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The Syndicate Report Issue 15 (part 1)
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THE SYNDICATE REPORT
Information Transmittal No. 15
(Part 1)
Released September 21, 1987
Featuring:
New Editors In Phrack Inc. (pwn.xv i 9\12)
Bank Couples PCs, Micro Card to Increase Security (i.wld 7\5)
CompuSystems Mail-Order Firm Under Investigations for Fraud (i.wld 7\17)
LightNet Announces Major Expansion To West Coast (bps 7\22)
FCC Leans to Price-Cap Regulation; US West Approves Proposal (n.wk 8\28
Meter Reader on Phone...Literally (n.wk 9\13)
Tech Access Network Speeds I&R at Bell COs (otsd.plnt 9\15)
Cable TV Ban Eyed (n.wk 9\19)
$5 Billion Dollar Contract Out For New Government Phone System (bs.wk 7\11)
by The Sensei
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Exposition:
Once again, TSReport now excepts outside sources. Anyone can write/provide
information to the Syndicate Report. The Syndicate Report is also altering
format. Rather than concentrating mainly on BELL orientated information,
the Syndicate Report now has a more broad interest. Thus, TSR now handles
all types of news gatherings.
All articles have been presented by me unless shown at the end of the
article as the information provider(s).
TSR Transfer Line I 612-829-8509 ------ TSR Transfer Line II 612-829-8508
TSR NewsLine ------- 612-829-8503/04
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Author's Note:
Welcome Syndicate Report Readers. Many different things are happening.
As most of you know, the Phreak World is slower than ever. This is of course
due to the rash happenings of busts. Users are finally realizings that "HEY,
I COULD BE CAUGHT." Thus, many Phreaks and Hackers are laying low only coming
online when necessary. The main reasons for getting caught appear to be
abusing access codes to MCI/Sprint/ITT/Metro or whatever your service. There
are alternatives. It's up to you make think about them and act.
I just recently released a seperate file on 3rd Party Fraud and VMS's.
This is one alternative to using big business company codes. This file may
be found on TSR Transfer Line II 8508 (see above).
Keep in mind, that this transmittal has a second part to it.
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NEW EDITORS IN PHRACK INC.:
Original Founders of Phrack Inc.: Knight Lightning and Taran King,
are attending college currently. Thus, this note was sent from Knight
Lightning in Phrack World News Introduction Issue XV...
"TK and KL have put the editorship of Phrack in the hands of
Elric of Imrryr and Sir Francis Drake. SFD is primarily responsible
for PWN." -As of yet we have no 'Official Phrack BBS.'
============================================================================
BANK COUPLES PCs, MICRO CARD TO INCREASE SECURITY:
A Canadian bank is now using microchip-bearing "smart cards" to access
PCs in order to increase service and security while strengthening its
competitive edge.
These credit card style items carry a nickel-size chip in one corner
and can be decorated with company logos or employee photos. The memory chip
can store passwords and codes that trigger software sequences, which in turn
allow customers or eomployees access to varying levels of confidential data.
Applications with PCs have passed the test phase and are being
implemented in government, health care, financial services, and banking
industries.
With assets o an estimated 99.6$ billion, the Royal Bank of Canadian
distributes its own brand of smart card to customers and bank employees. As
Canada's largest bank and the sixth largest in North America, the Royal Bank
provides electronic cash management services to an undisclosed number of
Canadian firms, U.S.-owned subsidiaries based in central Canada, and multi-
national companies.
Since September '85, the Royal Bank Secutrity Card has been giving
customers access to financial data from specially equipped remote PCs. A user
inserts the smart card into card reader that's attached to a PC via a serial
port. The chip on the card contains some access codes, while other codes are
stored in the PC. The user uses the keybaord to enter a self-defined personal
ID Number to access the system. The card contrains needed information
including log-on routines and other software sequences to move quickly to the
level and type of data needed.
For bank employees and customers, the smart card specifies who has
access to what kind of data files during what time. A growing number of
smaller businesses are turning to smart cards as a way to integrate the
electronic office. PCs with smart card capabilities give owners and
managers time to devote to the mainstream of their businesses.
Using cards manufactured by Micro Card Technologies Inc. of Dallas,
the Royal Bank finds the card completely secure from tampering. It also
strengthens back systems that prevent illegal entry to the mainframe.
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COMPUSYSTEMS MAIL-ORDER FIRM UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR FRAUD:
WARNING: If you placed an order to a computer mail-order firm called
Compusystems Co. of Beverly Hills, CA, you may have been the victem of fraud.
Government investigators are looking for a man who placed an apparently
fraudulent advertisement in InfoWorld and other magazines. A federal
Investigator said Compusystems Co. is apparently not a mail-order operation,
but rather a "bust-out scam." The checks sent to the firm to buy products will
be cashed, but no merchandise will be sent. The ad on page 12 of the August 10
issue of InfoWorld was placed by aman calling himself Robert McConihay.
McConihay sent credit document to InfoWorld's advertising Dept., stating that
his company was founded in July 1979. An "audited" financial report and bank
records, based on references fromfirms that apparently never existed, showed
the company to have assets of over 6$ million, including 4.9$ million in
inventory. The credit department at IDG, InfoWorld's parent company, approved
the credit application.
What wasn't immediately apparent was that all the records were fakes.
The bank's phone number and a business reference rang to special lines used by
the advertiser, investigators said. In effect, he "played banker" and issued
his own net worth statement, said on investigator. he confirmed that
Compusystem's credit was clean. he "played CPA" and verified his net worth.
Once the ad appeared, the phone lines were disconnected.
:::::::::::::Information provided by InfoWorld Weekly Magazine::::::::::::::
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LIGHTNET ANNOUNCES MAJOR EXPANSION TO WEST COAST:
LIGHTNET, one of the nation's largest fiber optic telecommunications
companies, announced it will begin providing coast-to-coast service in
September through an interconnect agreement with Williams Telecommunications
Co. (WilTel).
Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will interconnect
facilities in Chicago and New Orleans to provide their respective customers
with access to a 10,000-mile coast-to-coast network.
According to Arthur E. Parsons, president and CEO of LIGHTNET, the agreement
represents a major strategic move for LIGHTNET which has been committed to
expanding service to the West Coast.
"LIGHTNET customers will now be able to access 27 cities west of the
Mississippi along WilTel's routes including Minneapolis; Omaha; Kansas City;
St. Louis; Tulsa; Oklahoma City; Dallas; Houston; Denver; Salt Lake City; Los
Angeles; and many others," said Parsons.
WilTel will also be able to access cities on the LIGHTNET network. LIGHTNET
currently serves 38 major metropolitan markets east of the Mississippi through
a 5,000-mile fiber optic network which it owns and operates. WilTel's 5,000-
mile fiber optic network reaches more than 40 cities west of the Mississippi.
WilTel, formed in 1985, is unique in its use of decommissioned transmission
pipelines as conduits, and burial of lines near operating pipelines. The
company is a subsidiary of Tulsa-based Williams Telecommunications Group Inc.
(WTG). WTG is a subsidiary of The Williams Cos. Inc. The network is
considered to be one of the most secure and highly protected fiber optic
systems in the country.
LIGHTNET, formed in 1983, is owned by subsidiaries of CSX Corp. and Southern
New England Telecommunications (SNET). The company provides interstate
private line telecommunications service to other common carriers (OCC's) such
as US Sprint, businesses and government agencies for voice, data, and video
communications.
:::::::::::::::::Information Provided by BBS Press Service::::::::::::::::::
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FCC LEANS TO PRICE-CAP REGULATION;
US WEST APPROVES PROPOSAL:
The FCC last month proposed replacing rate-of-return regulation with a
framework that would place ceilings on prices charged for interstate services.
The commission said that "price cap" regulation, if adopted, would first
be implemented for AT&T, and then for local exchange carrier. An FCC official
said no schedule has been set for adopting the proposal.
US WEST valled the proposal "timely and very appropriate." The FCC, in
announcing its proposal, noted that "cost-of-service (rate-of-return)
regulation imposes significant costs on regulated companies and their
customers.
Under the proposed plan, dominant carriers stil would be required to
file tariffs, but a streamlined review process would be enacted.
Stressed, is the importance of first moving AT&T to the new format.
"Although the efficiencies gained rom such regulation may be greater for the
local exchange companies," said Commissioner Dawson.
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METER READER ON PHONE...LITERALLY:
You can bet the meter is running..and now there's a system to keep
track of it by phone. The new Central Meter Reading system is currently being
tested in a joint trial by BellCore.
Introduced last month, the system allows gas and water utilities to get
meter readings over telephone lines, thus eliminating the need for on-site
readings.
To obtain the service, customers must have a "meter interface unit"
installed. It connects their phone line to special encoders on their gas
and water meters. Meter reading data then is automatically sent over the line
to a Water Works Computer.
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TECH ACCESS NETWORK SPEEDS I&R AT BELL COs:
A new field access system soon will allow Bell CO Technicians to
streamline repair and installation procedures and reduce operating costs.
The Technician Access Network 8TAN), a BellCore development system,
gives technicians direct access to the support sstem that screens and
dispatches customer trouble reports. Previously, a maintenance administrator
served as the technician's link.
For example, using a hand-held terminal, the technician dials into the
support system to obtain a report ticket number, customer's telephone number
and address -- all provided by a computerized voice.
TAN's versatility will play a large part in decisions. It will be used
to give outside craft employees direct access to other operations systems such
as time reports, ordering materials and tracking service information on company
vehicles, decreasing or eliminating paper forms.
::::::::::::::::::::Informatioin provided by The Curist:::::::::::::::::::::
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CABLE TV BAN EYED:
The FCC has initiated an inquiry into whether its rules governing
cross-owner-ship of telephone companies and cable television companies and
cabletelevision companies should be modified.
The rules, adopted in 1970, generally prohibit telephone companies
telephone companies from providing cable TV service directly, or through an
affiliate, in their telephone service areas.
Citing substantial growth in the cable TV industry and dramatic changes
in the telephone industry, the FCC said it was time to reexamine the situation.
Atleast two commissioners favor lifting the ban.
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$5 BILLION DOLLAR CONTRACT OUT FOR NEW GOVERNMENT PHONE SYSTEM:
It's become one of the most hotly contested government contracts in
years. In early 1885, Uncle Sam went looking for a supplier to replace the
aging federal phone system now provided by American Telephone & Telegraph Co.
The winner stood to get $5 billion or more in revenues over the next 10 years.
This lured some of the buffest names in government contracting into the battle,
including Martin Marietta and Electronic Data Systems, the General Motors
subsidiary.
But the fight to supply the world's largest private phone network has
turned into a political quagmire that could postpone the project idefinitely.
EDS, disgusted with the lengthy procurement process, pulled out, forcing
partner US Sprint Communications Co. to withdraw as well. Martin Marietta
Corp., which leads the team of AT&T seven former regional phone companies,
threatens to q uit, too, if the General Services Administration does not
close bids soon. AT&T's legal guns, mean while are trying to blow the Baby
Bells off Marietta's team. And lawmakers have added to the confusion by
questioning whether there realy should be a 10 year contract with just one
supplier. To study such concerns, the GSA on Aug. 24 postponed bidding a third
time, until Sept. 30.
Mariett's team sees a lot of potential. The federal bureaucracy will
become a testing ground for an unprecedented all-digital transmission system
handling voice, data, and video calls simultneously over a single phone wire.
With the business of Intergrating Voice and Data Networks now estimated at $1
billion a year and growing fast, Marietta, a veteran government space
contractor, wants the GSA award to establish it as a systems integrator for
corporations.
The General Accounting Office estimates that the new systenm could shave
the government's phone bill by more than $100 million a year -- once it
decides who gets the job.
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The Brewery 314-394-8259 :: Freeworld ][ 301-668-7657 :: LunLab 415-278-7421
Realm of Reality 612-420-6486 :: Osuny BBS 914-725-4060 :: EInn 915-581-5145
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This concludes this information transmittal No. 15
(Part 1)
by The Sensei of The Syndicate Report
Released September 21, 1987
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