AND RECORDS THE NEW BALANCE IN ITS MEMORY. TOSHIBA CORP., WHICH WILL MAKE THE CARDS, IS TESTING THE CARD WITH VISA AND NT&T, NIPPON TELEGRAPH & TELEPHONE CORP. NT&T HAS PLANS TO INSTALL PHONES THAT LET THE CARD WORK AS AN AUTOMATIC DIALER. [HAVE FUN CREDIT CARD FRAUDISTS!] -THE SENSEI / TSR :::::::::::::::::::INFORMATION PROVIDED BY THE DISK JOCKEY:::::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ ...VISA USA TAKES TO THE AIRWAVES TO NAIL THIEVES: TSR IN THE US, VISA USA INC. IS EXPERIMENTING WITH ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY: TRANSMITTING DATA VIA FM RADIO WAVES. USING SERVICES AND EQUIPMENT SUPPLIED BY INDESYS INC. IN SUNNYVALE, CALIF., VISA IS TESTING A SYSTEM FOR SENDING RETAILERS INFORMATION ABOUT STOLEN OR INVALID CREDIT CARDS. IN SOME STORES, THE SYSTEM COULD PLACE THE PRINTED LISTS OF FRAUDULENT AND STOLEN CARD NUMBERS THAT VISA NOW ISTRIBUTES EVERY WEEK OR TWO. HERE'S HOW IT WORKS: VISA SENDS A NIGHTLY UPDATE TO ITS CREDIT CARD DATA BASE TO INDESYS HEADQUARTERS, WHICH THEN RELAYS THE DATA TO COMMMERCIAL RADIO STATIONS FOR BROADCASTING. EACH STORE HAS A INDESYS RADIO RECEIVER ATTACHED TOA PERSONNAL COMPUTER. ONCE THE DATA ARE IN THE COMPUTER, A CLERK CAN USE AN ELECTRONIC SCANNER TO READ A CREDIT CARD NUMBER, WHICH IS THEN CHECKED AGAINST THE DATA BASE. ============================================================================ NJ BELL TESTS SERVICE THAT DISPLATS INCOMING CALLS: TSR NEWARK, N.J. - LOCAL TELEPHONE CUSTOMERS IN NEW JERSEY WILL BE ABLE TO SCREEN THEIR INCOMING CALLS IN A CONTROVERSIAL TEST BY NEW JERSEY BELL TELEPHONE CO., BEGINNING IN EARLY NOVEMBER. THE NEW JERSEY BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES RECENTLY GRANTED THE BELL OPERATING COMPANY PERSMISSION TO TEST A PACKAGE OF CALL MANAGEMENT SERVICES ON ABOUT 250,000 LOCAL CUSTOMERS. THE TEST WILL OCCUR IN SIX EXCHANGE AREAS IN ATLANTIC AND HUDSON COUNTIES TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE SERVICES, CALL CLASS, SHOULD BE OFFERED STATEWIDE. THE EXPERIMENT IS SCHEDULED TO LAST UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1989. NEW JERSEY BELL ORIGINALLY SOUGHT PERMISSION TO TEST CLASS LAST NOVEMBER, BUT WITHDREW THE PROPOSAL IN MARCH FOR FURTHER STUDY. THE TELEPHONE COMPANY HAS SAID THE DELAY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH OPPOSITION TO ONE OF THE CLASS SERVICES, CALLED CALL IDENTIFICATION. CALL IDENTIFICATION WOULD LET USERS WITH SPECIAL DISPLAY ATTACHMENTS VIEW THE NUMBER OF THE PERSON PLACING THE INCOMING CALL. THAT WOULD ENABLE THE ANSWERING PARTY TO DECIDE WHETHER TO TAKE THE CALL. ANOTHER CLASS SERVICE, CALL TRACE, LETS CUSTOMERS HAVE THE PHONE COMPANY TRACE A CALL - BUT ONLY FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT PURPOSES - BY HANGING UP ON THE CALL AND DIALING PRESCRIBED DIGITS. OTHER SERVICES GROUPED UNDER CLASS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO LET CUSTOMERS DIAL BACK THE LAST INCOMING CALL WHETHER OR NOT THE USER ANSWERED IT; RE-DIAL THE LAST OUTGOING CALL; KEY IN UP TO SIX 'PRIORITY' NUMBERS THAT WILL GIVE A DISTINCTIVE RING ON IMPORTANT CALLS; BLOCK UNWANTED CALLS; AND FORWARD CALLS. EXCEPTING CALL IDENTIFICATION AND CALL TRACE, CLASS WILL COST RESIDENTIAL USERS $4 PER MONTH FOR THE FIRST SERVICE AND $1.50 PER MONTH FOR EACH ADDITIONAL SERVICE. CALL IDENTIFICATION WILL COST $6.50 PER MONTH FOR RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS AND $8.50 PER MONTH FOR BUSINESS USERS. THE DISPLAY ATTACHMENT, ABOUT $65, IS EXPECTED AT ELECTRONICS STORES SOMETIME THIS FALL. ::::::::::::::::::::INFORMATION PROVIDED BY EMPTY PROMISE::::::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ WANG & ITT CONSIDERED MERGER: TSR WANG LABORATORIES INC. AND ITT CORP. APPARENTLY HELD SECRET TALKS ABOUT A POSSIBLE MERGER TWO YEARS AGO WHEN ITT WAS UNDER ATTACK BY CORPORATE RAIDERS. NOTHING CAME OF THE TALKS, THOUGH, REPORTEDLY BECAUSE WANG WANTED TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE COMBINED COMPANIES. THAT'S STORY SOURCES SAY WILL BE REPORTED IN A NEW BOOK CALLED 'TUMULTUOUS YEARS: A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THE REBUILDING OF ITT,' BY ITT CHAIRMAN RAND V. ARASKOG. TO THE BOSTON GLOBE, WANG SPOKESMAN PAUL HENNING HAS CONFIRMED THAT COMPANY FOUNDER AN WANG HELD THE DISCUSSIONS WITH ARASKOG IN 1985, CALLING THE TALKS 'GENERAL IN NATURE AND CORDIAL' BUT ADDING THEY 'RESULTED IN NO SUBSTANTIVE AGREEMENTS.' THE GLOBE REPORTS THAT ARASKOG'S BOOK, TO BE PUBLISHED BY HENRY HOLT INC. OF NEW YORK, ALSO DISCLOSES SIMILAR TALKS WITH OTHER COMPANIES. :::::::::::::::::::::::INFORMATION PROVIDED BY TIRK 57:::::::::::::::::::::: ============================================================================ PACTEL PROPOSES DEFINITION FOR BELL INFORMATION SERVICES: TSR PACIFIC TELESIS GROUP HAS PROPOSED A DEFINITION THAT WOULD ALLOW BELL REGIONAL HOLDING COMPANIES TO PROVIDE CERTAIN TYPES OF INFORMATION SERVICES THAT DO NOT SUBSTANTIALLY CHANGE THE CONTENT OF INFORMATION SENT AND RECEIVED BY OTHER PARTIES. THE CALIFORNIA TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY FILED THE DEFINITION CHANGE, WHICH WAS ORDERED BY THE COURTS ON SEPTEMBER 10, TO LIFT CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS ON INFORMATION SERVICES IMPOSED ON THE REGIONAL HOLDING COMPANIES UNDER THE CONSENT DECREE THAT BROKE UP AT&T IN 1984. AT THAT TIME THE COURT INDICATED THAT THE REGIONAL HOLDING COMPANIES MAY PROVIDE 'TRANSMISSION-TYPE' INFORMATION SERVICES BUT NOT 'CONTENT-RELATED' SERVICES. THE PACIFIC TELESIS PROPOSAL CONSIDERS THAT TRANSMISSION-TYPE INFORMATION SERVICES INCLUDE 'TRANSFORMING, PROCESSING, GUIDING, STORING OR RETRIEVING INFORMATION IN CONNECTION WITH THE TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION, PROVIDED SUCH ACTIVITIES DO NOT SUBSTANTIALLY ALTER THE CONTENT OF THE INFORMATION AS SENT AND RECEIVED.' ACCORDING TO PACIFIC TELESIS, THESE SERVICES MAY ALSO PROVIDE INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION CONTENT SERVICES, BILLING AND COLLECTION SERVICES FOR INFORMATION SERVICE PROVIDERS AND PROVIDING FOR THE ELECTRONIC DELIVERY OF DIRECTORY SERVICES WHICH MIGHT INCLUDE A LIST OF GENERAL PRODUCT AND BUSINESS CATEGORIES, SERVICE OR PRODUCT PROVIDERS UNDER THESE CATEGORIES AND THEIR NAMES, TELEPHONE NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES. THIS DEFINITION, NOTED PACIFIC TELESIS, ALLOWS FOR CHANGES IN THE FORM OF TRANSMITTED MESSAGES, BUT IN KEEPING WITH THE COURT'S INTENT, DOESN'T ALLOW FOR SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES TO THE CONTENT OF MESSAGES. 'BY DESIGN, THE SCOPE OF THE PROPOSED DEFINITION IS QUITE BROAD. WE FEEL IT MUST BE FRAMED IN THESE TERMS TO ACCOMMODATE RAPID CHANGES IN INDUSTRY TECHNOLOGY AND THE MARKETPLACE AND, ABOVE ALL, TO ALLOW FOR EASY AND EFFICIENT COMMUNICATION BETWEEN INFORMATION SERVICES PROVIDERS AND CONSUMERS,' SAID ARTHUR C. LATNO JR., PACIFIC TELESIS' EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT. 'OUR DEFINITION WOULD ALLOW THE RHCS TO OFFER CONSUMERS ACCESS TO AUDIOTEX AND VIDEOTEX SERVICES AND A VARIETY OF INFORMATION DATABASES.' THE PROPOSED CHANGES SUBMITTED TO THE COURT WILL BE CONSIDERED ALONG WITH OTHER COMMENTS FROM INTERESTED PARTIES. IT'S NOT KNOWN WHEN THE COURT WILL ISSUE A DECISION. ============================================================================ TSR EDITOR GETS VISIT FROM LOCAL VMS OFFICIALS: TSR THAT'S RIGHT, THE TSR EDITOR IN THE TITLE DEFINATELY DOES SYMBOLIZE ME...THE SENSEI. IT'S NOT A VERY GLAMOROUS VISIT, BUT HERE'S THE STORY: IT WAS WEDNESDAY THE 14TH OF THIS MONTH IN OCTOBER. JUST AFTER SCHOOL....I LOGGED INTO MY LOCAL VMS BOXES (8504/8503 ETC) TO CHECK MESSAGES. AFTER LOGGING IN, I WAS SUPRISED TO HEAR I HAD NO NEW MESSAGES. I USUALLY AVERAGED 4 NEW MESSAGES DURING THE DAY. WELL, I HANG UP AND SET UP THE TERMINAL PROG TO CALL A FEW SYSTEMS. JUST AS I PICK UP THE PHONE, MY OLDER BROTHER YELLS TO ME THAT SOMEONE WAS HERE TO VISIT ME ABOUT MY COMPUTER. WELL, YOU CAN IMAGINE WHAT I THOUGHT. I WENT THROUGH THE ROUTINE OF HIDING A FEW DISKS AND FILES. I THEN WALK UPSTAIRS TO BE GREETED BY AN OFFICIAL FROM THE CONNECTION (A LOCAL VMS/ 411 PSUEDO-SERVICE.), AND AN AGENT. THEY WERE REALLY NICE TO ME AT FIRST. THEY CAME UP TO SHAKE MY HAND AND TELL ME POLITELY I WAS ON THE EDGE OF SERVING TIME FOR EDINA MINNESOTA POLICE. UP TO 90 DAYS, OR 700.00$ FINE COULD BE BROUGHT DOWN ON MY UNDER CRIMINAL CODE STATUE 609.89 OF COMPUTER THEFT. THEY SAID THEY COULD HAVE TOOKEN ALL THE PHONES IN THE HOUSE AND MY COMPUTER. I COULDN'T REALLY UNDERSTAND AT FIRST WHY THEY HAD THE RIGHT TO TAKE MY COMPUTER. BUT I THOUGHT TO MYSELF, THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT...THEY DO AS THEY USUALLY WISH TO AN EXTENT. BUT I ALSO REMEMBERED I USED THE CONNECTION VMS TO TRANSFER MY SYNDICATE REPORT AND OTHER FILES I MADE VIA COMPUTER. THEY HAD NO WARRANT, BUT I WANTED TO BE AS WELL COOPERATED AS POSSIBLE, THUS TO NOT MAKE THE SITUATION A BIG FUSS. THEY ASKED TO SEE THE COMPUTER SYSTEM I HAD...I SHOWED THEM GLADLY SINCE I KNEW THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IN THAT DIRECTION. THEY ALSO TOLD ME RIGHT OFF THE BAT THAT IF I WAS 18, I'D BE IN JAIL ETC. I WAS GLAD FOR THAT LAW. BUT THEY ALSO POINTED OUT ABOUT SOME 9 KIDS (UNDER AGED) GOT BUSTED VERY RECENTLY FOR CARDING A LOAD OF ITEMS AND SENDING THEM TO A HOUSE - THE JUDGE SENTENCED THEM AS ADULTS. THE JUDGE WENT ON BASES THAT IF THEY KIDS KNEW HOW TO DO ALL THAT, THEN THEY WILL BE TRIED AS ADULTS. GETTING BACK, THEY THEN SHOWED ME SYNDICATE REPORT #14 TO ME. (NICE PRINOUT MAY I ADD) THIS WAS THE MONTH FOR REPORT #15 PARTS 1 AND 2, BUT I HADN'T GOTTEN AROUND TO POSTING IT ON THE VMS LINE. AFTER A WHILE OF BSING ON SUCH TOPICS AS: WHY DO I HACK, WRITE TSR, SCAN SYSTEMS AND COMMIT OTHER RELATED DEEDS. I ONLY AGREED THAT YEAH, I HACKED SYSTEMS...BUT ONLY TO EXPLORE THEM AND LEARN HOW THEY WORK - NOT TO DESTROY. WELL, THEY THEN PROMPTED ME THAT THE SECRET SERVICE HAD SOME OF MY REPORTS AND THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED TO MUCH. THAT'S THE STORY. AGAIN LIKE LAST TIME, THEY SAID THEY MAY INFORM ME IF ANYTHING WAS TO COME OUT OF IT. I'M NOT WORRIED FOR NOW, TILL THE 18TH BDAY ROLLS AROUND. ONE LAST THING, I WAS CAUGHT BY MY OWN CARELESSNESS - A FEW OF YOU MAY HAVE AN IDEA HOW, BUT I'M NOT GOING INTO THAT. BECAREFUL OUT THERE. - THE SENSEI OF THE SYNDICATE REPORT MAGAZINE. ============================================================================ TSR WILL ACCEPT ADDITIONAL SPONSOR/SUPPORT SYSTEMS. IF YOU HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE REPORT, AND WISH TO PROVIDE SUPPORT TO TSR -- LEAVE YOUR BBS NUMBER AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION TO TSR VMS LINES LISTED ABOVE. ============================================================================ FREEWORLD // 301-668-7657 : BREWERY 314-394-8259 : LUNATIC LABS 612-645-7132 REALM OF REALITY 612-420-6486 : OSUNY* 914-725-4060 : EXEC. INN 915-581-5145 ============================================================================ THIS CONCLUDES THIS TRANSMITTAL NO. 16 (PART 2) BY THE SENSEI OF THE SYNDICATE REPORT RELEASED OCTOBER 21ST, 1987 ============================================================================