The 414s
Encyclopedia
The 414s gained notoriety in the early 1980s as a group of friends and computer hacker
s who broke into dozens of high-profile computer systems, including ones at Los Alamos National Laboratory
, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
, and Security Pacific Bank
.
They were eventually identified as six teenagers, taking their name after the area code
of their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. Ranging in age from 16 to 22, they met as members of a local Explorer Scout
troop. The 414s were investigated and identified by the FBI in 1983. There was widespread media coverage of them at the time, and 17-year-old Neal Patrick, a student at Rufus King High School
, emerged as spokesman and "instant celebrity" during the brief frenzy of interest, which included Patrick appearing on the September 5, 1983 cover of Newsweek
.
Patrick and the 414s were described as meeting the profile of computer hackers at the time: "Young, male, intelligent, highly motivated and energetic." Patrick claimed his only motivation was the challenge of getting into places he wasn't supposed to, and remaining there undetected. The systems they broke into usually were running Digital Equipment Corporation
's VMS
operating system.
Many saw them as harmless pranksters, sort of a real life WarGames
—a film that was released earlier that year. The 414s themselves were not entirely harmless, doing $1,500 worth of damage at Sloan-Kettering during their June 3, 1983 break-in by deleting billing records (ostensibly to cover their tracks). Patrick and the 414s did cause real concern, as experts realized that others could duplicate their techniques and do real damage. They used inexpensive personal computers and simple hacking techniques, such as using common or default password
s and exploiting well-known, but unpatched, security holes.
Chen Chui, an administrator who discovered the electronic break-in, left a message for the intruders and contacted the FBI, who placed wiretaps and eventually traced the calls back to Milwaukee. Gerald Wondra, 22 at the time, was the first visited by the FBI. Wondra lived with his mother in West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb. Wondra said he was "curious, he was just having fun".
Most of the members of the 414s were not prosecuted, in various agreements to stop their activities and pay restitutions. Wondra and another defendant each plead guilty on two counts of "making harassing telephone calls."
As a result of news coverage, congressman Dan Glickman
called for an investigation and new laws about computer hacking. Neal Patrick testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on September 26, 1983 about the dangers of computer hacking
, and six bills concerning computer crime
were introduced in the House that year.
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
s who broke into dozens of high-profile computer systems, including ones at Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Los Alamos National Laboratory is a United States Department of Energy national laboratory, managed and operated by Los Alamos National Security , located in Los Alamos, New Mexico...
, Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Memorial Sloan–Kettering Cancer Center is a cancer treatment and research institution founded in 1884 as the New York Cancer Hospital...
, and Security Pacific Bank
Security Pacific Bank
Security Pacific National Bank was a large US bank headquartered in Los Angeles, California. In 1992 Bank of America acquired SPNB.-History:...
.
They were eventually identified as six teenagers, taking their name after the area code
Area code 414
North American telephone area code 414 is a state of Wisconsin area code which was created along with area code 715 as one of the two original area codes assigned to Wisconsin in October 1947. Currently, the 414 area code is nearly exclusive to Milwaukee County, including the city of Milwaukee...
of their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. Ranging in age from 16 to 22, they met as members of a local Explorer Scout
Exploring (Learning for Life)
Exploring is a worksite-based program of Learning for Life, a subsidiary of the Boy Scouts of America, for young men and women who are 14 through 20 years old...
troop. The 414s were investigated and identified by the FBI in 1983. There was widespread media coverage of them at the time, and 17-year-old Neal Patrick, a student at Rufus King High School
Rufus King High School
Rufus King International School--High School Campus, or Rufus King, is a public magnet high school located on the north side of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, part of the Milwaukee Public Schools district. The school has been consecutively ranked the top public high school in the state of Wisconsin by...
, emerged as spokesman and "instant celebrity" during the brief frenzy of interest, which included Patrick appearing on the September 5, 1983 cover of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
.
Patrick and the 414s were described as meeting the profile of computer hackers at the time: "Young, male, intelligent, highly motivated and energetic." Patrick claimed his only motivation was the challenge of getting into places he wasn't supposed to, and remaining there undetected. The systems they broke into usually were running Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation
Digital Equipment Corporation was a major American company in the computer industry and a leading vendor of computer systems, software and peripherals from the 1960s to the 1990s...
's VMS
OpenVMS
OpenVMS , previously known as VAX-11/VMS, VAX/VMS or VMS, is a computer server operating system that runs on VAX, Alpha and Itanium-based families of computers. Contrary to what its name suggests, OpenVMS is not open source software; however, the source listings are available for purchase...
operating system.
Many saw them as harmless pranksters, sort of a real life WarGames
WarGames
WarGames is a 1983 American Cold War suspense/science-fiction film written by Lawrence Lasker and Walter F. Parkes and directed by John Badham. The film stars Matthew Broderick and Ally Sheedy....
—a film that was released earlier that year. The 414s themselves were not entirely harmless, doing $1,500 worth of damage at Sloan-Kettering during their June 3, 1983 break-in by deleting billing records (ostensibly to cover their tracks). Patrick and the 414s did cause real concern, as experts realized that others could duplicate their techniques and do real damage. They used inexpensive personal computers and simple hacking techniques, such as using common or default password
Default password
Where a device needs a username and/or password to login, a default password is usually provided that allows the device to be accessed during its initial setup...
s and exploiting well-known, but unpatched, security holes.
Chen Chui, an administrator who discovered the electronic break-in, left a message for the intruders and contacted the FBI, who placed wiretaps and eventually traced the calls back to Milwaukee. Gerald Wondra, 22 at the time, was the first visited by the FBI. Wondra lived with his mother in West Allis, a Milwaukee suburb. Wondra said he was "curious, he was just having fun".
Most of the members of the 414s were not prosecuted, in various agreements to stop their activities and pay restitutions. Wondra and another defendant each plead guilty on two counts of "making harassing telephone calls."
As a result of news coverage, congressman Dan Glickman
Dan Glickman
Daniel Robert "Dan" Glickman is an American businessman and politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1995 until 2001, prior to which he represented the Fourth Congressional District of Kansas as a Democrat in Congress for 18 years. He was Chairman and CEO of the...
called for an investigation and new laws about computer hacking. Neal Patrick testified before the U.S. House of Representatives on September 26, 1983 about the dangers of computer hacking
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
, and six bills concerning computer crime
Computer crime
Computer crime, or cybercrime, refers to any crime that involves a computer and a network. The computer may have been used in the commission of a crime, or it may be the target. Netcrime refers to criminal exploitation of the Internet. Such crimes may threaten a nation’s security and financial health...
were introduced in the House that year.