rb.alt.hackers

Charter / moderation notes

alt.hackers is a RootBadger discussion group for hacker culture in the original sense: curiosity, technical skill, tinkering, systems exploration, programming, reverse engineering, security research, old-school computing, open-source software, hardware modification, networking, and creative technical problem solving. This group is for people who like understanding how things work, breaking down complex systems, building tools, improving software, and sharing knowledge. Purpose alt.hackers exists to support serious and casual discussion about: Programming and scripting Linux, BSD, Unix, and open systems Security research and defensive security Reverse engineering for learning and interoperability Hardware hacking and electronics Networking and protocols Old-school Internet culture Open-source projects System administration Technical writeups, experiments, and discoveries Historical hacker culture Acceptable Topics Posts are welcome when they involve lawful, educational, defensive, or creative technical work. Examples: “How does this protocol work?” “I wrote a small tool to parse old Usenet-style headers.” “Best way to harden SSH on a public server?” “Understanding buffer overflows in a lab environment.” “Reverse engineering an abandoned file format.” “Show off your home lab.” “Old-school hacker books worth reading.” “Building a packet sniffer for learning.” “Responsible disclosure experiences.” Prohibited Content This group is not for cybercrime. Do not post: Requests to hack accounts, websites, phones, routers, or services Malware, ransomware, credential stealers, botnets, or phishing kits Stolen credentials, API keys, private data, or leaked databases Instructions for unauthorized access Exploit use against real targets without permission Doxxing or harassment “Can someone hack my ex/employer/school?” posts Spam, scams, or fake “hacker for hire” services Discussion of security concepts is allowed. Helping someone commit abuse is not. Tone and Culture alt.hackers should keep the old-school hacker spirit: Curious Technical Skeptical Helpful Blunt when needed Not full of script-kiddie nonsense Strong opinions are fine. Personal attacks, harassment, and low-effort flexing are not. Good posts teach something, ask a real question, or contribute useful information. Posting Guidelines Use clear subject lines. Good: Subject: Hardening OpenSSH on a small VPS Subject: Notes from reversing an old config format Subject: Why does this C pointer example crash? Bad: Subject: help Subject: urgent Subject: hack this Subject: I need a hacker When asking for help, include: Operating system Relevant code or config Error messages What you already tried Whether this is your own system or authorized lab Disclosure and Safety Security vulnerabilities should be discussed responsibly. When discussing a live vulnerability: Do not post active exploit details against real third-party systems. Do not expose private data. Prefer defensive explanation and mitigation. Respect responsible disclosure timelines when applicable. Moderation Moderators may remove posts that are illegal, abusive, spammy, reckless, or obviously made in bad faith. Repeat offenders may be banned from alt.hackers. Accounts may also be banned by email, IP, or other private abuse-prevention signals, but private moderation data must never be exposed publicly. Group Identity alt.hackers is for builders, breakers, sysadmins, coders, tinkerers, researchers, old net people, and anyone who still thinks computers are more interesting when you understand what is happening under the hood. This is not a crime board. This is a workshop.