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Got Helix?
Premium
join:2005-03-14
Putnam, CT
clubs: | Great website... Spelling and grammar issues abound. | |
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Matt
Take me down to the paradise city
Premium
join:2003-07-20
Jamestown, NC
 ·North State Commun..
| Re: Great website... said by ptrowski  :Spelling and grammar issues abound. Funnily enough, I could tell that from the quoted comment at Wired. Why is it the imbeciles are always the first to threaten a lawsuit?  | |
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Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02 | Re: Great website... That's too funny... | |
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cableties
Premium
join:2005-01-27 | Yeah. That line said it all:
"You have 7 business days to remove this report / story from your blog. if you fail to do so, I will press charges to the full extent."
Guilty. next!
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Weeeeeeee! | |
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ctceo
Premium
join:2001-04-26
South Bend, IN
clubs: | Re: Great website... Yeah, they usually don't take on cases they know they aren't likely to win, unlike some lawyers. | |
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Nightshade
sic semper tyrannis
Premium
join:2002-05-26
Salem, OR | Re: Criminals must brag My personal favorite is when he said, "The modem steals the internet."
You can't steal something that is essentially free in the first place. If you're going to brag about something, criminal or not, at least get your facts straight. | |
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| | Zyniker
Zyniker
Premium
join:2004-12-25
Anaheim, CA
| said by Nightshade :My personal favorite is when he said, "The modem steals the internet." You can't steal something that is essentially free in the first place. If you're going to brag about something, criminal or not, at least get your facts straight. It may be worth noting that if he is actually brought up on charges and taken to court a savvy lawyer can use that comment to his advantage. Unless the FBI has more incriminating evidence (which they likely do), saying one is selling products that "steal" the "internet" has no real meaning. I may as well tell people a product I sell can "steal" "breathable air" from their neighbors. The only charges I'd be facing then are related to my product being a fraud. In this case, the fraud doesn't really apply so long as he was selling the 'hacked' modems as offering root access or whatever precisely he was offering.
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The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, the pessimist fears this is true. | |
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fireflier
Coffee. . .Need Coffee
Premium
join:2001-05-25
Limbo
 ·Skype
| He's just getting started I'm betting once the justice system is done with him and the records of who bought these devices are made public, lawsuits will abound from ISPs all over the country against this idiot and the people who purchased his "modded" products.
Guess I shouln't be surprised he allegedly had former ties to a botnet as well. . .
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Tradition: Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid. --despair.com | |
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| RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| Re: He's just getting started Possession of this equipment is not illegal so the customer list is not relevant to the prosecution. That someone bought one of these is not proof that it was ever used.
This dope attracted attention because of how he was marketing the modems.
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Toolmaster of La Grange. | |
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| | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| Re: He's just getting started said by RadioDoc :Possession of this equipment is not illegal so the customer list is not relevant to the prosecution. That someone bought one of these is not proof that it was ever used. This dope attracted attention because of how he was marketing the modems. Nice Try. Ask those who bought smartcard readers from the sites promising you free DirecTV. DTV sued the company, got the customer records and sued those that bought the devices.... | |
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tim_k
Buttons, Bows, Beamer, Shadow, Kasey
Premium
join:2002-02-02
Stewartstown, PA
 ·Millenicom
 ·WildBlue
2 edits | Re: He's just getting started said by itguy05 :said by RadioDoc :Possession of this equipment is not illegal so the customer list is not relevant to the prosecution. That someone bought one of these is not proof that it was ever used. This dope attracted attention because of how he was marketing the modems. Nice Try. Ask those who bought smartcard readers from the sites promising you free DirecTV. DTV sued the company, got the customer records and sued those that bought the devices.... Yep. I worked with a guy who was "contacted" by DirecTV. He had to pay around $7,000. But I think he said DirecTV actually bought the company to get the records.
Awhile ago a MD man was arrested for selling hacked game consoles (I forget which one) which allowed them to play copied games.
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RIP my babys Buttons 1/15/94-2/9/07 & Beamer 7/24/08, Buttons, Buttons video, Beamer
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| | | hottboiinnc
ME
join:2003-10-15
Cleveland, OH | And yet you can still get them. | |
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| | | Zag3
join:2004-02-17
San Antonio, TX
| said by itguy05 :said by RadioDoc :Possession of this equipment is not illegal so the customer list is not relevant to the prosecution. That someone bought one of these is not proof that it was ever used. This dope attracted attention because of how he was marketing the modems. Nice Try. Ask those who bought smartcard readers from the sites promising you free DirecTV. DTV sued the company, got the customer records and sued those that bought the devices.... Yes but that was a civil matter. This is a criminal case. Directv could sue you if they wanted, that doesn't mean anything. They didn't have to settle with them either. They could fight back but that gets expensive so people just settle. Completely different thing. | |
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| | | RadioDoc
58ef2c0
Premium,ExMod 2000-03
join:2000-05-11
·AT&T Midwest
| said by itguy05 :Nice Try. Yes it was, and an accurate one. "Illegal" means it is against the law. There is no law preventing someone from owning one of these modems. They are not proprietary and readily available.
Even if it was relevant, the DirecTV case was a civil matter and involved proprietary equipment. | |
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| | | | itguy05
join:2005-06-17
Camp Hill, PA
| Re: He's just getting started said by RadioDoc :said by itguy05 :Nice Try. Yes it was, and an accurate one. "Illegal" means it is against the law. There is no law preventing someone from owning one of these modems. They are not proprietary and readily available. Even if it was relevant, the DirecTV case was a civil matter and involved proprietary equipment. Actually DirecTV used smart cards. Those Smart Cards have legitimate uses. If you have a GSM phone you have one. I had one imbedded in my work ID card for VPN purposes.
Smart Card readers have many legitimate uses. | |
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anicetoemma
Naruto
Premium
join:2005-09-30
Chicago, IL
clubs: | Re: He's just getting started The forum seems to have been taken down. | |
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mlundin
join:2001-03-27
Lawrence, KS
 ·Sunflower Broadband
·Comcast
| I still don't see how this is illegal What's the problem here? Bad marketing? Is it illegal for me to sell a gun or knife that I've marketed as something that "allows you to kill people" or "allows you to rob banks"? Sure, it is bad marketing, but I don't think so... The people using the devices for the wrong reasons are the ones who should be held accountable.
I also don't think there's much of a case against Wired - they're just reporting the news. | |
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Rob
In Deo speramus, God Bless the USA
Premium
join:2001-08-25
Kendall, FL
·Comcast
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal said by mlundin :What's the problem here? Bad marketing? Is it illegal for me to sell a gun or knife that I've marketed as something that "allows you to kill people" or "allows you to rob banks"? Sure, it is bad marketing, but I don't think so... The people using the devices for the wrong reasons are the ones who should be held accountable. I also don't think there's much of a case against Wired - they're just reporting the news. Nope. But it would be illegal for you to sell guns with the serial numbers scratched off and on your website you put "You can kill people without this gun being traced!" | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
2 edits | Re: I still don't see how this is illegal But there are laws pertaining to gun serial numbers. That isn't even what is happening in this case. Plus if the majority of his customers are outside the U.S. what is the FBI's case? One instance of helping one guy in the U.S. steal service? That of course only works if they can prove he coached him do it and didn't just provide a FAQ.
It's the cable companies fault for basing it's security on something that is not secure. It has happened where a whole batch of motherboards from one company has all had the same MAC address and MAC addresses are not some sacred thing that is illegal to play around with. Cable companies should be putting hardware filters on the line to prevent unauthorized devices on the network. | |
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PaulHikeS2
join:2003-03-06
Merrimack, NH
·Comcast
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal said by insomniac84 :It's the cable companies fault right
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Jay: What the @#$% is the internet??? | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
2 edits | Re: I still don't see how this is illegal If all you have to do is change a mac address to gain access to their network, then yes it is their fault. They are basically relying on the honesty of customers as a security method. Then when their security model fails, they waste the police's time to have them investigate and prosecute someone. They are wasting tax payer dollars because to them it's cheaper to have the police keep unauthorized people out than it is to secure their network.
Relying only on a MAC address is the same thing as having no security. They should implement some kind of legitimate security before bothering the police about authorized users. | |
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| | | | | brad
join:2007-09-06
Etobicoke, ON
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal said by insomniac84 :If all you have to do is change a mac address to gain access to their network, then yes it is their fault. They are basically relying on the honesty of customers as a security method. Then when their security model fails, they waste the police's time to have them investigate and prosecute someone. They are wasting tax payer dollars because to them it's cheaper to have the police keep unauthorized people out than it is to secure their network. Relying only on a MAC address is the same thing as having no security. They should implement some kind of legitimate security before bothering the police about authorized users. This is all irrelevant. It still doesn't change the fact that what he is doing is illegal. | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal It is not irrelevant. It very relevant. They are relying on the police to keep them safe in the absence of any real security. The police aren't their personal security task force whose purpose is to allow them to ignore basic security. This is the same thing as leaving your doors wide open at night and then calling the police every morning because something is missing. After the first time, the police would probably tell you to close your doors and if you ignore them, by the third time you call they would stop coming out. But since the police don't understand technology, they label cases like this "hacker" cases and pretend as if the person doing it is some kind of computer genius impossible to stop. The police are not an unlimited resource, if someone doesn't want to implement even the most minimum amount of security to weed out 99.99% of crime against them, the police should not even try to help them. | |
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DanHcomment
@comcast.net
| It's all about context. I can advertise crowbars for sale, perhaps even say they can be used to pry open cash registers, and be somewhat safe from criminal prosecution.
But if I package the crowbar with other tools commonly used by burglars and brag in my ads that they can be used to commit housebreaks, I am breaking first the law against possession of burglary tools, and second, selling them to others for that purpose.
A hacked modem is more like a bag of tools than a single crowbar. | |
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| | mlundin
join:2001-03-27
Lawrence, KS
·Sunflower Broadband
·Comcast
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal There are laws against possession of burglary tools? Since when? And laws against selling them to others for "that purpose?" I doubt it. I'm pretty sure I can put a crowbar, a sledge hammer, a lock pick set, & ski mask in a bag and sell it to you marketed as "tools for burglary" and not violate any law or ordinance. Now, if a bank gets robbed, I might/should expect a visit from the police asking me questions about who I sold it to... but that doesn't mean I did anything wrong.
I'll be interested to know what the feds charge this guy with and if they get past a grand jury. | |
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| | | margaf77
join:2000-12-22
Bayonne, NJ
·Optimum Online
·RoadRunner Cable
| Re: I still don't see how this is illegal said by mlundin :There are laws against possession of burglary tools? Since when? And laws against selling them to others for "that purpose?" I doubt it. I'm pretty sure I can put a crowbar, a sledge hammer, a lock pick set, & ski mask in a bag and sell it to you marketed as "tools for burglary" and not violate any law or ordinance. Now, if a bank gets robbed, I might/should expect a visit from the police asking me questions about who I sold it to... but that doesn't mean I did anything wrong. I'll be interested to know what the feds charge this guy with and if they get past a grand jury. You couldnt be more wrong. | |
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| | | thevorpal
join:2007-11-16
Alexandria, VA
| said by mlundin :I'm pretty sure I can put a crowbar, a sledge hammer, a lock pick set, & ski mask in a bag and sell it to you marketed as "tools for burglary" and not violate any law or ordinance. I'm pretty sure that you would get charged even before you had your first customer.
You are VERY wrong about the law on that one mlundin. It may vary by locality, but selling 'tools for the commission of a crime' is pretty much illegal everywhere. | |
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| | | | mlundin
join:2001-03-27
Lawrence, KS | Re: I still don't see how this is illegal I suppose we ought to shut down the Home Depot and Lowes in town then. | |
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| Kearnstd
Elf Wizard
Premium
join:2002-01-22
Mullica Hill, NJ | well my guess is also that the modem loads it's own bootfile that overrides the provider's walled garden one for non activated MACs.
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[65 Arcanist]Filan(High Elf) Zone: Broadband Reports | |
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sibisties
join:2002-10-19
Montreal, QC | Reverse engineering a copyrighted firmware is illegal. | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN
| He will probably get off It sounds like the FBI wants to go after "hacked" modems. But from what it sounds like the hardware and the firmware it comes loaded with is perfectly legal. If he was only selling the hardware and offering the directions on how to get the illegal service for free on the side, how are they going to charge him with anything?
Offering information on how to do something illegal is not a crime. If he specifically walked someone through the process maybe they can get him on an instance of assisting someone to steal service, but charging him for giving out free information shouldn't work. | |
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| Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
| Re: He will probably get off said by insomniac84 :Offering information on how to do something illegal is not a crime. Under certain laws like the DMCA it can be! Insider trading is another. | |
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brandon
Some truth included in this post.
Premium
join:2003-03-31
Hurley, MS
·AT&T Southeast
| said by insomniac84 :Offering information on how to do something illegal is not a crime. Conspiracy to commit fraud is most definitely a crime, and making him a co-conspirator is not much of a stretch at all. | |
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insomniac84
join:2002-01-03
Schererville, IN | Re: He will probably get off But that only works on cases in the U.S. and cases where they can prove he assisted in the crime. Their snitch doesn't qualify if he didn't do the crime. | |
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brandon
Some truth included in this post.
Premium
join:2003-03-31
Hurley, MS
·AT&T Southeast
| Re: He will probably get off said by insomniac84 :But that only works on cases in the U.S. and cases where they can prove he assisted in the crime. Their snitch doesn't qualify if he didn't do the crime. That's simply wrong on all counts. | |
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skuv
@rr.com
| Re: blah I do not think you actually went to the website where this guy sells his modems linked in the article. This is a firmware that he claims is loaded on a modem he sells...
Firmware Installed: Haxorware 1.0 RC6 (Stable)
Does Motorola call their stock firmware that? | |
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Lamerz
@comcast.net
|  Waste of taxpayer dollars....
This just attracts too much attention to this kind of thing which isn't what the Cable ISPs certainly want cuz now the Fed has just brought more people into this kind of hobby for the wrong reasons... Good job... Now every ISP is probably gonna suffer a huge bandwidth demand from all these people goin' ape crazy over this thing and wanting more speed after years of being capped by their ISP.
The ISP has the power to stop it but they WON'T due to lack of funding or stupid hiring practices... It's so silly easy to stop this kind of hacking on the ISP side. | |
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morbo
Complete Your Transaction
join:2002-01-22
00000
clubs: | Re: Waste of taxpayer dollars.... agreed. doesn't the FBI have a real job to do instead of being cableco's lackey? | |
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PapaMidnight
join:2009-01-13
Baltimore, MD
| Guy could have a point I hate to say it but the guy could have a point. None of his testimonials which reports (used Google cache as well) it was "Last Updated: July 16th, 2008" specifically mention he stated it would allow them free internet. Two of them imply they merely uncapped their modems.
Additionally, his about page, "Last Updated: October 6th, 2008", states exactly as follows:
CableHack does not encourage its users to use these modems illegally in any way, shape, or form. These modems are specifically for educational use only. We supply you only with a Motorola shelled diagnostic firmware with no settings changed. What you do with your product upon purchase is your responsibility.
So if the guy wishes to file suit for libel, he may have a point, but as for the FBI, they've more than likely got him. Then again, not to say this wouldn't be the first government enforcement agency screw up if we all recall this little incident: »www.gamepolitics.com/2007/08/04/···ftermath | |
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rradina
join:2000-08-08
Chesterfield, MO
| Isn't this like copy protection? Haven't we learned from DRM and other various copy protection schemes that they are only needed when there is a value/cost disparity? While there are always those who will try to cheat, if the service costs were lower, wouldn't there be a much smaller crowd about which to worry? | |
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DrThodt_
@cox.net | I know Mastadogg and DerEngel Masta was never that smart, he routinely assisted people with illegally uncapping their modem and stealing BPI+ certificates in open chat. | |
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AlexNYC
join:2001-06-02
Edwards, CO
| Forgive my ignorance ... Where these modems just uncapped or could you actually use them to get FREE internet as suggested in the article?
Uncapping is pretty common and quite useless when applied to a connection with a usage cap such as my Comcast 250GB limit.
Plugging in a modem into the coax cable and getting internet access for free without the knowledge of the cable company is quite different. | |
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See 11 replies to this post |
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anicetoemma1
@lakesidebank.com
| Unfortunate but deserving. I knew Masta as well and he was quite the boastful type as were a few others on IRC. It was only a matter of time before he was found out.
As for his customers they most likely can be charged and/or sued, but most likely the companies will settle with them at a cost. Now what if some of these people were paying for service but used an additional box, per the website, for "educational use"...would they still be held liable? i guess we can wait and see. | |
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Hpower
Roflmao
join:2000-06-08
Glendale, CA | How fake OMG they are stealing my internet!!! LOL | |
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IanR
join:2001-03-22
Madison, NJ
| Let's suppose he were a gun dealer In selling a gun he might say.
"Of course this weapon should be used for target practise, but it can be aimed at people and used to kill them. If you do that I don't condone, or take any responsibility for such an act".
Could this "gun dealer" be charged, if any of his weapons were used in criminal activities? After all the weapon could be used for both legal or illegal reasons.
I also believe that there have been many suits in NY State when cars have been in fatal accidents and the manufacturer has been sued, not just the driver.....
I don't think that I want to be on either side of this case! | |
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DrThodt_
@cox.net
| Re: Let's suppose he were a gun dealer said by IanR :Could this "gun dealer" be charged, if any of his weapons were used in criminal activities? Only if your poor analogy includes him loading the gun, aiming it, and pulling the owners trigger finger. Which is essentially what mastadogg did for most of his modem sales.
He continually assisted in theft of service and legitimate BPI+ certs. | |
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sunny8294
Shqipe
join:2001-03-15
Localhost ;) | oh no Omg! The interwebzZzZ is threatened
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| beaups
join:2003-08-11
Hilliard, OH | Re: Apparently he hasn't been charged yet... It is illegal to reveal any details about someone being investigated for a federal crime? Please provide some data supporting this (preferably not a movie). | |
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WiFiguru
Formerly jnethostman
Premium
join:2005-06-21
Lodi, CA | FBI investigation It is, I don't have the data in front of me to prove it.
Just think about when you are on Jury duty, you cannot state what the case is, that you are on, until it is over.
Same with an investigation. | |
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Ikyuao
Pro. debian Linux
join:2007-02-26
Wichita, KS
·Cox HSI
| Confuse... Is that false news as rumors against the cablehack.net business owner? I would be in interesting to order two mod cable modems come from the cablehack.net site 
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lullz
@i-zoom.net
| PA Man Charged With Selling Hacked Cable Modems this is funny as all hell, first of all, the firmware was released by motorola to be used, and second, if it was true, he wouldnt still be online. Give it up, its a big scare tactic to try and shut down modders and testers alike. Put another scare tactic made by the press from the "man", go to bed and wake up hopefully forgetting this stupid thing ever existed, propaganda is wonderful | |
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One who knows
@com.br
| a little more background for you "Mastadogg" will be charged under US code 18.1029 sections (a)(9) and 1029 (b)(2) Fraud and Related activity to access devices. I won't regurgitate the whole law, but in a nutshell it is illegal to have devices that access common networks that can change their identities IF you have ****intent to commit fraud****.
The NJ court made a mistake as the complaint was supposed to be sealed until the warrant was issued. Needless to say the FBI is a little upset.
During the course of the investigation it was found that for a period he was advertising "Free Internet Modems", Remotely logging into his customers computers and setting up the modems for them, Providing tutorial CD's with Pirated copyrighted software. Advertising and bragging in his irc channel on Efnet about how these modems could be used to steal service and make you "invisible on the net" so you could commit more fraud without being caught (he has a history with botnets and Credit Card Fraud). He had many conversations with undercover officers that showed his true intentions were without a doubt illegal and his only purpose was to sell equipment to steal service from Service providers. He also was involved with a site that did Satellite service theft and had them convinced that his equipment would help their customers be "invisible" for updates. His Canadian partner that is linked with Derengle worked with him to steal the Certificates from modems that were paying for legit services and he was selling these certificates for between $50 and $70 USF. (Even Docsis 3.0 systems are not immune btw people, don't let the ISP's fool you).He also used to give out large lists of modem HFC macs to people to help make it easier for them to steal service.
He had the attitude that he could say anything he wanted on his irc channel and he would be immune. One of his partners in the USA was also involved with various cybercrimes like breaking into Charter (they are well known by Mr. Nelson at Charter). And he was involved with a well known ddos skiddie that went by the name "dshocker" that was recently incarcerated.
If you look at the Modem firmware "Haxorware" you will see on one of it's hardcoded pages that cablehack.net is strictly prohibited from distributing and selling it. The reason that was put there was because Mastadogg had been involved with a group that worked with designing and building diagnostic modems. He was kicked out of that group because he had started a "theft of service" enterprise behind their backs, they were into teaching Docsis systems and helping ISP customers find out the TRUTH about the BS that many ISP's provide. He did not develop or discover anything new, he simply stole programs,firmware and information from others, twisted it around and took credit for it. He was also responsible for committing ddos and hack attacks against the site that he stole information from (One example is Mastadogg's group was involved in spamming kiddie porn with the admins picture "photoshoped" on the corner and his personal information plastered on it). He had also tried to hack into many of their servers and home systems to be able to try and blackmail them into giving more information to aid his little "business venture", since he and his "team" could not create anything original themselves.
IF you do your research and find the group he was kicked out from, DON'T ask them how to steal internet, they will ban you or just delete your post. But you will learn information that the ISP's don't want you to know.
He has been shunned by every Ethical Hacking group out there, and by any educated computer user. I found some interesting reading about him here in the original wired blog;
»blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2009/0···ker.html
the FBI complaint can be seen here;
»blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/files/···aint.pdf
I would not recommend that you try and buy one of his Theft of Service devices from him, because as is mentioned in the Wired and FBI statements, his financial records are already in the hands of federal authorities. And it would be hard for YOU to say that you bought without intent after all this publicity.
Diagnostic modems are perfectly legal and are VERY useful tools in educated hands to find problems in a Docsis network. (They are also manufactured by almost every modem maker) Or in a lot of cases to find out if a ISP is lying to you (becoming more and more common as they oversell their bandwidth and don't invest in infrastructure). Which is why it is against the terms of service with the service providers. | |
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PA Man Charged With Selling Hacked Cable Modems
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