The next generation of hackers seemed to have a new-found sophistication which frustrated AFP detectives at every turn. Then, on 13 October 1990, the AFP got lucky. Perhaps the hackers had been lazy that day, or maybe they just had technical problems using their traceless phreaking techniques. Prime Suspect couldn't use Trax's traceless phreaking method from his home because he was on a step-by-step exchange, and sometimes Trax didn't use the technique. Whatever the reason, Telecom managed to successfully complete two line traces from RMIT and the AFP now had two addresses and two names. Prime Suspect and Trax. `Hello, Prime Suspect.' `Hiya, Mendax. How's tricks?' `Good. Did you see that RMIT email? The one in Geoff Huston's mailbox?' Mendax walked over to open a window as he spoke. It was spring, 1991, and the weather was unseasonably warm. `I did. Pretty amazing. RMIT looks like it will finally be getting rid of those line traces.' `RMIT definitely wants out,' Mendax said emphatically. `Yep. Looks like the people at RMIT are sick of Mr Day crawling all over their computers with line traces.' `Yeah. That admin at RMIT was pretty good, standing up to AARNET and the AFP. I figure Geoff Huston must be giving him a hard time.' `I bet.' Prime Suspect paused. `You reckon the Feds have dropped the line traces for real?' `Looks like it. I mean if RMIT kicks them out, there isn't much the Feds can do without the uni's cooperation. The letter sounded like they just wanted to get on with securing their systems. Hang on. I've got it here.' Mendax pulled up a letter on his computer and scrolled through it. From aarnet-contacts-request@jatz.aarnet.edu.au Tue May 28 09:32:31 1991 Received: by jatz.aarnet.edu.au id AA07461 (5.65+/IDA-1.3.5 for pte900); Tue, 28 May 91 09:31:59 +1000 Received: from possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU by jatz.aarnet.edu.au with SMTP id AA07457 (5.65+/IDA-1.3.5 for /usr/lib/sendmail -oi -faarnet-contacts-request aarnet-contacts-recipients); Tue, 28 May 91 09:31:57 +1000 Received: by possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU for aarnet-contacts@aarnet.edu.au) Date: Tue, 28 May 91 09:32:08 +1000 From: rcoay@possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU (Alan Young) Message-Id: <9105272332.29621@possum.ecg.rmit.OZ.AU> To: aarnet-contacts@aarnet.edu.au Subject: Re: Hackers Status: RO While no one would disagree that `Hacking' is bad and should be stopped, or at least minimised there are several observations which I have made over the last six or eight months relating to the persuit of these people: 1. The cost involved was significant, we had a CSO working in conjunction with the Commonwealth Police for almost three months full time. 2. While not a criticism of our staff, people lost sight of the ball, the chase became the most important aspect of the whole exercise. 3. Catching Hackers (and charging them) is almost impossible, you have to virtually break into their premises and catch them logged on to an unauthorised machine.