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(                                    )
(           Accessing Prime          )
(         By Paul Montgomery         )
(                                    )
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     Computers manufactured by PRIME Computer Corporation have
rather insecure operating systems. But first, how do you know
when you have come across a PRIME on Telenet? Simple, let's take
an example. Connect to address 21465. This is Howe-Baker
Engineers in Texas. When Telenet makes the connection, their
computer responds (the way all PRIME computers do) like this:

     PRIMENET 18.1.003 HBAKER

     PRIMENET tells you the system is a PRIME running the PRIMOS
operating system, revision 18.1.003. HBAKER is the system name,
Howe-Baker Engineers in this case.

     OPERATING SYSTEM: For those who don't know what an
operating system (O/S) is, let me give you a definition: an O/S
is a collection of computer programs that provides for the
preparation and execution of user's jobs. The O/S runs the show,
chaining to various sub-programs.

     NO PASSWORDS: To get on the system, you must LOGIN. To do
this, you type LOGIN XXXXXX, where XXXXXX is a user name (called
a UFD for User File Directory on a PRIME) from 1 to 6
alpha-numeric characters. Many UFD's have no passwords, and this
is the major security weakness of the PRIME. The system
administrator for a particular system just doesn't bother to
assign passwords to all the UFD's. It is your job as a crack
computer cruncher to figure out a UFD with no password. To
assist you, there is a list of system UFD's which have to be on
all PRIMES: SYSTEM, SYSCOM, SYSOVL, PRIRUN, PRIME, CMDNCO,
CMDNCL.

     LOGIN: Just connect to the system, and type LOGIN SYSCOM. A
<C/R> or <ENTER> must follow all commands on ALL computers. If
SYSCOM is a valid UFD with a password, the system will respond:
INSUFFICIENT ACCESS RIGHTS. (LOGIN). If SYSCOM does not exist on
the system, the computer will resond: NOT FOUND. (LOGIN). If
SYSCOM is valid, and has no password, you will be logged onto
the system!! If the system sits there and asks for additional
passwords, or project ID's, the system has additional security
installed by the owners and you should try hitting <BREAK> or
<CTRL-P> at appropiate moments in hope of escaping from the
security program.

     NAMES & INITIALS: Other than attempting to log into the
system accounts, you should try first names such as DAVE, DAVID,
MARK, JOHN, JEFF, or initials, CVR, JHN, PGM, RSS, FLT, or
whatever. If you hit on an existing account, but it has a
password, the system responds: INSUFFICIENT ACCESS RIGHTS.
(LOGIN). Try the name or initials as a password. Lots of people
use their names, or girlfriend's names, or whatever. For
instance, UFD: JOHN    password: JOHN. There are some really
stupid people out there. Here is how to login when you think you
know the password:

     LOGIN DAVE FARRAH

Where DAVE is the UFD and FARRAH is the password.

     ALL THE PASSWORDS: The first thing you want to do once you
managed to login is print out the list of ALL the UFD accounts
and passwords on the system. These are stored in a UFD called
MFD. MFD (Master File Directory) has a stock password of XXXXXX.
Many people never bother to change it. And they say programmers
are smart! HA! Here is what to type to get it to print the list:

     FUTIL
     A MFD XXXXXX 0   (Then do MFD 1 and MFD 2, etc)
     L PASSWD

The computer will merrily print it out. If it keeps saying
things like ACCESS VIOLATION - NO RIGHT and not printing any
passwords, the MFD password is not XXXXXX. If you can guess the
correct one, you're in business.

     COMMANDS: Some basic commands and their usage are:

     LISTF- prints a list of all the files on that UFD

     SLIST FILE- prints the contents of that file

     RESUME FILE- if file is a program, this runs it

     A CMDNCO-
     LIST F- These two are help commands

     A UFD - where UFD is any UFD on the system, attaches you
             there, and if you type LISTF, you can look at all
             the programs on that UFD.


     Until next time, good luck and take care.
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