P.H.I.R.M.

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P.H.I.R.M.
Origin USA
Country United States
Years active 1983–1990
Category hacker think tank
Founder(s) Archangel
Blade Runner
Jack The Ripper
Sir Gamelord
The Stingray
Product(s) Thief's World BBS and many others
Affiliated Group(s) reorganized from KILOBAUD
Website(s) None


The PHIRM was an early hacking group which was founded in the early 1980's. First going by the name of KILOBAUD, the firm was reorganized in 1985 to reflect a favorite television show of the time "Airwolf". By the mid 1980's The PHIRM was sysopping hundreds of boards. The PHIRM broke up in 1990, voluntarily, stating that after the Legion of Doom arrests that they had become too high-profile.

In 1985 a Phrack magazine article brought the group into the public eye, and they began to take on new members. In 1987 two of the founders, Archangel and Stingray, co-authored a report on Cleveland's Freenet. In 1989 the group published a definitive guide to breaking security on Bank of America home banking systems. This brought a great deal of scrutiny on the group and there were arrests. At the time of the break-up of the PHIRM, however, there were still over 100 members.

The PHIRM was the last of the Old School (1980s) hacker groups to disband. Most of the membership disappeared. Others went on to start their own groups.

[edit] Founding Members

  • Archangel
  • Blade Runner
  • Jack The Ripper
  • Sir Gamelord
  • The Stingray

[edit] Later Members

  • Dark Creaper
  • The Wiz
  • Baron Harkonnen
  • Jimmy Jacker
  • Electel

[edit] REFERENCES:

Sample Textfile, "Breaking Bank of America's Security"

Phrack Magazine Artical, Issue #6 - Influential Hacker Groups

2600 Magazine, contributors

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