Hackers-(Master of Deception)

• Origin - New York
• Country - United States
• Years active - late 1980s to 1990s
• Category - Hacking/Phreaking
• Founder(s) - Acid Phreak, Scorpion, HAC
• Affiliated Group(s) - Legion of Doom and Cult of the Dead Cow

Masters of Deception (MOD)

• was a New York-based hacker group.
• MOD reportedly controlled all the major telephone RBOC's and X.25 networks as well as controlling large parts of the backbone of the rapidly emerging Internet.

Origin of Masters of Deception

1. MOD's initial membership grew from meetings on Loop-Around Test Lines that led to legendary collaborations to hack RBOC phone switches and the various minicomputers and mainframes used to administer the telephone network.
2. They successfully remained underground using alternative handles to hide even their true hacker identities.
3. Acid Phreak founded the Masters of Deception with Scorpion and HAC.
4. The name itself was, among other things, a mockery of LoD, as 'M' is one letter up in the alphabet from 'L', although the name originally was a flexible acronym that could be used to identify membership in situations where anonymity would be the best course of action.
5. It could stand for "Millions of Dollars" just as easily as "Masters of Deception."

Members of MOD


6. 
   

The original Masters of Deception included:

1. Mark Abene ("Phiber Optik"),

2. Paul Stira ("Scorpion"),

3. Eli Ladopoulos ("Acid Phreak"),

4. HAC, John Lee ("Corrupt," a.k.a. "Netw1z"),

Julio Fernandez ("Outlaw").

Additional members whose real names are unknown include:

1. Supernigger (also of DPAK)
2. Wing
3. Nynex Phreak
4. Billy_The_Kid
5. Crazy Eddie
6. The Plague
7. ZOD
8. Seeker
9. Red Knight (who was also a member of Cult of the Dead Cow)
10. Lord Micro
11. n00gie
12. peaboy (aka, MCI Sprinter)
    
    

Philosophy

• Masters of Deception operated differently in many respects to previous hacking groups. Although they openly shared information with each other, they took a controversial view on sharing information outside the group.
• It was believed that access to MOD's knowledge should be earned via degrees of initiation and a proven respect for the craft, rather than releasing powerful information into the wild where it could be used for nefarious purposes.
• A demonstration of responsibility on the part of the initiate was required.
• This informal compartmentalized protection of more sensitive knowledge was a structure originally employed by LOD in the 1980s, rather successfully.
• Giving out useful things to irresponsible people would inevitably lead to whatever thing it was being abused and no longer useful. I was very possessive of my information and frequently withheld things from my articles." --Phrack #40 interview, 1/8/1992.
  

The Fall of MOD

• As a result of a major nationwide investigation by a joint FBI/Secret Service task force, five of MOD's members were indicted in 1992 in federal court.
• Within the next six months (in 1993), all five pleaded guilty and were sentenced to either probation or prison.

Masters of Deception have appeared in many magazine and newspaper articles, and the individual members have appeared on television numerous times.

1. Village Voice July 24, 1990. Cover Article by Julian Dibbel.
2. Masters of Deception — The Gang that Ruled Cyberspace (ISBN 0-06-092694-5)
3. Gang War in Cyberspace Wired 2.12
4. This American Life Oct. 3, 1997. How Bad Is Bad? Act Five profiles Eli
5. Ladopoulos after his release from prison.