Long-lived hacker mag shuts down

Long-lived hacker mag shuts down

Hacker magazine Phrack is to close its doors after almost 20 years serving the darker side of the Internet and communications community.

Yet the antivirus and security industries are coming out to say they will be sorry to see the back of the title that was run by, and for the benefit of, those they seek to thwart.

In its earliest days, the magazine dealt with issues such as phone "phreaking," or cracking the telephone networks to make long-distance calls, for example. In later times, it became a community space for those writing malicious code and sharing exploit information.

Its popularity was a bonus for those involved in the war against cybercrime, and its disappearance will remove the most immediate insight into the thinking of the hacker community.

Pete Simpson, ThreatLab manager at security company Clearswift, said he is very surprised to see Phrack disappear. He added that a world without the journal is actually less secure.

"Phrack's visibility was a blessing in disguise, pretty much in the same way as the Full Disclosure community," Simpson said, referring to the unmoderated Full Disclosure forum for disclosure of security information.

In the past, some hackers have brought about their own downfall by feeling the need to brag about what they have done and what they are capable of. The loss of Phrack will certainly remove a coveted platform.

But Simpson believes something else will inevitably come in to fill the gap left behind.

"If Phrack as an organ does disappear, then I would expect new outlets to pop up and fill the information void," Simpson said. "There must be younger hackers able and willing to take up the mantle."

Simon Perry, a security strategy executive at Computer Associates International, said: "Phrack closing its doors does reduce some visibility into the thoughts of the 'dark side.'"


read the rest of the article here:
http://news.com.com/Long-lived+hacke...l?tag=nefd.top

http://www.phrack.org/show.php?p=49&a=7

http://www.phrack.org/show.php?p=32&a=6

http://www.phrack.org/show.php?p=50&a=7

one of my favourites ... i am who i am partially 'cause of phrack

Truely a sad day, but perhaps some of the contributors to phrack will start writing to 2600 or blacklist 411.

I think the platform spoken of above still exists, but phrack is definitly a time old technical mag that will be greatly missed. Out of the ashes though can only come something else.

Site sucked anyway...

Cheers.

Interesting. I've heard of Phrack, but since I'm still new to this particular field, I hadn't yet gotten around to checking it out. Its a pity that they're stopping; I enjoy reading similar publications because they provide insight in to those who may one day try to compromise my system (and some of the articles are just plain funny!)

Phrack is what made me explore the lower depths of a computer, some of the earlier articles are a little cringe worthy, but the later articles (except the "radio hacking") are generally very very good, Here I knocked up some python to download all phrack issues from 1 to 62, you'll need to alter the code for the latest one when it goes up :-)

Code:

---


#!/usr/bin/python

import urllib

address = 'http://www.phrack.org/archives/phrack'
issues = 62
extension = '.tar.gz'
initial = 0
name = 'phrack'
i = 1

for i in range(issues):
        if i < 10:
               
                i = i+1               

                link = "%s%d%d%s" % (address, initial, i, extension)

                  f = urllib.urlopen(link)
               
                fname = "%s%d%d%s" % (name, 0, i, extension)
               
                g=open(fname,'wb')
                g.write(f.read())
                g.close()

                       
        elif i >= 10:
               
                i = i + 1

                link = "%s%d%s" % (address, i, extension)

                  f = urllib.urlopen(link)
               
                fname = "%s%d%s" % (name, i, extension)
               
                g=open(fname,'wb')
                g.write(f.read())
                g.close()

---

its a quick hack, i know where the faults are, but it does the job, hope you like

i2c

Although I have heard from it I have to admit i never read it. But it stillsad to see a good magazine to shut down.
Nice code i2c, i am just starting with python but it doesn't look liek it has any flaws.