Old Skool Brought Back

Architecture and Background

Old Skool Brought Back: A 1964 Modem Demo K.C. Budd "Phreakmonkey" Security Researcher Taylor Banks "Dr Kaos" Security Researcher Eighteen years ago I was given a curious device: An Acoustic Coupled modem in a wooden box. I've kept it over the years and recently rediscovered it. Thanks to the recent invention of the web, I am now able to discover something about its history; I may have the oldest working modem on the planet!

Vulnerability Analysis

At this talk I will not only show you the modem, but also demonstrate its operation. Come along for a journey 45 years back to the beginning of digital telecommunications! K.C. Budd (phreakmonkey) is a computer hacker, security researcher, and general all around tinkerer.

Exploitation and Demonstrations

When he's not discovering archaic computer hardware in his basement he enjoys general aviation, urban exploration, and photography. As a child, K.C. was an avid BBS user and owned 300, 1200, and 2400 baud modems. K.C.

Remediation and Defensive Strategies

has worked in the security industry since 1996 and attended DEFCON since DEFCON 6 at the Plaza. Taylor Banks (aka dr.kaos) is a security evangelist and privacy pundit with over 15 years in the information technology industry, the last decade focused almost exclusively on information security and privacy. Since 1998, he has been designing, implementing, teaching and managing secure information systems for Federal Government, US Military, private universities and public companies, from start-ups to Fortune 100. Taylor, is also the PoC for the Atlanta DEFCON Group (DC404), and in 2005 founded "kaos theory security research," creators of the Anonym.OS LiveCD. For copies of the slides and additional materials please see the DEF CON 17 Archive here: