I've been thinking about writing up a similar post focused on all the dumb stuff that was possible in the 80s. Everything from default voice mail passwords, lon

I've been thinking about writing up a similar post focused on all the dumb stuff that was possible in the 80s. Everything from default voice mail passwords, long distance carriers with predictable code patterns, office phone systems that tell you as soon as you have a wrong digit for outside line access, DECs own global asset management system having a huge security hole in it, etc. Honestly though you can just read the first half of Mitnick's book up until the point he starts breaking into actual buildings to get a feel for it. Social engineering was and will remain the most powerful tool in the hacking arsenal.