"Hacker Tales" - Call for Contributions

Dear AntiOnline discussion board members,

please find enclosed the "call for contributions" for my latest book "Hacker Tales.

I would be very pleased if any of you could submit a tale or two for the book

Could you also pass this on to anyone who you think might be interested in contributing.

Thanks

dr.k

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"HACKER TALES"
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

Background:

Dr.K, author of "Complete Hacker's Handbook", has just agreed to write a 2nd book about hackers called "Hacker Tales".

Born in 1959, the author originally did a degree in Psycholinguistics, but soon got sidetracked into hacking, attending "Hacking at the End of the Universe" (1993) and "Access All Areas" (1995). One of the regular attendees at London 2600 for a number of years, Dr.K worked with Zap to co-found the short lived P/H-UK hacking ezine before writing "Complete Hacker's Handbook", and has most recently been working as a computer specialist for the "world's most famous secret society".

When not writing, Dr.K can be found in various London recording studios or playing electronic music at parties and clubs. Dr.K has been married for 25 years and has a large and ever growing brood of ankle-biters to keep him company as he slips into obsolescence.

The recently revised and updated "Complete Hacker's Handbook" (Carlton 2000,2002), has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and been translated into Japanese, Dutch and Polish.

Publisher's PR Blurb:

"Hacker Tales" is a compilation of true stories from the cyber-underground relating the exploits of real hackers. It is aimed at a mass market audience who want to read about real world hackers and who are only familiar with hacking from high profile mass-media coverage in newspapers and through fictional representations of hackers in books (e.g. "Neuromancer", "Shockwave Rider", "Snow Crash") and films ("Swordfish", "Hackers", "War Games" & "The Matrix").

Because of this, the public perception of the stereotypical hacker is a obsess ional teenaged boy, pale-faced from spending too long in front of a computer, with a bad complexion from too much junk food, dark rims under the eyes from too much "tube-time" and no social life.

While there is an element of truth in the public stereotype, the reality is somewhat different.

Hacker culture has flourished in the last 10 years as never before, and as the Internet has spread across the globe, the profile of a typical hacker has changed. No longer restricted to university students and academics the Internet has become a playground for people of all ages and genders to explore computers and networks. As the skills involved in hacking have become ever more widespread, cyber-activists and cyber-artists have taken to using new media to spread their message, "old-school" hackers have grown up to become security professionals and a whole new generation have learnt to speak TCP/IP as they come to grips with the ongoing evolution of the World Wide Web.

These days the "hacker" is likely to be an academic, an IT security professional, a bored housewife, a political activist intent on using technology to spread their message or even a spotty teenage boy with too much attitude hell bent on defacing websites just as graffiti artists target trains with spray cans. Their motives will vary, their methods will vary, their favorite food and operating systems will vary, but the end results for the corporations and individuals who are hacked are still the same - a compromised computer system that costs time and money to put back online.

"Hacker Tales" aims to capture the thoughts and stories of the people who choose, for whatever reason, to compromise system security. It will speak with the authentic voice of the cyber-underground as the author talks to genuine hackers and encourages them to have their say, explaining their motives, how they began hacking, their greatest hacks, their methods and in the worst case scenario, how they got busted for hacking and what happened next.

The stories in "Hackers Tales" will be the best way for the readers to understand the mind of a hacker - unless they become a hacker themselves.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CONTRIBUTIONS

I want hackers, communications junkies, computer enthusiasts, computer haters, cyber activists, cyberpunks, cypherpunks, data travelers, digital graffiti artists, electro-wizards, gurus (any kind), hackers, hardware freaks, law enforcement officers, MP3 pirates, old timers, paranoid androids, phone phreaks, programmers, secret society members, security specialists, stupid users, system managers, techno-anarchists, wannabee's, war walkers and war chalkers, warez dudes, whizz kids, and even more hackers to contribute to "Hacker Tales", BUT I also want everyone to be safe from possible legal repercussions.

Here are some guidelines for submissions.

* PROTECT YOURSELF - FIRST & FOREMOST.
* Don't contribute something that gets your ass in court and/or thrown in jail or fired because your uptight and/or straight boss doesn't appreciate your contribution.
* If you need to, then use anonymous webmail, remailers, proxies etc to send any contributions.
* PGP is an option - the "Hacker Tales" public key should be attached to these guidelines.
* Change company and corporate details if necessary, change IP addresses, change anything you want - just make sure that no-one can trace you from what you have contributed.
* Use another handle if you are too well known. Or just submit under "anonymous hacker" or similar. I don't want to know who you are - I just want to collect "Hacker Tales".
* EDITING: I will remove or change any details that will lead to legal consequences. I will change names if they are too personal (to "John Q Hacker" or "Jane X Hacker", "Anonymous Hacker" etc). I will remove or change any header details or corporate IP's; otherwise details will remain intact.
* Any suggestions to make these guidelines better?
* Any problems?
* Any questions?
* Email: completehackershandbook@h o t m a i l_DOT_c.o.m


Submission Suggestions:

Got any stories that fit with these themes?
Got any stories that *don't* fit with these themes that are worth hearing anyhow?

Remember that a good hack doesn't have to compromise system security.

* Early Days: The BBS years

Did you BBS?
How and why did you start and what hacks did you pull on each other?

* Hackers Begin Young

How old were you when you realized you were a hacker?
What did you do next?

* Hacker Groups

Ever been part of a "Hacker Group"?
What happened?

* Phone-Phreaking

How did you start?
What tales can you tell about the times you phreaked?
Any notable long distance, unusual, or other phreaks worth reporting?

* Hacker Conferences

Ever been to a Hacker Conference?
Now tell some funny/sad/unusual/typical tales about a conference.

* Getting Busted

If you have been unlucky enough to get busted:

How and Why?
What happened next?

* Cyber-Activism

Are you a "cyber activist"?
Why? And what do you do to promote your group?



* Pirate Connection

Are you a warez or mp3 pirate?
How did you start and what do you do?

* Social Engineering

If you are a social engineer or infiltration type hacker:

How and why did you start?
What do you do and how do you do it?

* Corporate Hacks

Did you ever hack a big corporation?
Why and How?
What happened then?

* Japes and Jokes

You know what I mean: re-routed phone-lines, mis-directed domains, re-written websites.

* Hacker Food

Pizza or Chinese? Jolt or Espresso?
What's your favorite hacking food?
What's your Favorite Recipe?

* Skip/Dumpster Diving

Ever dumpster dived? Why?
What happened?
Any nifty stories about great skips and bad skips, security, dogs, tools etc.

* Web Defacement

Do you deface websites?
Why do you do it? (Cyber Activism, personal or group promotion or what?)
How do you do it?

* 2600 or other local Hacker Meetings

Do you go to 2600 meetings?
Any stories about what happened?

* Miscellaneous:

The above list is a good starting point BUT do you have another "Hacker Tale" worth telling that doesn't fit with any of these categories? If so please tell it now ...

Personal "Prizes" for Contributors:

Contrary to popular belief, writers get paid peanuts while the publishers reap the rich rewards.

For this reason contributors will not be paid anything - however they WILL get their "Hacker Tale" in print. In an attempt to reward contributors for their hard work, I will hold a raffle for all contributors who wish to enter. Everyone who enters gets their name in a hat and then I will allow my youngest grandson (currently aged 8 months) to pick the winners.

Instead of the usual rubbish (i.e. signed books) I have THREE original "Hacking at the End of the Universe" (1993) posters from the HackTic conference of the same name. They look great hanging in any computer enthusiast's workshop, studio or study. In addition to this I also have the usual rubbish: TWO copies of "Hacker Tales" and ONE copy of "Complete Hacker's Handbook". I'll even sign them if you want, but you'll never get a good price for them second-hand that way ...

FIRST "PRIZE"

HEU poster (1993)
"Hacker Tales" (2004)
"Complete Hacker's Handbook" (2002)

SECOND "PRIZE"

HEU poster (1993)
"Hacker Tales" (2004)

THIRD "PRIZE"
HEU poster (1993)

Once the book goes to press I'll do the raffle and announce the winners.

LEGALESE

My publisher requires that the book will include a standard disclaimer:

"This book is intended as a guide to information retrieval, which may help computer security and guard against hackers. The author and publisher expressly do not advocate any activity that could be illegal in any manner. The reader is advised to consult with his or her attorney concerning applicable federal and state laws. The author and publisher assume no responsibility for any injury and/or damage to persons and property which is incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, or the use and application of any of the contents of this work"

WITH THIS IN MIND:

Now is the chance to tell your stories if you want, but remember, protect yourself first and foremost. I don't want any of the "Hacker Tales" to have an unhappy ending because of this book, but I do want everyone to tell their tales. Dr.K - 19/08/03.


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Yeah, once ther was this guy who decided to annoy security specialists and insanely bright 16 year old nerds by wanting them to brag about their hacking efforts.


Needless to say, the man was condemed to a mere pitiful existance throughout the online community, and shunned in all the lands, far and wide. His quest was in vain, but nobody seemed to care.

EOS(tory)

Right, thread closed.