Knowing that they use CMB lends credibility to the next step. “Are you using CBIS?” (the abbreviation used in some telcos for Customer Billing Information System). Claiming to be from the internal help desk, he asked: He started by calling PacTel’s public customer service phone number. Getting a PasswordĪ little later, Kevin is trying to get the dial-in number and password for PacTel’s billing system, in order to check out Mike’s calls further. Many calls were to the Los Angeles headquarters of the FBI. Each of the three monthly bills were nearly twenty pages long, listing well over a hundred calls. “I accidentally erased my address book off my cell phone and I need my bills to reconstruct it.” I said. “I lost my last three invoices,” I said, and asked him to fax them to me right away. Kevin pretended to be Mike, and gave the name, phone number and account number. Kevin called the store back, but the same woman answered, so he just hung up.

This was a pretext call, to gather information to use in the next step. By the way, what’s my account number again?” She wasn’t the least bit suspicious, and just read off the account number for me. Government”, hoping that she would be helpful enough to give the name on the account.

“What’s your name sir?” the lady on the other end asked. He then calls them, giving the phone number and asking for more information about “his” account: He wants to learn more, so he finds the name of the store that sold the phone and subscription. All he knows about him so far is his name, Eric (which may be an alias), and his cell phone number. Getting Phone BillsĪt one point, Kevin is suspecting that another hacker is working for the FBI. Here are three examples of what he did, and what we can learn from them. One of the things that struck me when reading it was how often he used social engineering to gain access to systems. It’s a fascinating book that at times reads like a thriller. It is the story of Mitnick’s hacking career, from the start in his teens, through becoming the FBI’s most wanted hacker, to spending years in jail before finally being released. I recently finished reading Ghost in the Wires by Kevin Mitnick.

Ghost in the Wires by Kevin D. Mitnick