Defend I.T.: Security by Example

Chapter 12. A War-Dialing Attack

It’s quite easy to forget or overlook the fact that the revolution in information technology began in the telecomm sector (no matter what former VPs may say about their role in creating the Internet). So naturally, telecomm would be home to some of the initial kinds of what we now refer to as cyber security incidents.

This case study illustrates the level of effort required to launch such attacks. (As you read this chapter, bear in mind that launching attacks becomes easier all the time and the attacks simultaneously become more effective.) We also discuss how the attacker was caught and what the victim thought about prosecuting the hacker.

Although the attack discussed in this chapter is quite old, war dialing is ...