Cordless Hackers - From May 1991 Monitoring Times

   Rod Pearson forwarded a clipping from a computer newsletter about several
cordless phone scams. The newsletter (title and source unknown since the donor
was anonymous) stated that computer hackers who want to hack into systems and
don't want the call traced to their location are using cordless phones and
portable computers to foil computer security systems. Some computer systems
automatically trace calls or display the number of the caller making it
difficult to break in for the hacker. Hackers have found a way to get around
this using cordless phones.
   This is how it supposedly works. A hacker using a battery powered portable
computer, acoustic modem and a cordless phone (the most popular units being
used is a Sony 10 channel unit) roams around the town scanning the cordless
phone channels (the Sony unit does this automatically). The hacker does this
until he comes across a conversation or dial tone.
   The hacker then connects the targeted computer via the cordless phone, using
the line provided by the hapless cordless phone user! If there is a trace on
the line it comes back to the number of the cordless phone user, not the
hacker. If enough cordless lines in a city were detected in a systematic search
by a hacker he could conceivably move from place to place making calls at
random and avoiding the authorities!
   Another scary thing mentioned in the newsletter was the fact that hackers
and phone phreaks could use the cordless lines found to make lengthy long
distance calls that would be charged to the cordless phone owner's number. Just
another reason to unplug that cordless phone!