A new @CypherCon #HackerHistory is out!

This time I'm talking to Dr. Laura Scherling, EdD, Rachael Tubbs, and Ben Schmerler. Laura wrote a book titled "The Future of Hacking" and Rachael and Ben join us because IoT Village is ten years old (time sure does fly), and are part of Laura's book.

It's a super fun conversation where we cover some past, present, and future of hacking

https://hackerhistory.com/podcast/the-history-of-laura-rachael-and-ben/

I had a chat with David Bernstein on the @CypherCon #HackerHistory podcast

David tells us all about his experience in emergency management. David has seen a ton of wild events, and has some really interesting commentary about how emergency management and infosec collide. David isn't what many would consider a traditional hacker, but it's clear he has had incredible impact over the years.

https://hackerhistory.com/podcast/the-history-of-david-bernstein/

The handshake sound of a 56k modem was a ticket to another world. Waiting for a connection, knowing your phone line was tied up, made every moment online more precious. Behind that slow speed was a sense of exploration that modern broadband can never replicate.

Back then, IRC and BBSes were where the action happened. Hackers, gamers, and curious minds filled the channels and boards, trading knowledge, sharing code, and sometimes pulling pranks deep into the night. Every connection felt fleeting and fragile, but that only made the friendships and discoveries more meaningful.

#HackerHistory #InternetCulture #NetNostalgia #DialUp #IRC #BBS

Wardialing was the original hunt for connectivity, dialing thousands of numbers to find active modems and hidden systems. Then came wardriving, swapping phone lines for WiFi signals. With a laptop and a car, hackers mapped unsecured networks across neighborhoods and cities, often marking finds with chalk on curbs and sidewalks.

But there was another evolution. Mapping the internet itself. Tools like Nmap and later ZMap allowed users to scan vast ranges of IP addresses, searching for live hosts, open ports, and exposed services. This wasn’t just about poking around, it was about understanding the shape of the internet, finding forgotten systems, and sometimes discovering massive vulnerabilities. Whether from a modem, a car, or a data center, the spirit remains the same: explore, map, learn.

#Wardialing #Wardriving #InternetMapping #NetworkExploration #HackerHistory

In 2003, an attacker breached a public-facing server and attempted to slip a subtle backdoor into the Linux kernel’s source code. The exploit was deviously simple, a small modification that would grant root access under specific conditions, making it nearly invisible to casual review. However, the Linux development process requires cryptographic signatures and meticulous code auditing. When a routine integrity check flagged an unexpected change, developers quickly investigated and discovered the malicious code before it could ever make it into an official release. This incident became a defining moment in Linux security, proving that while open source code is accessible, its real strength lies in the transparency and scrutiny of its community.

#LinuxSecurity #KernelHacking #OpenSourceMatters #HackerHistory

Josef Carl Engressia Jr., aka: Whistler, later known as Joybubbles, was a blind phone phreaker with the extraordinary gift of absolute pitch. He could whistle a perfect 2600 Hz tone, the exact frequency needed to manipulate AT&T’s phone system. Without using any devices, he could seize control of long-distance calls just by whistling into the handset.

In 1971, Engressia became the first phreaker to face legal consequences when he was arrested and fined twenty-five dollars for phone fraud. Despite this, he remained a legendary figure in phreaking culture. Later in life, he legally changed his name to Joybubbles.

#Phreaking #2600Hz #Joybubbles #PhoneHacking #HackerHistory