New Video from @DEFCONConference: The Evolution of Frack Magazine

The video begins with an introduction of the speakers, Rich in Seattle, Net Spooky, and Chompy, who are all experts in cybersecurity and hacking. They discuss the history of Frack, an iconic hacking magazine that started in 1985 on a BBS (Bulletin Board System). During that time, before the internet as we know it today, hackers used BBS to share pirated software and hacking techniques. The era from the 1980s to 1991 was marked by "phone freaking," a practice of obtaining free phone calls to connect directly to other people's computers.

The history of Frack is rich with significant events. In 1991, the magazine published an article on the E911 system, which led to a raid by the Secret Service. This event was documented in Bruce Sterling's book "The Hacker Crackdown." In response, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) was created to legally defend hackers, and the charges were eventually dropped.

Over the years, Frack evolved to cover more technical and complex topics, such as string format exploits, binary hardening techniques, and rootkits. The magazine also saw the publication of Radare, a reverse engineering tool, and began exploring attacks on OSX after it became relevant with the transition to the x86 architecture.

The video also addresses the transition of the Frack team. Rich in Seattle explains how their group, Tempout, was approached by the former Frack team to take over. They then worked hard to publish a new edition of Frack, learning how to do magazine layouts and soliciting articles from the community.

One of the major challenges was overcoming imposter syndrome among potential contributors. Many talented hackers did not feel up to the task of writing for Frack. However, the team emphasized that Frack belongs to the entire hacking community and that everyone has something valuable to share.

The video concludes with a panel discussion featuring authors and former Frack team members. They share their motivations for contributing to the magazine and discuss the impact of the commercialization of exploits on publications like Frack. They highlight that commercialization is inevitable but that it is possible to navigate this context while remaining true to one's values.

Finally, the panelists share their perspectives on the future of hacking. They predict that attacks will become increasingly hybrid, combining software and hardware techniques. They also mention that new technologies, such as AI and blockchains, offer new opportunities for hackers.

To watch the full video, go to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TW-D1I27E08