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{{short description|Hacker group}}
{{about|the hacker group|other uses|414 (disambiguation)}}
'''The 414s''' were a group of [[Hacker (computer security)|computer hacker]]s from Milwaukee who broke into dozens of high-profile computer systems, including ones at [[Los Alamos National Laboratory]], [[Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center|Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center]], and [[Security Pacific Bank|Security Pacific National Bank]], in 1982 and 1983.<ref name=free-press27091983>{{Cite news |newspaper=[[Detroit Free Press]] |title=Teen tells Congress how to foil 'hackers' |date=September 27, 1983}}</ref> Of note, these "414s" are not affiliated with the "414" biker gang also based out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
==History==
They were eventually identified as six teenagers, taking their name after the IBM-sponsored [[Exploring (Learning for Life)|Explorer Post]] in their hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which used the telephone [[area code 414]]. They ranged in age from 16 to 22<ref name=DFP>{{cite news|first=Colin|last=Covert|title=High-Tech Hijinks Seven Curious Teenagers Wreak Havoc Via Computer |work=[[Detroit Free Press]] |date=August 28, 1983 |page=1F}}</ref> and many met in an Explorer Scout program sponsored by IBM.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=The Story of the 414s: The Milwaukee Teenagers Who Became Hacking Pioneers|url=https://www.discovermagazine.com/technology/the-story-of-the-414s-the-milwaukee-teenagers-who-became-hacking-pioneers|access-date=2020-11-08|website=Discover Magazine|language=en}}</ref>
The 414s were described as meeting the profile of computer hackers at the time: "Young, male, intelligent, highly motivated and energetic". Neal Patrick claimed his only motivation was the challenge of getting into places he was not supposed to, and remaining there undetected. Another member, Tim Winslow, began learning computers on a teletype his math teacher brought in to school.<ref name=":0" />
Many saw them as harmless pranksters, sort of a real life ''[[WarGames]]''—a film that was released earlier that year. The 414s themselves were not entirely harmless, doing $1,500 worth of damage at Sloan-Kettering during their June 3, 1983<ref>{{Cite book |title=Profits of Deceit: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Fraud |first=Patricia |last=Franklin |page=35 |year=1990}}</ref> break-in by accidentally deleting billing records.<ref name="Elmer-DeWitt">{{Cite news|last=Elmer-DeWitt|first=Philip|date=August 29, 1983|title=The 414 Gang Strikes Again|page=75|newspaper=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,949797,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071202043840/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,949797,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 2, 2007}}</ref> Patrick and the 414s did cause real concern, as experts realized that others could duplicate their techniques and do real damage.<ref name="enter">''Enter Magazine'', March 1984</ref>
The systems they broke into were exclusively running [[Digital Equipment Corporation]]'s (DEC's) [[OpenVMS|VMS]] and [[RSTS/E]] operating systems.<ref name="DFP" /> They used inexpensive personal computers, analog modems, and simple hacking techniques, such as using common or [[default password]]s published in DEC's manufacturer guides to log in to various timeshare systems. The 414s exploited a lack of administrative oversight and password care for systems.
Among those reporting unusual hacking activities was Chen Chui, an administrator who discovered an electronic break-in, left a message for the intruders, and contacted the [[FBI]], who placed [[wiretap]]s and eventually traced the calls back to Milwaukee. Gerald Wondra, 22 at the time, was the first visited by the FBI. Wondra lived with his mother in [[West Allis]], a Milwaukee suburb. Wondra said he was "curious, he was just having fun".<ref name="DFP" />
== FBI Investigation ==
The 414s were investigated and identified by the [[FBI]] in 1983 which included installing data-capture equipment on their phone lines.<ref name=":0" /> Winslow (20), Wondra (21), and Patrick (17) were all visited by FBI agents.<ref name=":0" /> Most of the members of the 414s were not prosecuted, in various agreements to stop their activities and pay restitutions.<ref>{{cite news|date=May 1, 1984|title=Computer User Sentenced|work=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/05/01/us/computer-user-sentenced.html|accessdate=2006-12-30}}</ref> Winslow, Wondra, and another defendant were charged and each pleaded guilty on two counts of "making harassing telephone calls".<ref>{{cite news|date=1984-03-17|title=TWO WHO RAIDED COMPUTERS PLEADING GUILTY|work=[[The New York Times]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/03/17/us/two-who-raided-computers-pleading-guilty.html}}</ref> Patrick, due to being a minor, was not at risk for prosecution and used the public attention to appear on various television shows. A [[Freedom of Information Act (United States)|Freedom of Information Act]] request made to the FBI on November 8, 2020, returned as "No Responsive Documents".<ref>{{Cite web|title=FBI: The 414 Gang|url=https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/fbi-the-414-gang-104706/|access-date=2020-11-17|website=MuckRock|date=8 November 2020 |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Media ==
There was widespread media coverage of them at the time,<ref name="free-press27091983" /><ref name="Elmer-DeWitt" /> and 17-year-old Neal Patrick, a student at [[Rufus King High School]], emerged as their spokesman and an "instant celebrity" during the brief frenzy of interest, which included Patrick appearing on ''[[CBS Morning News]]'', ''[[The Phil Donahue Show]]'' in August 1983, and appeared on the September 5, 1983 cover of ''[[Newsweek]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|date=September 5, 1983|title=Beware: Hackers at play|pages=42–46, 48|newspaper=[[Newsweek]]}}</ref><ref name="enter" /> During an appearance on NBC's ''[[Today (American TV program)|The Today Show]]'' he was asked if he had regrets, to which he replied "In hindsight, I really wish that accessing those systems just wasn't so easy."<ref name=":0" />
As a result of news coverage, congressman [[Dan Glickman]] called for an investigation  and new laws about computer hacking.<ref>{{cite news|date=16 May 2003|title=Timeline: The U.S. Government and Cybersecurity|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50606-2002Jun26.html|accessdate=2006-04-14}}</ref> Neal Patrick testified before the [[U.S. House of Representatives]] on September 26, 1983, about the dangers of [[Hacker (computer security)|computer hacking]], and six bills concerning [[computer crime]] were introduced in the House that year.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Bailey|first=David|title=1984 IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy |chapter=Attacks on Computers: Congressional Hearings and Pending Legislation |date=April 1984|chapter-url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/6234796|location=Oakland, CA, USA|publisher=IEEE|pages=180–186|doi=10.1109/SP.1984.10012|isbn=978-0-8186-0532-1|s2cid=15187375|url=https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1061207/ }}</ref>
== Documentary ==
A documentary called ''The 414s: The Original Teenage Hackers'' premiered in competition at the 2015 [[Sundance Film Festival]] and was picked up for distribution by [[CNN]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2015/01/cnn-film-series-414s-sundance-1201356625/|title = CNN Films Acquires 'The 414s' Documentary to Launch Short Film Series – Sundance|date = 23 January 2015}}</ref> The film features present-day interviews with some of the original 414s as they reflect on the early days of hacking and the media attention that followed.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/article/sundance-2015-short-films-20141209|title=Sundance 2015: Short Films|author=Casey Cipriani|date=9 December 2014|work=Indiewire|accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sundance.org/projects/the-414s-the-original-teenage-hackers|title=Sundance Institute|work=sundance.org|accessdate=24 January 2015}}</ref>
==Popular culture==
The [[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] television show ''[[Halt and Catch Fire (TV series)|Halt and Catch Fire]]'' features the ''Newsweek'' cover story of the incident, which correctly displays "414 Hacker Neal Patrick" and in a subsequent episode called "The 214s" (a [[Area codes 214, 469, and 972|Dallas area code]], where the show is set), a plot point includes a character attempting to recreate the break-in.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/halt-and-catch-fire/community/post/halt-and-catch-fire-some-techsplanations-and-background-for-episode-8-the-214s-1406173286/|title=Halt and Catch Fire: Some Techsplanations and Background for Episode 8, "The 214s"|work=tv.com|accessdate=14 April 2015}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<!-- "`Common Sense' Urged on Computer Break-Ins," 26 Sept 83; Copyright 1983 New York Times News Service " Possible reference... would be nice to read this article -->
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[[Category:Hacker groups]]
[[Category:History of Milwaukee]]
[[Category:Hacking in the 1980s]]
[[Category:1980s in Milwaukee]]