That's it? PRETTY SIMPLE HUH? So, you said earlier that you poke around NASA computers. And NASA just had a pretty good glitch that rings of hackers. Some- one broke the code. EXACTLY. BUT NO ONE'S TAKING CREDIT. Why would they? Isn't that a sure giveaway and a trip up the river? YES AND NO. MORRIS FOR EXAMPLE ADMITTED HIS MISTAKE. HE SAID HE WAS WRITING A VIRUS FOR THE EXERCISE AND IT GOT OUT OF CONTROL. OOPS, HE SAID, AND I'M INCLINED TO BELIEVE HIM BECAUSE HE DIDN'T COVER HIS TRACKS. IF HE WAS SERIOUS ABOUT SHUTTING DOWN INTERNET HE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN FOUND AND HE WOULDN'T HAVE ADMITTED IT IF THEY EVER CAUGHT HIM. PROVING HE DID IT IS NEXT TO IMPOSSIBLE. So? SO, HACKERS HAVE STRONG EGOS. THEY LIKE TO GET CREDIT FOR FIND- ING THE KEYS TO COMPUTERS. IT BUILDS THEM A REPUTATION THAT THEY FEED ON. VIRUS BUILDERS ARE THE SAME. IF SOMEONE BUILDS A VIRUS AND THEN FEEDS IT INTO THE SYSTEM, HE WANTS TO GET CREDIT FOR IT. SO HE TAKES CREDIT. And then gets caught, right? WRONGO AGAIN, LET'S SAY I TOLD YOU THAT IT WAS ME THAT DID THAT STUFF AT NASA. So it was you? NO NO. I SAID, IF IT WAS ME, WHAT WOULD YOU DO ABOUT IT? Uh . . . WHAT? I'm thinking. WHO WOULD YOU TELL? The police, NASA, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM? That you did it. WHO AM I? Good point. Who are you? I DIDN'T DO IT AND I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHO I AM. YOU SEE, MOST OF US DON'T KNOW EACH OTHER THAN OVER THE COMPUTER. IT JUST DON'T MATTER WHO I AM. I don't know if I buy everything you say, but it is something to think about. So what about the NASA thing. I DON'T KNOW. NOBODY DOES. You mean, I gather, nobody has owned up to it. EXACTLY How can I describe you? If I wanted to use you in an article. STUDENT AT A MAJOR UNIVERSITY. Sounds like a Letter to Penthouse Forum. TRY THE SEX BBS. If you've done nothing wrong, why not come forward? NOT EVERYONE BELIEVES WHAT WE DO IS HARMLESS. NEITHER DO YOU. YET. MIGHT BE BAD FOR MY HEALTH. What time is it? WON'T WORK GUY. TIME ZONES I UNDERSTAND. ONE THING. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, I CAN ARRANGE A TRIP THOUGH THE FIRST TRUST BANK COMPUTERS, Arrange a trip? Travel agent on the side. IN A WAY WE ARE ALL TRAVEL AGENTS. JUST THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED. Let's say I am. JUST CALL 212-555-9796. USE THE PASSWORD MONEYMAN AND THE ID IS 9796. LOOK AROUND ALL YOU WANT. USE F1 FOR HELP. I'LL CALL YOU IN A COUPLE OF DAYS. LEAVE YOUR COMPUTER ON. <<<<<<CONNECTION TERMINATED>>>>>> **************************************************************** Chapter 13 Wednesday, November 25 HACKERS HAMPER HOLIDAY HELLO'S By Scott Mason As most of my readers know by now, I have an inherent suspicion of lame excuses for bureaucratic bungling. If any of you were unable to make a long distance phone call yesterday, you weren't alone.