-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
-        Surveying The Cosmos       -
-            By Firemonger          -
-            [2600 - Feb 85]        -
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

    COSMOS is Bell's computer for handling information on
customer lines, special services on lines, and orders to change
line equipment, disconnect lines,  etc. COSMOS stands for
Computerized System for Mainframe Operations. It is based on the
UNIX operating system and, depending upon the COSMOS and upon
your access, has some, many, or no UNIX standard commands.
COSMOS is powerful, but there is no reason to be afraid of it.
This article will give some of the basic, pertinent info on how
users get in, account format, and a few other goodies.

                         Password Identification

    To get onto COSMOS you need a dialup, account, password, and
wire center (WC). Wire centers are two letter codes that tell
what section of the COSMOS you are in. There are different WC's
for different areas and groups of exchanges. Examples are PB,
SR, LK, etc. Sometimes there are accounts that have no password;
obviously such accounts are the easiest to hack.

                         Checking It Out

    Let's suppose you have a COSMOS number which you obtained
one way or another. The first thing to do would be to make sure
it is really a COSMOS system, not some other Bell or AT&T
computer. To do this, you would call it and connect your modem,
then hit some RETURNS until you get a response. It should say:
';LOGIN:' or 'NAME:'. If you enter some garbage it should say:
'PASSWORD:'. If you hit a return and it says 'WC?', it is a
COSMOS system. If it says something like 'TA%', then you're in
business. If it doesn't do any of the above, then it is either
some other kind of system, or, if you're not getting anything at
all, the dialup has probably gone bad.

                         Getting In

    COSMOS has certain accounts that are usually on the system,
one of which might not have a password. They consist of ROOT
(most powerful and almost always on the system), SYS (second
most powerful, still many privileges), BIN (a little less
power), PREOP (a little less), and COSMOS (hardly any
privileges, like a normal user). The way to tell if they have
passwords is by entering accounts at the ';LOGIN:' or 'NAME:'
prompt, and if it jumps straight to 'WC?', all you need is a WC
to get in. But suppose all of the accounts have passwords? You
have two choices. You can try to hack the password and WC to one
of the above accounts. I won't deal with this method, as it is
self explanatory. Or you can do something I find much easier --
call the COSMOS during business hours and hope someone forgot to
log off. Keep calling until you connect and hit return until you
get a 'WC%' prompt. 'WC' is the WC that the account you found is
currently in. You are now in!

                     What to Do While Online

    The first thing you want to do is write down the WC you are
in. The command 'WCFLDS' should list all WC's. On you first
login, it is a good idea to print everything or dump everything
to a buffer. 'WHO' should print everyone currently logged on the
system, giving some accounts. 'TTY' tells what terminal port you
are on. 'WHERE' should tell the location of the COSMOS
installation. 'WHAT' tells what version of COSNIX, COSMOS's
operating system it is. 'LS *' prints all the files you have
access to. 'CD /dir' connects you to the directory '/dir'. 'CAT
filename' prints the file 'filename'. Typing the name of a file
runs it. 'Q' quits the editor. If you have privileges, you can
try to print the password file. To do this, type 'CAT
/ETC/PASSWD'. If you have access, it will print the password
file. The passwords are always encrypted, but you get a list of
all the accounts. If you are lucky, one of the lines will have
two colons after the account name. This means there is no prompt
from the ';LOGIN:' or 'NAME:' prompts when you enter that
account. If you can't print out the password file, you're going
to have to hack a password for an account or call again until
you get in the way described above. To logoff, type CRTL-Y.
'TAT' sometimes prints a little help file. To do a check on some
telephone line, type 'ISH' at the COSMOS 'WC%' prompt. Then type
'H TN XXX-XXXX' (Hunt Telephone Number) to tell you about the
local number you are interested in. When the system gives you a
'-', you type a '.', and it will type all kinds of info on the
phone number you entered (in Bell abbreviations, of course). If
it is not a good exchange, it will say something to that effect.
You type a period to end the ISH.

    If you wish to learn more information about COSMOS, find
yourself a COSMOS manual. A UNIX manual would also be helpful
for standard UNIX commands.

