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GUIDE TO (mostly) HARMLESS HACKING
Beginners' Series #2, Section 3.
Hacking from Windows
3.x, 95 and NT
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(Yes, this lesson will also work on
Windows 98. When this was written, there was no Win 98.)
This lesson will tell you how, armed with even the lamest
of on-line services such as America Online and the Windows 95
operating system, you can do some fairly serious Internet hacking
-- today!
In this lesson we will learn how to:
· Use secret Windows 95 DOS commands to track down
and port surf computers used by famous on-line service providers.
· Telnet to computers that will let you use the invaluable
hacker tools of whois, nslookup, and dig.
· Download hacker tools such as port scanners and password
crackers designed for use with Windows.
· Use Internet Explorer to evade restrictions on what
programs you can run on your school or work computers.
Yes, I can hear jericho and Rogue Agent and all the other
Super Duper hackers on this list laughing. I'll bet already they
have quit reading this and are furiously emailing me flames and
making phun of me in 2600 meetings. Windows hacking? Pooh!
Tell seasoned hackers that you use Windows and they will laugh
at you. They'll tell you to go away and don't come back until
you're armed with a shell account or some sort of Unix on your
PC. Actually, I have long shared their opinion. Shoot, most of
the time hacking from Windoze is like using a 1969 Volkswagon
to race against a dragster using one of VP Racing's high-tech
fuels.
But there actually is a good reason to learn to hack from
Windows. Some of your best tools for probing and manipulating
Windows networks are found only on Windows NT. Furthermore, with
Win 95 you can practice the Registry hacking that is central
to working your will on Win NT servers and the networks they
administer.
In fact, if you want to become a serious hacker, you eventually
will have to learn Windows. This is because Windows NT is fast
taking over the Internet from Unix. An IDC report projects that
the Unix-based Web server market share will fall from the 65%
of 1995 to only 25% by the year 2000. The Windows NT share is
projected to grow to 32%. This weak future for Unix Web
servers is reinforced by an IDC report reporting that market
share of all Unix systems is now falling at a compound annual
rate of decline of -17% for the foreseeable future, while Windows
NT is growing in market share by 20% per year. (Mark Winther,
"The Global Market for Public and Private Internet Server
Software," IDC #11202, April 1996, 10, 11.)
So if you want to keep up your hacking skills, you're going
to have to get wise to Windows. One of these days we're going
to be sniggering at all those Unix-only hackers.
Besides, even poor, pitiful Windows 95 now can take advantage
of lots of free hacker tools that give it much of the power
of Unix.
Since this is a beginners' lesson, we'll go straight to the
Big Question: "All I got is AOL and a Win 95 box. Can I
still learn how to hack?"
Yes, yes, yes!
More Beginners' Guide #4--->>
