Hacker Group L0pht Making a Comeback

angry tapir writes "The news report begins with shots of a tense space shuttle launch. Engineers hunch over computer banks and techno music pounds in the background. There is a countdown, a lift-off, and then you see a young man in a black T-shirt and sunglasses, apparently reporting from 'space.' This is the Hacker News Network, and after a decade offline it is lifting off again, this time with a quirky brand of video reports about security. Hacker News Network is one of the side projects of the Boston-based hacker collective known as L0pht Heavy Industries. They're the guys who famously told the US Congress that they could take down the Internet in about 30 minutes, and who helped invent the way that security bugs are reported to computer companies."

Are they relevant?

[BadAnalogyGuy]

Once upon a time these guys were the baddest of the badasses. But nowadays Russia, China, and North Korea have become real threats.

What can a group of guys in Boston do that could rival Russian hackers?

Re:Pioneers of the glamourous geek lifestyle

[Beefpatrol]

You're right that computer skills became more in demand because computers became more entrenched in society. My main point was that geeks gained substantial social respect because the media published a bunch of stuff that glamorized geekdom. I didn't mean to imply that (social respect == ability to command more income). Geeks were already making money and their skills were already valuable. A lot of people didn't realize that at the time though. The prototype geeks the media used at the time were the l0pht guys. I think it mattered that they were independant -- they weren't working for a corporation or anything like that.

Re:Hmmm...

[tcr]

Heh.. the Russians might just be out for revenge.

Interesting article [techradar.com] about how the CIA took advantage of the fact that the USSR had given up on domestic computer systems development, and had taken to cloning IBM and Dec gear.
From examples spiked with malware....
Excerpt:
 
 

In the early 1980s, the Russians were constructing a trans-Siberian oil pipeline, and needed an automated system to properly manage it. Softening attitudes allowed them to legitimately purchase older models of computers on the open market. They then approached the American authorities for permission to buy the necessary software. When the US refused, the KGB stole the application.

However, the software they stole had been doctored to go haywire after a while. It would open valves unexpectedly and set pressures too high for the pipeline's welds. When the explosion came, US seismologists measured the blast at three kilotons.

bbs.l0pht.com

[ubungy]

a comeback is logging into bbs.l0pht.com via p23. a comeback is chatting with razer or dark dante on darkcartel.com... a comeback is beigeboxing on ess. nostalgia is great, i live for it. but as for l0pht there is no 'comeback'. only born anew as something worthy to this 'generation'. what you got up your sleeve now?