AOL Underground

The president of the ARiSE warez group tells us about his experience with BBS, Prodigy, QuantumLink, AOL, and IRC. He also talks about the early days of the warez scene, notable groups at the time, what it is like running a warez group, and his experience carding at age 13.

Survey Link:
https://airtable.com/app7GJNzwDQ8MMINw/shr4yEBKR6AADMOWo

Guest: Rajuabju
Host: Steve Stonebraker
Audio Editor: Sam Fox ([email protected]⁠⁠)
CoverArt: Created by Broast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://broast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), original idea by LampGold.
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AOL Underground PodcastFollow us on
twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @brakertech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Reddit -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/AOLUnderground/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Youtube-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AOLUndergroundPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Merch -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.redbubble.com/people/AOL-Underground/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Donate -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Contact the Host -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/contact-host/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
AOL 3.0 is working again! - https://dialtone.live/
ReAOL Discord -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/p3ol⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast Community Page -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/community/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
AOL 4.0 is working! -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://nina.chat/connect/aol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Check out my wife's Etsy shop -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowbraker

Pwning AOL with pure FDO. Hacking employee accounts. Downloading AOL files and posting them to aol-files.com. BMB recounts his amazing story

Guest: BMB
Host: Steve Stonebraker
Audio Editor: Sam Fox ([email protected]⁠⁠)
CoverArt: Created by Broast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://broast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), original idea by LampGold.
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AOL Underground PodcastFollow us on
twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @brakertech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Reddit -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/AOLUnderground/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Youtube-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AOLUndergroundPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Merch -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.redbubble.com/people/AOL-Underground/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Donate -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Contact the Host -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/contact-host/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ReAOL Discord -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/p3ol⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast Community Page -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/community/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
AOL 4.0 is working! -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nina.chat/connect/aol/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Check out my wife's Etsy shop -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowbraker

Creator of Millennium, Blizzard, and Code Genie. Despite facing relentless criticism and accusations of code theft, his software gained widespread use. He remains active in coding today, applying lessons from the AOL scene to modern projects like his mobile wagering game, rockshotrush.com.
Highlights Include:
Origin of the handle "BoFeN" and his other alias "Nova". He was also known as TRiPP.
Creation of Code Genie, a tool that automatically generated VB code for AOL interaction via the Windows API
Use of a "poser check" in his software to expose imposters claiming to be him
Development of a password-stealing executable disguised as a "Punter that Finally Works"
Evolution from copying interfaces to building original, widely-used programs like Blizzard
Current project: Rock Shop Rush, a mobile game with anti-cheat design rooted in his AOL experiences. rockshotrush.com⁠

Guest: BoFeN
Host: Steve Stonebraker
Audio Editor: Sam Fox ([email protected]⁠⁠)
CoverArt: Created by Broast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://broast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), original idea by LampGold.
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AOL Underground PodcastFollow us on
twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @brakertech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Reddit -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/AOLUnderground/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Youtube-⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AOLUndergroundPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Merch -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.redbubble.com/people/AOL-Underground/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Donate -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Contact the Host -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://aolunderground.com/contact-host/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ReAOL Discord -⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/p3ol⁠⁠⁠⁠
Podcast Community Page -⁠⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/community/⁠⁠⁠⁠
AOL 4.0 is working! -⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nina.chat/connect/aol/⁠⁠⁠⁠
Check out my wife's Etsy shop -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowbraker

The creator of KillTimer tells his story!

Blog post about Killtimer: https://adventuresincomputing.bajgier.net/development/storytelling/2024/10/08/the-killtimer-story.html

Highlights Include:
First experiences with computers and getting online
Teenage hacking, phishing, and the underground AOL scene
AOL beta program memories and chatroom hijinks
Early programming projects: Visual Basic, Delphi, C, C++, Java
The story behind KillTimer: motivation, development, and release
Website building, banner ads, and software site submissions

Guest: Barrac1315
Host: Steve Stonebraker
Audio Editor: Sam Fox ([email protected]⁠⁠⁠)
CoverArt: Created by Broast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://broast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), original idea by LampGold.
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AOL Underground Podcast
Follow us on twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, @brakertech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Reddit -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/AOLUnderground/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Youtube -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AOLUndergroundPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Merch -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.redbubble.com/people/AOL-Underground/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Donate -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Contact the Host -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://aolunderground.com/contact-host/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ReAOL Discord -⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/p3ol⁠⁠⁠
Podcast Community Page -⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/community/⁠⁠⁠
AOL 4.0 is working! -⁠⁠⁠https://nina.chat/connect/aol/⁠⁠⁠
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Other
Check out my wife's Etsy shop -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowbraker

Suspect shares his journey through the scene, starting from his first experiences with computers in the mid-90s and becoming active in the AOL community from 2000 to 2008. He discusses early programming interests, the thrill and risks of downloading and creating software, and the culture of exploiting vulnerabilities in platforms like PHPBB and AOL/AIM screen names. Suspect also reflects on the unique social dynamics of AOL chat rooms and the transition from online exploits to real-life challenges and personal growth. The episode offers a nostalgic look at the technical creativity and camaraderie of the early internet era.
Highlights Include:
Discovering computers and early web exploits in school
Transitioning from downloading programs to writing original code
The culture of keylogging, screen name cracking, and AOL exploits
Using Google to find vulnerable PHP forums and leveraging SQL injection
The social scene of AOL chat rooms versus today’s online communities
Personal growth, life changes, and returning to tech through web development

Guest: Suspect
Host: Steve Stonebraker
Audio Editor: Sam Fox ([email protected]⁠⁠⁠)
CoverArt: Created by Broast (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://broast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠), original idea by LampGold.
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AOL Underground Podcast
Follow us on twitter -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@brakertech⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Reddit -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.reddit.com/r/AOLUnderground/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Youtube -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@AOLUndergroundPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Merch -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.redbubble.com/people/AOL-Underground/shop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Donate -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AOLUnderground⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Contact the Host -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://aolunderground.com/contact-host/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
ReAOL Discord -⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/p3ol⁠⁠⁠
Podcast Community Page -⁠⁠⁠https://aolunderground.com/community/⁠⁠⁠
AOL 4.0 is working! -⁠⁠⁠https://nina.chat/connect/aol/⁠⁠⁠
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Other
Check out my wife's Etsy shop -⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.etsy.com/shop/Snowbraker