From: foxworth@bnlux1.bnl.gov (Bob Foxworth)
Subject: claim of modem eavesdropping by gov't
Summary: Former telco worker claims modem calls databanked by telco's
Keywords: modem, monitoring, databanks
Organization: Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 1992 03:37:57 GMT


The following message was received over our local Amateur Radio TCP/IP
VHF Radio network on 26 Sept. It came there from the Amateur AX.25 protocol
Packet Radio network, the originating radio BBS station (at Canton Ohio)
entered it into the Amateur packet network on 16 Sept. I am passing it
on "as received". I am not vouching for, nor am I disclaiming any statements
in this message. I hope it is not a repeat of anything...any replies, post 
to the net, not to me. I tried to post it 3 days ago but it never
appeared here. It did also go to a moderated group who rejected it, however.

[begin included tex]
- From n8ecw%kc2fd@kc2fd.ampr.org Sat Sep 26 14:05:28 1992
- Received: from n2mdq.ampr.org by k2euh.ampr.org with SMTP
	id AA9736 ; Sat, 26 Sep 92 13:59:54 UTC
- Received: from kc2fd.ampr.org by n2mdq.ampr.org 
- (n2mdq@n2mdq.ampr.org) with SMTP
-	id AA10034 ; Tue, 22 Sep 92 13:49:44 UTC
- Date: 26 Sep 92 13:51:00 UTC
- Message-Id: <6087@kc2fd.ampr.org>
- From: n8ecw@kc2fd.#nli.ny.usa.na
- To: nli@n2mdq
- Subject: CP KC2FD: BBSs, Privacy, and You!
- X-BBS-Msg-Type: P
- Status: R

- R:920926/1351Z @:KC2FD.#NLI.NY.USA.NA [Coram, LI, NY] FBB5.14d #:18091

- From: N8ECW@KC2FD.#NLI.NY.USA.NA
- To  : NLI@N2MDQ

- Original from N8ECW to ALL@USBBS
- R:920926/0848Z @:N2BQF.#NLI.NY.USA.NOAM [Copiague] FBB5.14d TELINK #:18005
-   intermediate headers deleted
- R:920916/1944z @:KA8Z.OH.USA Canton, Oh. #:26846 Z:44705

I found the following message on a land line BBS. Since many packet users
also have modems and call land line BBSs, and many sysops also run such
BBSs I think that the information in the following message is something
we should all be aware of.

				***

  As someone involved in the telephone industry on the level of security
  and data integrity... I would like to inform everyone that uses modems
  and/or are bbs operators of some information.

  The first thing that everyone that uses a modem should know is that
  every time you fire up your modem your activating monitoring equipment
  somewhere in the U.S.  I have worked for several large telephone
  networks that routinely monitor and reroute modem and fax transmissions
  through devices that allow them to view what is being transmitted and
  even decodes encrypted data and fax packets used by major corporations
  and governmental agencies.  This is allowed under the heading of
  "Maintenance Monitoring" and may be continued for up to 6 months without
  the need of any legal paperwork being generated.  Under an obscure
  pre-WWII ruling by the agency that is now the FCC... "No information may
  be encoded or transmitted over PUBLIC or PRIVATE forms of telephony or
  radio with the exception of those agencies involved in the National
  Security" a further designation goes on to say "with the exception of
  the MORSE system of 'transmittal', any communication that is not
  interpretable by the human ear is forbidden and unlawful."

  The information gathered goes to 3 seperate database facilities...1 is
  codenamed Diana and is located in Brussels, the 2nd is named Fredrick
  and is located somewhere in Malaysia, the 3rd is named Elizabeth and is
  located in Boulder, Colorado.  The information stored in these systems
  is accessable by the US Government, Interpol, Scotland Yard and various
  other such agencies.  Your credit rating is also affected by your modem
  usage... if you ever get a copy of your credit history and find a
  listing that has HN06443 <--= this is a negative risk rating. or a code
  87AT4 <---= an even more negative risk rating.... these will usually
  have no description on them... and if you inquire about them they will
  tell you that it just comes from the system that way.

  I am currently working for another major carrier as a consultant and
  have been able to watch these systems operate...at one unnamed long 
  distance carrier here in Columbus Ohio in their NCC, Network Control
  Center, you can see several rows of computer terminals which have
  approximately 30 to 40 separate windows in each... these windows have
  data transmissions that are being monitored... banks of 9 track tapes
  are going constantly to record everything.  Everyone should realize that
  even if a sysop posts a disclaimer at the beginning of his bbs about no
  access to governmental agencies or law enforcement...that it isn't worth
  the time it takes to type it in... looking forward to hearing reactions
  to this.

				******

I apologize for the length of this message, but it's information that I
feel is important, especially for any land-line BBS sysop. Anytime you
enter a message, even if it's private, always do it with the assumtion
that it's going to be seen by anyone and everyone, everywhere. 

Tnx
73s
de Tom, N8ECW@KA8Z.#NEOH.OH.USA.NA
[end included message]
Standard disclaimers apply. My employer, above, has no connection or
responsibility with anything I say or relay here. Of course.