Wardialing: Unveiling Cyber Tactics and Electronic Warfare

By Fouad Sabry

What is Wardialing

A technique known as wardialing is used to automatically search through a list of telephone numbers. This strategy often involves calling each and every number in a local area code in order to look for modems, computers, bulletin board systems, and fax machines. The generated lists are utilized by hackers for a variety of purposes, including being used by enthusiasts for the purpose of exploration and by crackers, which are hostile hackers who specialize in breaching computer security, for the purpose of guessing user accounts or identifying modems that could give an entry-point into computers or other electronic systems. On the other hand, it can be utilized by security staff, for instance, in order to identify illegitimate devices on a company's telephone network. These devices could include modems or fax machines.

How you will benefit

(I) Insights, and validations about the following topics:

Chapter 1: Wardialing

Chapter 2: Local area network

Chapter 3: Demon dialing

Chapter 4: Telephony Application Programming Interface

Chapter 5: Warchalking

Chapter 6: Phreaking

Chapter 7: Enhanced 9-1-1

Chapter 8: Caller ID

Chapter 9: Wardriving

Chapter 10: Dialer

(II) Answering the public top questions about wardialing.

Who this book is for

Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of Wardialing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 23, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: Wardialing

The process of wardialing, also known as war dialing, is a method that involves systematically scanning a list of telephone numbers. This method often involves dialing each and every number in a local area code in order to look for modems, computers, bulletin board systems (computer servers), and fax machines. Crackers, who are malicious hackers who specialize in breaching computer security, use the resulting lists for a variety of purposes, including guessing user accounts (by capturing voicemail greetings) or locating modems that might provide an entry-point into computer or other electronic systems. Hackers use the lists for a variety of purposes, including exploration by hobbyists. It is also possible for security staff to use it, for instance, in order to identify illegitimate equipment on a company's telephone network, such as modems or fax machines.

In order to make a single wardialing call, you would need to call an unknown number and wait for one or two rings. This is because answering computers typically pick up on the first ring of the phone. The modem will hang up and try the next number if the phone rings twice before it has hung up. It is the responsibility of the wardialer program to record the number of a modem or fax machine that responds to a call. The wardialer application will hang up if the call is answered by either a human or an answering machine. Depending on the time of day, wardialing 10,000 numbers in a specific area code may irritate dozens or hundreds of people. Some of these individuals may attempt to answer a phone in two rings, but they may be unsuccessful. Other individuals may succeed, but they will then hang up after hearing the carrier tone of the wardialing modem for the first time. When it comes to firms that have a large number of lines in the exchange that are consecutively numbered, such as those that are utilized with a Centrex telephone system, the repeated incoming calls are particularly bothersome.

With certain more recent wardialing applications, such as WarVOX, it is not necessary to have a modem in order to carry out wardialing. In their place, such programs can make advantage of voice over internet protocol (VOIP) connections, which can increase the speed at which a wardialer can make calls. Patent number 6,490,349 in the United States of America is held by Sandstorm Enterprises for a multi-line battle dialer. ( System and Method for Scan-Dialing Telephone Numbers and Classifying Equipment Connected to Telephone Lines Associated therewith. ) The application of the patented technique can be found in Sandstorm's cellphone.A dialer for sweep war.

The famous name for this method was first introduced in the film WarGames, which was released in 1983.

As a result of the widespread usage of wardialing in the 1980s and 1990s, a number of jurisdictions passed laws that made it illegal to use a device to dial telephone numbers without the intention of speaking with a person.

Wardriving, which refers to the process of searching for wireless networks (Wi-Fi) while driving, is a phenomena that has emerged more recently. Following in the footsteps of wardialing, the term wardriving was given its name since both methods require actively searching for computer networks. It is important to note that piggybacking is not the same thing as wardriving, which is the process of gathering information about wireless access points.

Similarly to war dialing, a port scan is a type of TCP/IP scan that dials each and every TCP port associated with each and every IP address in order to determine the services that are available. On the other hand, in contrast to wardialing, a port scan will not typically result in a human person being disturbed when it attempts to connect to an IP address. This is true regardless of whether or not there is a machine replying to that address. Another practice that is related to wardriving is known as warchalking, which is the act of painting symbols on chalk in public locations in order to announce the existence of wireless networks.

Today, the term is also used in a similar manner to describe a variety of different types of exhaustive brute force attacks that are carried out against an authentication method, such as a password. In contrast to a dictionary attack, which may involve attempting to use every word in a dictionary as the password, wardialing the password would involve attempting each and every potential password possibility. The majority of the time, password protection systems are designed to make this unfeasible by slowing down the process and/or locking an account for a few minutes or hours after a small number of incorrect password entries.

Wardialing in Military Science: A Strategic Perspective

Introduction

Wardialing, a technique with origins in the nascent days of computer networking, has evolved into a sophisticated tool with significant implications for military science. This method involves automatically dialing a list of telephone numbers to locate modems, computers, bulletin board systems, and fax machines. Initially popular among hobbyists and hackers, wardialing has found critical applications in military operations, providing both strategic advantages and security challenges.

Historical Context and Evolution

Wardialing gained prominence in the 1980s, epitomized by its portrayal in the 1983 film WarGames. Hackers would use automated dialing software to identify active modems, which could then be exploited to gain unauthorized access to computer systems. Over time, the technique was adopted by security experts to identify vulnerabilities within networks.

In military science, the evolution of wardialing reflects the broader trends in cybersecurity and electronic warfare. As military operations have become increasingly reliant on digital communications and networked systems, the need to both protect and exploit these networks has become paramount. Wardialing, once a simple tool for curiosity-driven exploration, has been refined into a precise instrument for cyber reconnaissance and defense.

Applications in Military Operations

1. Cyber Reconnaissance and Intelligence Gathering

In modern military operations, intelligence gathering extends beyond traditional means to include cyber reconnaissance. Wardialing serves as a tool to identify and map out communication infrastructures of adversaries. By detecting modems and other networked devices, military cyber units can gather critical information about the enemy's communication networks, command and control systems, and potential entry points for cyber-attacks.

For instance, during conflict, wardialing can help identify the presence of secure communication lines used by enemy forces. Once these lines are identified, they can be monitored, intercepted, or disrupted to gain a tactical advantage. The ability to map out an adversary's communication network in real-time provides invaluable strategic insights.

2. Network Security and Vulnerability Assessment

Just as wardialing can be used offensively, it is equally important in defensive operations. Military organizations must secure their own communication networks against potential intrusions. Wardialing enables cybersecurity teams to conduct thorough scans of their telephone networks, identifying unauthorized devices such as rogue modems or faxes that could serve as entry points for attackers.

By regularly performing wardialing, military cybersecurity personnel can ensure that all devices connected to their networks are authorized and secure. This proactive approach helps in mitigating risks and maintaining the integrity of critical communication channels.

3. Electronic Warfare and Disruption

In the realm of electronic warfare, wardialing can be employed