Security Breach 1
Vol. 1, Number 1
January 1998
Editor-in-chief: Maniac
Contributing Editors: People like you, hopefully!
So you want to know how to explore/beat the system. Well, here's your instruction manual. Security Breach is a hacking/phreaking zine devoted to all kinds of hacking related activities. If it involves manipulating a system to gain access to things you would not otherwise have access to, WE WILL COVER IT.
Security Breach is founded on the basic principle that systems of all kinds are meant to be defeated and exploited, and that it's always fun to get something for nothing. There is simply so much useful information out there that the powers that be would like you not to have and use. But we're here to tell the powers that be where they can shove it, and give you all the info you need to have all sorts of fun with the system. We will have info on: vending machines, lock-picking, security systems, anti-theft systems, phone phreaking, sabotage, and all sorts of crazy pranks and MUCH, MUCH more. Security Breach is like a pirate ship, sailing in the face of the system , with me, Maniac, at the helm. Enjoy
Submissions and letters are welcome and STRONGLY encouraged. You can send material to: Xkmfdmx@aol.com
If you have an idea for something that should be covered, just tell me, and I'll look into it...
This publication is for informational purposes only. If you use information contained within to break the law, it is not our problem (although we will be very happy), so don't do anything naughty with this info.
Ok, now the disclaimer's out of the way, so lets have some FUN
Index
- Introduction -Maniac
- Anti-Shoplifting Systems and how to defeat them -Jack Ripoff
- How to get into R-rated movies without being 17 -Maniac
- Making Someone's Phone busy -Maniac
- Quick N' Dirty AC Line Killer -Maniac
- Closing Babbling
Anti-Shoplifting Systems and How to Defeat Them
By Jack Ripoff
Many times, when you walk into a store, the first thing you see is the shoplifting detector that is supposed to keep you from stealing stuff. Here, we will discuss various types of anti-shoplifting technology, and how to beat them.
The first and most common method is the EAS tag. Also known as the peel-n'-steal tag, this one's easy to defeat. Just peel and steal. EAS tags are white and are stuck to products. Some manufacturers have put EAS tags inside the packaging of products, where they cannot be seen by the customer. They are usually located behind the bar code. Internal tags are often used on camera film, especially Polaroid film, and disposable cameras. Zippo lighters often have security tags, as well. They are most likely to be found on any product which is small and expensive. To deal with these, either remove the product from its box, or cut out the bar code area. If the tag isn't on the barcode, remove the box.
The EAS tags are deactivated using a magnetic field generated by a device under the store counter, which leads us to ask."Hey, why not build a handheld unit?" This unit would use an electrically generated magnetic field to deactivate the tag, and would most likely be powered by 9 volt batteries. A number of individuals we know are currently working on the development of this device. Their latest plan uses a tape head demagnetizer which will be powered by 9volts, converted to AC and stepped up using a transformer. It will use 120 volts, 60Hz, or something close to that. The Ac current will create a magnetic field that reverses at the same speed the power changes phase, namely 60 times per second. When the power is cut, the magnetic field will dissipate, causing the tag's magnetism to decrease accordingly, rendering the tag inoperative. The people working on this project, who will remain anonymous for obvious reasons, are also considering several other ideas for this device. Once the project is completed, Security Breach will obtain and publish schematics and plans.
There are several other security technologies. I will address 2 of them. On some CD's there are magnetic strips embedded in the packaging. The strips are approximately 2 ½" to 3" long. These strips are sometimes found inside CD cases. The ones inside CD cases have a thin plastic strip affixed to each side.
The most interesting anti-shoplifting device I know of is the Ink Tag. Ink tags are used to prevent people from ripping off clothes from clothing stores. They consist of a button shaped thing about the size of a beer bottle cap, attached by a steel pin to a smaller button on the other side of the piece of clothing. If they are broken off, they spray ink on the shoplifter, effectively marking them for store security to bust. Pretty sketchy, huh? Not if you're smart.Bring along a heavy duty pair of wire cutters when you go "shopping." Use the cutters to cut the metal pin that holds the ink tag together. Then pull the pin out of the item, and it's ready to rip off.
There are lots more anti-shoplifting devices out there, so I'll probably take a little trip to some retail stores and see if I can discover some more of them, and let everyone know how to beat them. Also, look for information on how to fabricate the various tools used by store employees to remove these devices. We're currently working on that, and will publish an article about it sometime in the future. I may also write a more detailed article on EAS technologies such as swept RF and acousto-magnetic, in the future.
Getting into R rated movies without being 17
By Maniac
Yeah, I know this is cheesy, but hey, it is a system of sorts and it's easy to beat, so what the fuck
Okay, so you want to go to the movies. The film has a bit of violence/sex/language/other stuff, and the ratings jerks made it "R." Just one problem, you're not 17, or you are, but whoever's with you isn't, and you gotta be 18 to buy tickets for someone who's underage. So you're thinking "oh shit, now what do I do?" Well here's what you do: You buy tickets to a flick that's rated PG-13, PG.... you get the idea. You just give them to the ticket taker, and they'll tear them, and you can just go to whatever flick you like. This works in those huge theaters that have a zillion screens such as Framingham 14 (Framingham, MA.) For a smaller theater where you have to present your ticket at the entrance to the individual screen, you need to be a bit more creative.
In this situation, just tear your ticket yourself, stick one half in your pocket, and flash the stub at them as you walk in, as if you left go to the bathroom and are returning. Also, if the theater has a self-serve snack bar with a register where you pay for everything, just have your friend distract the attendant, while you apply 5-finger discount liberally. "Welcome to General Cinemas put your cigarette out on the rug, and enjoy the show."
Making Someone's Phone Busy
By Maniac
Preface: Ok, I know this is an extremely simple and somewhat lame technique, but it has some useful applications so I'm gonna write about it anyways. If you think it's dumb, well, too fuckin bad..
Say you want to play a trick on someone by making their phone busy semi-permanently.. This is the way. All you need to do is procure a resistor with a value of at least 100 ohms(I would recommend something more like a 350 ohm), which can be easily ripped from Radio Hack. To install the resistor, just go to the victim's TNI box on the side of their house and attach the resistor between the terminals for the red and green wires. You could also call up the MLAC and pose as a CO technician to get cable pair info on the number, then go install the resistor on a pole or on an area pinout board, where it would be more difficult to find. The social engineering trick for the MLAC does work, because I've successfully done it before, unless you sound like you're definitely under 18. Then you'll just get told to get lost.
So, you know how to install the sucker, but this article would not be complete without explaining the electrical theory behind this technique. So here it is..
As you may already know, Ohm's law states that V=IR, or E=IR (same damn thing) where V or E represents the voltage in VOLTS, I represents the current in AMPERES, and R represents the resistance in OHMS.
The voltage on my phone line when it is on hook is 51.3VDC, although that has little to do with the task at hand. When I take the phone off the hook, the voltage drops to 7.6VDC So V=7.6. I also happen to know that my Harris-Dracon TS22 lineman's handset has an internal resistance of 357 ohms, according to my digital multimeter. That means R=357.
So V=7.6, and R=357, and V=IR, so The line current when the phone is off hook is about 21milliamperes. Knowing this, we can also find the power consumption of the phone line. P=IV, so the power consumption is .1596 watts.
Now to make the switch think that the phone is off hook, one needs to bridge the line with a resistor that provides about the same amount of resistance as a phone off the hook. The best choice would be something close to my figure of 357 ohms, but you can get away with anything from about 100 ohms up. A while back, I built a hold button for my phone using this principle. It used a spdt switch, which in one position allowed the conversation to occur on the line, but when the switch was flipped, put a 100 ohm resistor between red and green, cutting off the phone, but keeping the line off the hook. If you want more info on that, just search the web for "crimson box." You could use the switch based plan in the crimson box file to make a switchable version of my little annoyance technique. That's all folks, have fun
Quick N' Dirty AC Line Killer
Ever want to turn off the power whenever and wherever you like? Sure, you can stick a paper clip in a socket, but you might manage to fry yourself in the process. Here's a solution to the safety problem.
Take an old, broken AC/DC adapter, and cut off the cord. Then open it up and rip out the circuitry inside, except for the two prongs of the plug. Then cut a 3 inch piece of 10 gauge wire, strip the ends, and solder it between the 2 prongs on the inside of the adapter case. Then close the case, and secure it with screws or glue.
To use, just find an outlet which is on the circuit you want to blow, or just pick a random outlet.(not in your house, dumbass). Plug it in, and it'll create a short circuit, and blow fuses, trip breakers, etc..without frying you!
By the way, this may cause sparks to fly out of the outlet. I've seen it happen before with a paper clip. It caused a 5-foot jet of sparks and melted a hole partway through the outlet plate. The paper clip, which was making a connection between the outlet plate and one side of the socket, shot across the room and hit the opposite wall. This is a really cool effect, just be a little careful. This thing draws a LOT of amperes. Anybody with half a brain can build this thing. It doesn't get much simpler. Have fun.
Closing Babblings
-Maniac
Well that's all for this issue of Security Breach. I hope everyone enjoyed it, cause I put a good deal of time into it. I'm already working on issue 2, which I hope to make better than this one. I really would appreciate some help writing this thing, It's a pain in the butt to do it myself. In the future, I'm going to stick to technical stuff mostly, and try to keep the semi-lame stuff to a minimum. Look for articles on Phreaking from ATM phones, Building a flashing ringer, The phreaker's toolkit, and much, much more in next issue.
Until then...Keep The Information Free!!
--Maniac
